A type of the family of flowering plants containing a little quantity of alkaloid content is known as the nightshades or Solanaceae family.
Family members in every household buy and devour staple foods made from nightshade vegetables. The Nightshade family is found to accommodate around 2000 varieties of plants. From the east to the western parts of the world, almost every individual cooks and eats nightshade vegetables with joy.
Some examples of nightshade vegetables and nightshade fruits are potatoes, bell pepper, eggplant, tomatoes, chile peppers, goji berries, huckleberries, pimentoes, etc.
Let’s investigate more on what are nightshades.
1) What are Nightshades?
Nightshade vegetables can be attributed to the edible parts belonging to the nightshades. The Nightshade family is made up of numerous classes such as melongena, tuberose, Lycopersicum, dulcamara, etc.
Most nightshades are edible and have important health benefits as well. There exist types of nightshades that have numerous adverse and poisonous effects on human health.
It is necessary and careful to avoid nightshades that may cause a food allergy or enhance other arthritis symptoms. It is also advisable to eat nightshades in enormous quantities as they can lead to acidity and heartburn.
Many nutritious foods are also made from nightshade vegetables. A good amount of reliable sources in the past have claimed that nightshades were used as hallucinogens and narcotics.
Morphine is one example. It was used by many medical doctors for numbing pain.
Tobacco has some narcotic properties, which consumed in large quantities can be cancerous. Tobacco seems to be extremely addictive and causes lung, mouth, and various types of cancer.
Nightshades contain alkaloids that give nightshade vegetables a bitter taste. In numerous plants, alkaloids are present as a chemical. The nitrogen component of alkaloids causes a significant medicinal change in human bodies. The alkaloid content is advantageous only to the point where it doesn’t affect the normal and original functioning of our bodies.
1.1) Characteristics of the Nightshade Family
Nightshade plant family can be both perennials and annuals. Their sizes vary from large to small. They are found in the form of small herbs as well as small trees.
Spices and herbs like cayenne pepper, chile peppers, and crushed red pepper are used to add a savoury taste to the food prepared by the masses all over the world.
Foods like potatoes and tomatoes are consumed as nightshade vegetables by numerous individuals. Nightshade fruits are also available to be devoured and benefitted from.
Prickles are observed on the stems and leaves of the plants belonging to the nightshades.
1.2) Edible Nightshades:
Only eat nightshade vegetables that have a low content of alkaloids. Since edible nightshades are available all around the world, different people cook them differently to avail the satisfaction of nutrients and appetizing taste. Edible nightshades include potatoes, tomatoes, bell peppers, etc.
1.2.1) Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) are loved by almost every individual. It is easy to make and can be transformed into many forms. Potatoes are a part of the nightshades.
Certain foods like french fries created from potatoes are enjoyed by younger as well as older people. Other foods like mashed potatoes, dum aloo, and aloo paratha are consumed happily by many individuals.
Only red and white potatoes are advisable to ingest as they contain the right amount of alkaloid. Green potatoes have an increased quantity of alkaloids and thus can prove to be greatly toxic to our health.
Green potatoes are those which are picked when premature or are placed in a fridge. “Eyes” on potatoes or sprouts have solanine present in them. Solanine poisoning leads to excruciating abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhoea.
Often sweet potatoes are falsely identified as a part of the nightshade family. Only potatoes belong to the Solanaceae family, not sweet potatoes.
1.2.2) Tomatoes (Solanum Lycopersicum) are a fraction of nightshade vegetables. People who love the umami flavour eat nightshades like tomato a lot.
A famous delicacy known as Marinara sauce is cooked with the help of tomatoes (a nightshade vegetable). The sauce is prepared with only 7 basic ingredients, namely, tomatoes, onion, cheese, salt, olive oil, garlic, and dried oregano.
Image by congerdesign from Pixabay/ Copyright 2015
Green tomatoes can be said to be unripened tomatoes have an acidic, crunchy, and devouring taste to them. Due to its high amount of acid, it may cause a certain degree of gastrointestinal discomfort when ingested without being aware.
1.2.3) Eggplant/ Brinjal (Solanum melongena) belongs to the nightshade vegetables. In a few places, it is also known as Brinjal or Aubergine.
Brinjal/Eggplant contains low calories and high fibre making it suitable and beneficial for adults as well as children. It is often grilled, fried, baked, and even boiled to be consumed by individuals.
1.2.4) Bittersweet/Woody Nightshade (Solanum dulcamara) is another type of plant family belonging to the nightshade. It is famous for its bright red berries that grow from a shiny green colour.
Image by Annette Meyer from Pixabay/ Copyright 2019
To define its appearance, it is said to be a herbaceous vine that can stretch up to 4.5m. It bears yellow star-shaped flowers making it vividly identifiable.
1.2.5) Bell Peppers/ Paprika/ Capsicum (Capsicum annum) are ingested by the majority of the population. Far and wide we have noticed the use of bell peppers/ capsicum in salads and countless other flavourful dishes.
Green bell pepper is the most commonly munched bell pepper. Almost all exotic dishes consist of green bell pepper due to their rich taste and nutritive value.
All over the world, nightshades are usually consumed in the form of fruits and vegetables. They have a bitter, delicious taste to them making them distinguishable and unique.
1.3) Non-Edible Nightshades
Avoid nightshades that can cause damage to our well-being.
1.3.1) Atropa belladonna, aka, deadly nightshade is known to be a tremendously poisonous plant. The plants of the Solanaceae family are filled with secondary metabolites known as tropane alkaloids.
Atropa belladonna carries this chemical in its berries and foliage, rendering fatal conditions to the people who consume it in large amounts.
1.3.2) Tobacco is another example of non-edible nightshade. It is a proven fact that tobacco is not healthy for our consumption at all. People inhale it through cigarettes and some eat it after crushing it.
