Are sweet potatoes nightshades? Sweet potatoes are among the foods that are commonly mistaken as nightshade vegetables, but they're not nightshades.
Interestingly, sweet potatoes lack nightshade alkaloids that are found in regular potatoes, which have been linked to allergy-related symptoms. Some dietitians even recommend switching from regular to sweet potatoes to help with inflammatory joint-related conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis.
Potatoes (white and red potatoes. However, sweet potatoes are not nightshades.)
Tomatoes and Avocados are fruits and not vegetables. Tomatoes belong to the Nightshade fruit family while Avocados belong to the Laurels family.
And everyone's favorite cruciferous veggie, broccoli, is also not on the nightshade vegetable list. Colorful fruits and vegetables like blueberries and broccoli are often mistaken for nightshades. But these fruits and veggies are actually full of antioxidants.
Zucchini is not a nightshade. Cucumbers are not nightshades. Coffee is not a nightshade. Squash is not a nightshade.
They're a Great Anti-Inflammatory Food
Sweet potatoes contain natural anti-inflammatory compounds that help to reduce inflammation in the body.
The best may be purple potatoes, not just purple-skinned potatoes but purple-fleshed. Here's why: They cause less of an insulin and blood sugar spike compared to even the yellow-fleshed potatoes. Their pigments may also affect significantly lower inflammation.
Some diets claim that nightshades are inflammatory and should be avoided. This idea is rooted in the fact that nightshades are a large family of plants that contain a chemical compound called alkaloids. In extremely high doses, some alkaloids can make inflammation worse or be poisonous.
Overall, there is no hard evidence that nightshade vegetables are bad for your health. Some preliminary research shows these vegetables may not be the best for people with certain inflammatory and auto-immune conditions like arthritis or inflammatory bowel disease.
Here's a list of vegetables that people often think are nightshades, but are not nightshades: Black pepper. Coffee. Cucumbers.
Blueberries are not technically a nightshade plant. But, like nightshades, they contain some solanine. Blueberries have been called a “superfood” because they contain antioxidant compounds.
Solanine is concentrated in the leafy greens bugs try to eat, one major reason why we only eat the tomato or pepper fruit, not the rest of the plant. It can also be found in foods that aren't part of the nightshade family, including blueberries, apples, cherries, and artichokes.
While this is a common misconception, no, beets are root vegetables, not nightshade vegetables. Nightshade vegetables can be linked to causing inflammation whereas beets can prevent it. Potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, bell peppers and spices sourced from peppers are all examples of nightshade vegetables.
Nightshade Vegetables
Eggplants, peppers, tomatoes and potatoes are all members of the nightshade family. These vegetables contain the chemical solanine, which some people claim aggravates arthritis pain and inflammation.
Sweet potatoes are one of the best foods to add to your diet, if you suffer from back pain, according to orthopaedic surgeon Dr Branko Prpa. It's an anti-inflammatory vegetable, which is key to combating lower backache.
Avocados are a great source of healthy monounsaturated fat and antioxidants, which can dampen your body's inflammatory response.
Asparagus isn't a nightshade. Some common nightshades are tomatoes, potatoes (but not sweet potatoes, eggplant, all peppers, red spices, and tobacco.
Although there is a plant known as "Watermelon Nightshade" due to it's leaves resembling watermelon vine leaves, watermelons are not a member of the nightshade family. Common nightshade foods include tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, bell pepper, tomatillo, chili peppers, paprika and others.
No. The nightshades are the Solanaceae family, which includes tomatoes, potatoes, and peppers. Pumpkins are in the Cucurbitaceae family, which includes the squashes, cucumbers, melons, and gourds.