What are nightshade vegetables? Why are they called nightshade vegetables? Is there really a dark side to it? Let's find out. Nightshade vegetables, such as potatoes, tomatoes, and eggplants, are nutrient-dense foods enjoyed worldwide. However, some people believe these vegetables can trigger inflammation or exacerbate autoimmune conditions. Let’s dive into the science behind nightshades to better understand their effects and decide if they belong on your plate.

What Are Nightshade Vegetables?

These vegetables belong to the Solanaceae family, which includes over 2,000 species of plants. Only a few are edible and widely consumed, while others, such as belladonna, are toxic. While there is no clarity about the name, the origin suggests that it may have a dark or mythical past, due to it being toxins, as only some of these are edible, most are not. Furthermore, these vegetables are also rumored to have been formerly used as narcotics and hallucinogens. In fact, potatoes, which is one of the common nightshade edible vegetable can become toxic if it is consumed with the green spots as they contain toxin solanine.

Common nightshade vegetables include:

• Tomatoes
• Potatoes
• Eggplants
• Bell peppers
• Chili peppers (e.g., jalapeños, cayenne)
• Tomatillos
• Goji berries
• Pimientos

Many herbs and spices—like paprika, cayenne, and chili powder—are derived from nightshades. In fact, condiments such as ketchup, hot sauce, marinara sauce, and salsa also contain these vegetables.

What is the nutritional benefit of nightshades?

Nightshades are known for their rich nutrient content, packing a lot of health benefits into relatively few calories:

Tomatoes: High in vitamins A and C, and lycopene—an antioxidant linked to reduced inflammation and lower risks of chronic diseases.

Bell peppers: An excellent source of vitamin C, which boosts immune function and enhances iron absorption.

Chili peppers: Contain capsaicin, which may help alleviate heartburn, aid weight loss, and reduce calorie intake.

Eggplants: Provide dietary fiber (2.5 grams per cup), supporting digestion and heart health.

Potatoes: While it is infamous for weight gain, potatoes have many benefits too. The potato skins are rich in potassium, vitamin B6, and manganese. However, they’re starchy, so those managing blood sugar should consume them in moderation.

What could be the concerns about Nightshades and Autoimmune Diseases?

Of course there are rumors around it being toxic, but could there be any real health concerns? The controversy around nightshades stems from their content of alkaloids—natural compounds found in the leaves, stems, and edible parts of these plants. While alkaloids serve as a natural insect repellent for the plants, they may pose concerns for people with certain health conditions.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

IBD, which includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, involves chronic inflammation of the digestive tract. Some studies in animals suggest alkaloids in nightshades could aggravate the intestinal lining and increase inflammation. For example, an older study on mice found that alkaloids in potatoes may worsen intestinal permeability, commonly known as “leaky gut.”

However, these findings are based on animal studies with high alkaloid concentrations—far exceeding what humans typically consume. More human studies are needed to confirm these effects.

Other Autoimmune Conditions

There’s a theory that nightshades could exacerbate other autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis or multiple sclerosis, by increasing inflammation. While some individuals report symptom relief after eliminating nightshades, current evidence is anecdotal, with no definitive human studies supporting this claim.

Allergies and Sensitivities to Nightshades

Some people without autoimmune conditions may experience sensitivities to nightshades. Common symptoms include digestive discomfort, joint pain, or skin reactions. In rare cases, individuals may have allergies to specific nightshade vegetables, resulting in:

• Skin rashes or hives
• Itching or swelling in the throat
• Difficulty breathing

If you suspect an allergy or sensitivity, consult a healthcare provider for proper testing.

Should You Eliminate Nightshades?

For most people, nightshades are safe and nutritious. However, those with autoimmune conditions or suspected sensitivities may consider an elimination diet. Here’s how:

Elimination Phase: Remove all nightshades and products containing them for at least 4 weeks.

Reintroduction Phase: Gradually reintroduce nightshades one at a time while monitoring symptoms.

Evaluate: Compare your symptoms during elimination and reintroduction to determine if nightshades are a trigger.

If symptoms improve during elimination and worsen upon reintroduction, you may benefit from avoiding nightshades long-term.

