Last day of preparation before we kick off with the programme tomorrow!
Night shades – For those with inflammatory joint conditions, removal of the night shade family may be beneficial for you.
What Are Nightshades?
Nightshade is the term given to the Solanum genus, which has more than 2000 species. The most commonly eaten varieties include:
- Ashwagandha
- Eggplant
- Peppers (except peppercorn)
- Potato (not yams or sweet potatoes)
- Tomatillo
- Tomato
- Aubergines
Why Remove Nightshades?
Those in the anti-nightshades camp generally argue that these plants can be harmful for the following reasons:
The evidence is mixed in terms of whether alkaloids and glycoalkaloids are harmful. It may be that some varieties are harmful, while others have potential health benefits, some of which may exist in the same nightshade plant. There may also be a dose-respponse relationship.
Many nightshade vegetables contain lectins, which some believe to be anti-nutrients. However, when prepared properly, lectins do not have the same toxicity and do not create the inflammation and intestinal permeability that many claim. That being said, it does not mean that some people do not have an adverse reaction to lectins or need to remove them from their diet from time to time.
Those with atopic dermatitis or psoriasis have shown significant skin improvements when removing nightshades from their diet.
Many of us have an autoimmune condition (often undiagnosed). The autoimmune protocol which is popular for those with autoimmune diseases, incorporates the removal of nightshades often with improvements/remission in symptoms seen in 6 weeks.
Many females see a surge in histamine issues when they move through peri-menopause and into menopause due to falling levels of oestrogen. The nightshades are high in histamine so there is often an improvement to all histamine like symptoms which are itching, running nose/eyes and gut pain.
If you struggle with these symptoms have removed the more common triggers such as gluten, dairy, refined sugars and alcohol from your diet, and consume a lot of nightshades, you may benefit from a trial to see if eliminating them works.
