Nightshades

[parifete]

I know that potatoes give me indigestion, but I am wondering if I am allergic to potatoes does that mean I am allergic to all other nightshades? Any one with an advice would be great.

Thanks

[darlindeb25]

You probably are not allergic to potatoes, maybe just intolerant. The only way to tell about other nightshades, is by trial and error. I gave them all up after I found I couldn't eat 3 or 4 of them, that was enough for me. I get ill within 20 mins when eating tomatoes, any type of tomatoes, sauce, raw, juice, no matter how the tomato is. Green peppers make me ill, as do pototes. So, I gave them all up.

[Ursa Major]

If you are wondering, you need to do an experiment. Don't eat any tomatoes, peppers or eggplant for a couple of weeks. None at all. Then eat lots of tomatoes over the course of one or two days and wait to see what happens.

You may not get any gastrointestinal problems at all. Tomatoes give me migraines. When I was still eating tomatoes all summer, I'd have migraines lasting up to three weeks at a time! And strangely, I never made the connection. Only after testing for intolerances by a naturopathic doctor, and testing positive for all nightshade foods, and after giving up all nightshades, did I realize that my migraines were caused by tomatoes.

After you have tested tomatoes wait a week and eat lots of peppers. Peppers make me break out in pus filled pimples all over my face. If you are intolerant to them, you could get a totally different reaction.

I don't know what eggplant does to me, because I don't like it anyway, and I have no intention of testing it.

Tobacco is a nightshade plant as well, and that explains why I am so allergic to tobacco smoke (it gives me asthma).

I had figured out that potatoes caused acid reflux, diarrhea and bloating years ago, but never thought that the other nightshades could be a problem too, until I was tested. So, I think it is quite likely that you have a problem with all nightshades if potatoes are a problem.

[RiceGuy]

If it turns out that you can't eat potatoes, you can try taro. It is a root vegetable, with nearly the same white fleshy inside as a potato. I actually like the taste even better - it is slightly sweeter, with a hint of something similar to water chestnut. Use it in all the same recipes as potato. Mashed, fried, baked, etc. I've even made chips, which turned out amazingly crispy and crunchy, and very flavorful. If you react the same way to taro, then I suppose it may be the carbohydrate, which is apparently the same as a potato as well.

Just be sure to take the same precautions when handling it raw as you would for sweet potato. Both have oxalate crystals which can irritate the skin. Cooking destroys them of course.

Tobacco is a nightshade plant as well, and that explains why I am so allergic to tobacco smoke (it gives me asthma).

Interestingly, though I'd read that before, I never made the connection with the fact that I'm allergic to the smoke. Thanks for pointing that out!