What Are Night Shadow Vegetables, Is Consuming Them Harmful?

Night shadow vegetables belong to the family of plants whose Latin name is Solanaceae. These vegetables are widely consumed vegetables with high lectin levels, such as potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and eggplant. Many of them are rich food sources and serve as staple foods for various cultures. However, some experts believe it may be better for certain groups of people to strictly ban consuming nightshades. Because it is claimed that the harmful substances found in these vegetables may contribute to inflammatory bowel disease and other autoimmune diseases. This article contains information on what night shadow vegetables are and their effects on health.

What Are Night Shadow Vegetables?

Night shadow vegetables are the edible parts of flowering plants belonging to the Solanaceae family. The origin of the name Nighthades (Night shadow) is uncertain, but may be related to their dark and mystical past. Some night shadows are reported to have been used previously as narcotic and hallucinogens and have high lectin levels. The night shadow family includes more than 2,000 plant species, but very few of them are actually consumed as food. Some, such as belladonna, are poisonous. However, nightshades also include vegetables that have been the staple food of many societies for hundreds of years. Some of the most commonly consumed nightshades are:

• Eggplant

• Peppers

• Potato

• Tobacco

• Small tomato

• Tomato

Many herbs and spices are also obtained from these vegetables, including chili peppers, crushed chilli peppers, chili powder, and chilli. Black and white peppers are obtained from black peppers that are not from the nightshade family. In addition, various condiments and other common food items include nightshades as ingredients such as hot sauce, ketchup, marinara sauce and salsa. Although they are commonly referred to as vegetables, many eggplants such as tomatoes, eggplants and peppers are considered botanically as fruits.

Are Night Shadow Vegetables Rich in Nutritional Value?

Many health professionals encourage you to eat nightshades because of their high nutrient density. This means they contain a lot of nutrients with fewer calories. To indicate nutritional values, it can be defined as follows:

• Tomato: Tomato is a rich source of vitamin A and C. It also contains an antioxidant called lycopene. These foods can reduce the symptoms of inflammation and reduce the risk of several chronic diseases.

• Chili: Peppers contain an incredible amount of vitamin C that can provide many health benefits, including helping to increase iron absorption.

• Hot peppers: Hot peppers contain capsaicin, which heat the pepper. It has been found that supplementing with capsaicin powder helps relieve heartburn symptoms and may benefit weight loss efforts by helping reduce calorie intake.

• Eggplant: Eggplant is a rich source of fiber containing 2.5 grams of fiber (per cup). This important nutrient helps balance bowel movements and can also reduce the risk of heart disease.

• Potato: Potatoes on the skin contain a fair amount of potassium, vitamin B6 and manganese. However, unlike most junk foods, potato is a starchy vegetable. A small potato contains about 30 grams of carbohydrates. Some people with diabetes or looking to lower blood sugar may need to avoid eating too much potatoes.

Are Night Shadow Vegetables Harmful For Autoimmune Diseases?

Although nightshades are a rich food source, many people claim that they are harmful and should be avoided. Many of these claims seem to revolve around a group of substances found in nightshades called alkaloids. Alkaloids are nitrogen-containing substances typically found in the leaves and stems of nightshades. They are usually very bitter and act as a natural insect repellent. However, the edible parts of these plants also contain some alkaloids. As a result, many people with autoimmune diseases exclude nightshades from their diets believing they contribute to health problems. However, research has yet to find evidence that nightshade vegetables contribute to autoimmune diseases.

Night Shadow Vegetables and Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a group of autoimmune diseases characterized by inflammation of the digestive system. Examples are Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. In people with IBD, the protective lining of the intestine does not work properly and allows bacteria and other harmful substances to enter the bloodstream. This is sometimes referred to as increased intestinal permeability or leaky gut. When this happens, the body’s immune system attacks harmful substances, causing further inflammation in the gut, pain, and many negative gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea and malabsorption.

While research on this is limited, several studies in animals show that nightshade alkaloids can worsen the gut lining of people with IBD. Two separate studies on mice with IBD found that alkaloids in potatoes negatively affect intestinal permeability and increase intestinal inflammation. It is important to note that the alkaloids in these studies were in much higher concentrations than the amount found in a normal serving. Additionally, two test-tube studies show that a fiber called pectin in tomatoes and capsaicin in peppers can increase intestinal permeability. This limited research study on test tubes and animals shows that individuals with IBD will benefit if they do not consume nightshades or reduce their consumption. However, research in humans is needed before more precise recommendations can be made.

Effects of Night Shadow Vegetables on Other Autoimmune Diseases

Little is known about the effects of nightshades on different autoimmune diseases. However, it may be associated with autoimmune health conditions such as multiple sclerosis, celiac disease, and rheumatoid arthritis, with increased intestinal permeability or bowel leakage. Some experts believe that leaky gut may contribute to higher levels of inflammation throughout the body that worsen disease symptoms. Based on this belief, some suggest that nightshades can increase intestinal permeability and may also exacerbate symptoms of these autoimmune conditions. Many people with these diseases remove nightshades from their diet and report improvements in symptoms, but at this time the evidence for this recommendation is mainly anecdotal and needs to be studied.

Sensitivities and Allergies

Other groups of people without autoimmune diseases claim that eliminating nightshades significantly improves their health. These people are often said to be sensitive to junk food. One of these groups includes people with arthritis, as some claim that eliminating nightshades eases pain. There is an older theory that nightshades contain a form of vitamin D that causes calcium deposits that can contribute to joint pain and other arthritis symptoms. A vitamin D-like substance has been discovered in members of the nightshade family. And some studies report that animals consuming these plants develop calcium deposits in soft tissues that cause health problems.

However, there is no evidence that nightshades have vitamin D or cause calcium buildup, symptoms of arthritis or other related health problems in individuals who consume these vegetables. In addition to night shadow sensitivities, in rare cases, some people are allergic to certain nightshade vegetables. Although the symptoms of allergies vary, these include skin rash, hives, itchy throat, swelling, and difficulty breathing. If a person experiences any of these symptoms when they eat a particular nightshade vegetable, it would be wise to stop eating that particular food and seek medical attention for further testing. People who claim to have night shadow sensitivities find relief in symptoms by avoiding them, although there is no research to support this. Some people develop rare allergies to night shadow vegetables.

Night shadow vegetables contain important nutrients and have many health benefits. That’s why most health experts recommend consuming these vegetables. In addition, some people may choose to avoid night shadow vegetables due to their sensitivity. If a person thinks they are sensitive to nightshades, there are many alternative fruits and vegetables they can consume as part of a healthy diet, and they can choose them.