Nightshade Vegetables

[roxie]

Ok - what is the deal with nightshade vegetables? I am not clear as to why we need to avoid them, and what is bad about them. I have arthritis in my back, and have recently been reading that some people with arthritis benefit from avoiding them. Do sweet potatoes count? I have always heard that tomatoes and tomato sauces were supposed to be so good for you.

[Ursa Major]

Roxie, nightshade foods contain oxalates, which can make arthritis much worse. In addition they are also high in lectins and salicylates, which are also not great for arthritis!

I know that I have beginning arthritis in one vertebra in my back. It is not bothering me unless I eat either rice, egg or potatoes (gluten too, but I wouldn't dare eat it, anyway). Rice and eggs being lectin foods also.

Tomatoes are good for people who are not intolerant to them, and who don't have arthritis. The same goes for peppers.

My suggestion is, why don't you eliminate all nightshade foods for a couple of weeks to see if it makes a difference? You may be surprised by how much better your back feels.

If within a month you can't tell a difference you may be fine with nightshades.

So, what have you got to lose by giving it a try? And no, sweet potatoes are fine, they are not a nightshade vegetable.

[BRUMI1968]

Another interesting thing about nightshades, is that they require calcium for metabolizing. This means that if you eat nightshades and don't have enough calcium around in your meal, you'll suck it out of your bones to digest the nightshades.

SWEET POTATOES are not a nightshade; they are in the marigold family.

If you're worried about missing out on the healthy stuff in tomato, there are plenty of alternatives. One thing about them is the vitamin c, and that is pretty easy to replace. But another thing is the lycopenes. Also in watermelon, grapefruit, and apricot. Another thing is that these bioflavinoids are often grouped by color - eat lots of deep red foods like beets or berries and the like to get similar goodness to tomatoes.

[Phyllis28]

Very interesting discussion. They found the beginning stages of arthritis in my back when they did a cat scan last year. I don't have any pain. Do nightshades always make arthritis worse or only if you are sensitive to nightshades? I have never had any trouble with nightshades in the pase.

[RiceGuy]

Just a little note: Paprika is from a type of pepper, which also means curry powder contains a nightshade too.

Phyllis28: I didn't have any trouble with nightshades (that I know of) until going gluten-free. I suppose it was just a slow progression, accompanied by the fact that I increased my consumption of potatoes when gluten-free.

[Discovery]

Ok - what is the deal with nightshade vegetables? I am not clear as to why we need to avoid them, and what is bad about them. I have arthritis in my back, and have recently been reading that some people with arthritis benefit from avoiding them. Do sweet potatoes count? I have always heard that tomatoes and tomato sauces were supposed to be so good for you.

Hello Roxie:) The nightshade plants have long been touted as causing arthritis....eggplant, peppers, white potatoes, tomatoes. Yes tomato sauce may be good (vit C) for some, but hard on arthritis suffers. No, sweet potatoes are not considered nightshade plant. They were actually mislabeled by an explorer (forgotten his name). The lighter ones are best because of lower sugar content. Sugar is such a damaging "food" for Celiacs. I read that the United States never had wheat before the explorers landed. This is corn country. I have stopped all nightshade plants and my arthritic symptoms have grately improved. I miss them, but I don't miss the joint pain, back pain, neck pain, even my big toes, ouch....all gone. Good luck:)

[Guest hightop girl]

That is interesting because when I eat white potatos, my knee and hands swell. I do not tolerate rice well. What is the issue with rice. I can eat rice crackers but not real rice.

[Ursa Major]

That is interesting because when I eat white potatos, my knee and hands swell. I do not tolerate rice well. What is the issue with rice. I can eat rice crackers but not real rice.

You may be intolerant to lectin foods. Those include all grains (including rice), nightshade vegetables, all dairy, legumes, eggs.

Most of the time people won't be intolerant to all of those, but I am.

Here is a link to check it out:

Open Original Shared Link

[sickchick]

Is there a test for Lectin intolerance or would I have to just do an elimination diet? I have a feeling I have a lot of these....

Also, would lectin intolerance inhibit the regrowth of vili if I have been off gluten now for like 6 months but not lectins? I do get extremely achy (to the point of tears) from peppers and canned tomatoes (seem to be worse than fresh for me) potatoes etc. I was thinking eggs last week.

thanks everyone:)

kinda scrathing my head I don't feel like I am healing much

lovelove

sickchick