Ayurvedic take on nightshades

When we look at food items in isolation none are inherently good or bad for us. We have to observe their actions in light of the conditions and When it comes to our diet, we need to consider our constitution, age,  strength of digestion, health issues, climate, time or day amongst other factors. This is the art of intuitive eating and personalised medicine. However we can observe certain food groups to be aggravating to some doshas and balangin for others. So understanding our mind-body constitution will play a crucial role in the foods we choose to eat or not eat.

One group of foods known as the nightshades which are plants in the Solanaceae family are generally considered to be toxic in high amounts and aggravating for all three doshas so the advice is to reduce or minimise these foods in our overall diet. This is largely due to the presence of glycoalkaloid properties. These glycoalkaloids are a neurotoxin which means they interfere with our neurotransmitter - our communication mechanism of our nervous system. Nightshades are believed to trigger an inflammatory response (also contains oxalates) in the body especially in the joints and are very aggravating to vata and pitta. Nightshades are heating in nature and have a sour and pungent post digestive action (vipaka) and also fall in the category of Rajasic and Tamasic food which can alter the state of mind to become either overactive or dull.

Nightshades can often very bitter and function as a natural insect repellent.

Whatsmore, the lectins found in nightshades contain immune-activating molecules that trigger an allergic response, so if you are struggling with food allergies it may be worth minimising or eliminating nightshades.

What foods fall under the nightshade umbrella? Aubergine, tomatoes, white potatoes, the entire family of peppers from bell peppers to chilli peppers, tobacco and you may be surprised to hear that also goji berries are a part of this food group. However a few nightshades are considered to be medicinal, did you know that goji berries and ashwagandha are a relative of the nightshade family.

While nightshades are not necessarily ‘dangerous’ per se. They can be very catalytic if you are prone, susceptible or already have conditions such as Arthritis, Fibromyalgia, Gout, Rheumatoid arthritis, Osteoporosis Autoimmune conditions and ongoing inflammatory conditions such as IBD. They are really aggravating for digestive problems such as Chrohns, leaky gut and skin issues too.

But who doesn’t love pizza or chips? Well when we eat these items the nightshades balance nervous sensitivity and stress which is why these foods feel comforting in the moment but then the body struggles to digest later. In the same way tobacco is addictive, tomato sauces have a similar addictive impact.

In this case I would most definitely try to eliminate or significantly reduce. While for many of us eliminating may not be ideal we can consume nightshades in a way that reduces the damaging effects. Firstly you can ensure that you choose the most ripe version available, red peppers over green, Ripe tomatoes etc.

When we cook these food items well we can significantly reduce the negative effects of the lectins found in them. Using ayurvedic spices and healthy cooking fats like ghee can help counterbalance the toxicity. You can swap red chillies, jalapeno’s and pimentos with other spices such as black or pink pepper, turmeric, clove, ginger etc. swap in sweet potato for white potato and courgettes for eggplant. Remember prevention by being mindful of our diet is always the best cure.