Are Nightshade Veggies Poisonous?

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Are nightshades poisonous? Well, it depends on who you listen to. I became aware of the nightshade vegetables several years ago (these include potatoes, tomatoes, peppers of all kinds and eggplant, among others). The contention over nightshade vegetables has been brewing for centuries (millennia?) as various cultures have sworn they are poisonous and not to be trusted, and others have embraced and cultivated them avidly as part of their regular diet.

I'm now leaning much harder toward the fact that while not poisonous, nightshade veggies are definitely a trigger of poor health in some individuals (including me). I have a friend who, after years of unexplainable pain (and thankfully ruling out Lyme disease, lupus, MS and numerous other diseases) was diagnosed with serious food sensitivities. The nightshades are definitely on her trigger list.

After re-reading some information on the nightshade veggies a few weeks ago, I decided to reduce and then eliminate them from my diet to see what would happen. Almost like magic, issues I have dealt with and tolerated for over 20 years cleared up in days. Amazing...

So now I'm adjusting and trying to convince myself that the nightshades are truly a significant food sensitivity trigger for me. I realize that all I need to do to be re-convinced is to consume some potatoes or peppers, and sure enough, I'm right back where I was all those years.

I've said before in Power Pantry posts that food is medicine, and shared this quote: "With the right food, medicine is of no need; with the wrong food, medicine is of no use." My friend's years of pain and suffering are a testament to that very concept. Thankfully she's on her own journey of discovery and healing which I'm confident will lead her to a fulfilled, pain-free life.

Do you need to be concerned about nightshade veggies? Maybe, maybe not. One way to tell is to eliminate them from your diet for a time (a couple of weeks to about 30 days is plenty), and see what happens. Do you feel better or different once your body has been cleaned up from the nightshades? How's your skin health? Digestion overall? Joint pain? Gut health? It's said nightshades can trigger depression, mood swings and sensitivity to weather changes, besides headaches, muscle pain and insomnia... Do some of your own research and study on line, and with your pantry, and see how it goes.

By the Way

Thankfully, sweet potatoes and yams are not in the nightshade family (because I really like those...) For a full list of nightshade veggies, symptoms and some additional great information, check out Eileen Laird's site and post at Phoenix Helix:
Nightshade-Free Survival Guide