by Lorelei Cohen

Created on: January 18, 2009   Last Updated: November 16, 2010

Allergies to nightshade: What you need to know

Most of us know that the tobacco plant is not good for us because it contains a little chemical that we all know by the name of "nicotine". However, what most people do not know is that other nightshade plants such as eggplant, and tomato also contain this same chemical. The nightshade family of plants has a distinct protective defense mechanism to keep insects from consuming them, they produce alkaloids, a nitrogen containing structure designed to poison the offending insect. When you consume the nightshade plant you also consume this very same chemical that is meant to act as a poison to those who eat it.

Nightshade plants are so common place in our lives, that you may not suspect that these vegetables are the reason for your ill health, that is until an allergy test comes back proving that they are indeed the culprit. The nightshade family of plants includes the white potato, tomato, eggplant, green, yellow or red bell pepper, hot pepper, tobacco, mandrake, belladonna and morning glory. Nightshade food plants may also be disguised as pimentos, paprika, cayenne pepper, and Tabasco sauce.

There are four types of alkaloids distinct to the nightshade family of plants; steroid alkaloids, pyrrolizidine alkaloids, indole alkaloids, and tropane alkaloids. Health effects from the consumption of these can result in joint or nervous system disorders, digestive problems, loss of calcium in bone or increase of calcium in soft tissue, as well as other health related problems.

What many people may not realize is that food allergies, or an intolerance to a specific food, are often triggered by the very foods that you are raised on and consider to be safe for consumption. Foods so common that you would never suspect them of being harmful to your health, unfortunately often are, and nightshade plants are one of these groups of food.

Approximately seventy five percent of all people suffer from an allergy, sensitivity or intolerance to one or more foods that they consume. Symptoms of an intolerance to a specific food may include difficulty breathing, cough, fatigue, headache, migraine, flushing, rashes, swelling, gastrointestinal difficulties such as gas, diarrhea, bloating, nausea or abdominal pain.

Food sensitivities can display themselves as a simple mild case of gastrointestinal discomfort, or they may be severe enough to cause the development of an immune system response resulting in the formation of a chronic illness. The

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