Nightshade Vegetables Aren ’ t Actually Bad for You

If you’ve ever gone down the rabbit hole of health and wellness trends online, you’ve likely stumbled upon the so-called shadowy side of nightshades—vegetables that include tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants, and peppers. What’s made them suddenly newsworthy is that they’ve been singled out by self-proclaimed wellness experts and celebrity dieters as culprits behind a range of health issues, from arthritis to autoimmune disease flare-ups and indigestion. While there’s little scientific evidence for these claims, some people report feeling better after cutting nightshades from their diets. So before you start side-eyeing your salad, eggplant parmesan, and baked potato, it’s worth taking a closer look. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] Why have nightshades become so controversial (and where did that shady name come from, anyway)? Scientists, internal medicine doctors, and registered dietitians shed light on these unfairly maligned vegetables. What are nightshade vegetables? Nightshade vegetables come from the Solanaceae family of flowering plants, which are nutritional powerhouses, packed with vitamins (such as C and K), minerals (like potassium and magnesium), and fiber. Dietitians and doctors recommend them in abundance. In fact, they make up a few of the staples in one of the world’s healthiest eating plans, the Mediterranean Diet. Here’s where the suspicion lies: These vegetables also contain alkalo...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized Evergreen freelance healthscienceclimate Source Type: news