Nope, I am not talking about window treatments. Nightshades are not something that trick our daughter into thinking it is nighttime and therefore bedtime.
Nightshades are fruits and vegetables that belong to the family of Solanaceae plants. You say what?!? I know, I had never heard of them either until I worked on a vegetable farm. Even then, I did not pay much attention to what they were. I was told that nightshades are actually poisonous, but that the ones we eat are okay ( not that poisonous).
Nightshades are fruits and vegetables that belong to the family of Solanaceae plants. You say what?!? I know, I had never heard of them either until I worked on a vegetable farm. Even then, I did not pay much attention to what they were. I was told that nightshades are actually poisonous, but that the ones we eat are okay ( not that poisonous).
I thought this news was great because I love tomatoes, which are part of the nightshade family. During tomato season I used to practically eat them with every meal (oh how I miss tomatoes and fresh mozzarella). Then a couple years ago a friend noticed that I was not feeling great in September. She asked me if maybe I was sensitive to nightshades? I had not really thought about it much, but yes, every year around late summer I start to feel not so good.
I am writing this post because I have just hit that point again. I know I am sensitive to nightshades, but I still eat them in smaller quantities. The reason I know I have reached my limit is because my knees are starting to hurt a little. Not too bad as the rest of my diet is clean, but enough for me to think it is time to lay off the tomatoes.
So what are nightshades? The most common ones are tomatoes, tomatillos, potatoes (not sweet potatoes), peppers and eggplants. However, there are more then 2,500 species of plants that fall into this category, so if you are sensitive to nightshades you really need to research what you eat and also what medicines and supplements you take.
If you are sensitive to nightshades you may experience diarrhea, gas, bloating, nausea, depression, headaches and my personal favorite, painful joints. In my case this does not happen overnight. The nightshades build up in my system until one day I start to notice that I am having some of the issues listed above.
I laugh about the Ratatouille I used to make the last couple of years. Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, it's a triple whammy! So, I don't make it anymore. Honestly, it's not one of our favorite things, I just made it because I had those vegetables to use. Now instead of eating tomatoes at every meal, I try to limit myself to once a day. I pass on the eggplant, use peppers sparingly and potatoes for the most part are saved for parts of the year where fresh vegetables are harder to find. I still eat some nightshades right now, but like gluten and dairy for me, at some point in my life eating them may become unbearable. I hope not though, because I sure do love tomatoes!!
If you think you may have a nightshade sensitivity,the following websites will give you more information:
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