Continuous and immense intake of tobacco causes cancer. It also reduces the age limit of a person. Along with detrimental effects on the physical body, tobacco promotes loneliness and mental health issues in an individual.
1.4) Harmful Effects of Nightshade Vegetables
Avoiding poisonous nightshades will help you escape dreadful conditions. If you overeat nightshade vegetables you might end up with adverse reactions.
1.4.1) Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Eating nightshades in high amounts can leave to intestinal inflammation, ulcerative colitis, and other nightshade sensitivity.
Not one reason can be assigned to two different people for nightshade sensitivity. There could be numerous reasons for nightshade’s effect on the gut of an individual.
But people having an intolerance towards nightshades must reduce their intake or eliminate nightshades. Avoid eating nightshades bad for your health to steer clear of conditions of diarrhoea, nausea, heartburn, gas, joint pain due to inflammation, and bloating.
1.4.2) Arthritis Symptoms
People experiencing certain issues of autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis are more prone to feel irritation after eating nightshades.
Individuals going through the autoimmune condition after consuming the alkaloids (acidic content) are bound to undergo the pain of intestinal permeability or commonly known as leaky gut syndrome. Intestinal permeability is the condition where absorption of nutrients is hampered and the individual feels excruciating pain and diarrhoea.
Jarolim, et al 1998 explored the effects of hot spices on the permeability of human intestinal epithelial monolayers. Scientific evidence shows that some nightshades like cayenne peppers and paprika can increase the permeability of ions and macromolecules from the intestines.
Instead of experiencing reduced inflammation, the person ends up having heightened inflammatory bowel disease. Autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis show up with enhanced symptoms. Some of the rheumatoid arthritis symptoms are weakness, fever, fatigue or tiredness, joint pain, etc.
1.4.3) Nightshade Allergy
Since each human is constituted differently. It is quite natural to develop allergies to nightshades. Individuals can develop nightshade sensitivities to certain foods.
Allergy to nightshades can be detected by the elimination diet method. It comprises an eating plan in which a few types of foods are removed from the diet to mark the substance causing the distress.
An individual can go through the elimination diet and eliminate nightshades from their diet and replace it with food components that will provide vitamins and nutrients.
The following common symptoms can appear in an individual:
A) Hives
B) Rashes
C) Difficulty breathing
D) Swelling
E) Bloating
F) Constipation
G) Wheezing
H) Headache palpitations
I) Eczema flares
J) Diarrhea
To immediately reduce inflammation, a person must carry an epinephrine pen. It is a medical device, also known as an epinephrine autoinjector used to inject a measured dose of epinephrine. This has to be done quickly as the person going through the allergic episode will face difficulty in breathing.
If the person is not carrying an epinephrine pen with them, call for help and be with them till the time an ambulance arrives at the scene.
1.5) Health Benefits of Nightshade Vegetable
Nightshade foods consumed in a limited proportion have a lot of good effects on the overall health of people. Due to their anti-inflammatory properties, the intake of nightshades is high.
Nightshade vegetables have the following potential health benefits which adhere to nurturing our health.
1.5.1) Full of Antioxidants
Protection of our cells against free radicals is done by antioxidants. Divergent types of antioxidants are found in different food types.
All antioxidants work unanimously to keep our bodies safe from inflammatory substances. The anti-inflammatory effects of antioxidants keep us protected from further deterioration of body components.
Nightshades like tomatoes, eggplant, and bell peppers are rich in important nutrients necessary to avoid unfavourable health effects. An antioxidant called lycopene is abundant in tomatoes which promotes anti-inflammatory effects.
Along with anti-inflammatory effects it promises to improve heart health and enhances overall health benefits.
1.5.2) Contains Vital Vitamins
Vitamins are known to boost our immune system and facilitate in resisting infections. Nerves are kept healthy by the appropriate amounts of vitamins in our bodies.
The process of formation of blood clots at the wounded sites is also quickened by vitamins. Nightshade vegetables inhabit the correct and appropriate quality of vitamin C and vitamin A which help in the maintenance of the immune system.
Vitamin C’s health benefits are to protect the cellular composition of our bodies. Preservation of healthy skin and wound healing are additional benefits of vitamin C.
Vitamin A is known to be an important nutrient for keeping reproductive organs healthy. Vitamin A facilitates the development and growth of people throughout their lives. It is essential to incorporate vitamin A in your diet as it assists in the conservation of normal eyesight.
Nightshades like tomato and bell peppers restrain the high measure of vital vitamins requisite for the protection of our complex bodies and minds. It has become quite tough to include all the vitamins in our diet. However, eating nightshade vegetables can help you replenish your selves by forming a balanced diet.
1.5.3) Improves Digestion
With the uprising consumption of junk food in our day-to-day life, it has been difficult having a clean and healthy gut.
Everybody is facing the issue of guts or digestion. Constipation is a common health condition encountered by one in 3 people. Another is the issue of acidity. Intake of extra spicy food or oily food increases the number of individuals having food sensitivities and indigestion.
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Ingestion of eggplants improves your gut health by a large fraction. Naeem and Ugur (2019) investigated the nutritional content and health benefits of eggplant. They found that eggplant can be used for medicinal purposes along with the improvement of the nutrition process as it is rich in fibre.
1.5.4) Healthy Source of Beta Carotene
Nightshades are found to be rich in beta carotene, a type of carotenoid beneficial for proper growth and development.
Beta carotene can be abundantly found in tomatoes which protects the oxidation of cells. (Khoo, et al 2011)
Nightshades comprise both the best vegetables and deadly, poisonous plants. They have both advantages and disadvantages.
Last Updated on by Himani Rawat