Substitutes for Nightshade Vegetables

If you decide to avoid nightshades, there are plenty of alternatives to maintain a nutrient-rich diet:

• Sweet Potatoes: A non-nightshade substitute for potatoes, rich in vitamin A.
• Pesto: A flavorful alternative to tomato-based sauces.
• Citrus Fruits: Excellent sources of vitamin C, replacing peppers.
• Leafy Greens: Spinach, kale, and collard greens provide fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

Cooking nightshades thoroughly, peeling potatoes, and avoiding green tomatoes can also reduce alkaloid content for those who wish to minimize intake without complete elimination.

If you’ve ever thought that boosting metabolism requires protein powders, extreme diets or fancy gym routines, think again. According to experts, your metabolism could benefit more from a pot of mint on your kitchen window than a supplement in your cabinet. And you can also grow it yourself.

Your Backyard is a Bioactive Goldmine

“Boosting your metabolism naturally isn’t about chasing quick fixes,” says Maninder Singh Nayyar, Founder, CEF Group. “It is about giving your body the kind of nourishment that helps it convert food into energy more efficiently.”

He explains that many metabolism-friendly foods can actually be cultivated at home. “Moringa, mint, lemongrass, curry leaves, green chillies, turmeric, and microgreens are all rich in antioxidants and bioactive compounds that help reduce inflammation, balance hormones, and support the body’s natural fat-burning ability.”

Spices and Herbs that Work Behind the Scenes

Each ingredient brings its own superpower to the table. “Take mint, for example, it helps improve bile flow and relaxes the stomach muscles, which supports digestion and better nutrient absorption, both key to a healthy metabolism,” says Nayyar, referencing insights from Sova Health.

Green chillies, he adds, are fiery for a reason. “They contain capsaicin, known to increase the body’s heat production and energy use, while turmeric helps enhance insulin sensitivity and brings down inflammation, both of which benefit metabolic health over time,” he says.

The Power of Growing Your Own

“Growing these ingredients at home, whether it’s a pot of mint on your windowsill or a few microgreens in your kitchen, adds an extra layer of freshness and trust to your meals,” Nayyar explains. “It also creates a stronger connection with what you eat.”

Urban farming, he says, is more than a trend. It’s becoming a practical solution. “Studies show that urban farming can increase access to fresh produce by up to 30% in cities, and it plays a growing role in tackling nutrition and sustainability challenges in densely populated areas.”

Nutrition Straight from the Soil

Payal Sharma, Senior Nutritionist and Dietician at Dharamshila Narayana Superspeciality Hospital, Delhi, says, “Optimising the body's metabolic function is fundamentally about providing it with the right raw materials, and home-grown foods offer an exceptional source.” This isn't about fleeting fads; it's about harnessing the inherent power of nutrient-dense produce to enhance our natural energy conversion processes.

She elaborates on how these natural ingredients work. “When we cultivate ingredients like moringa, mint, lemongrass, curry leaves, green chillies, turmeric, and microgreens, we're tapping into a rich pharmacy of bioactive compounds and antioxidants.”

It’s not just about individual ingredients either. “Capsaicin in green chillies is well-documented for its ability to induce thermogenesis, gently increasing the body's caloric expenditure. Similarly, turmeric's potent curcuminoids play a vital role in reducing systemic inflammation and improving insulin sensitivity, critical factors in how effectively our bodies utilise glucose for energy.”

From Garden to Gut

According to Sharma, the freshness of just-harvested herbs and greens makes all the difference. “The unparalleled freshness and vibrant nutrient profile of just-harvested produce ensure that these beneficial compounds are delivered in their most potent form. This direct link from garden to plate not only maximises nutritional intake but also fosters a deeper, more mindful relationship with food, empowering individuals to truly fuel their metabolism from the ground up.”

TikTok’s health trends never seem to stop, and the latest one is fibermaxxing, a catchy name for something dietitians have already been preaching for years: eat your fibre. While the trend may sound like a clever hashtag, it has got people munching on lentils, oats, berries and veggies like never before. But is this just another health fad? We find out.

What Is Fibermaxxing?

Simply put, fibermaxxing is all about loading up your plate with fibre-rich foods. They include chickpeas, whole grains, flax seeds, fruit skins and all those leafy greens you keep ignoring. The term originated, like every other term, on TikTok, where creators began sharing fibre-loaded meals and showing off their impressive digestive health wins.

The hashtag #fibermaxxing took off in 2023 and has since drawn millions of views. Behind the scenes, the goal of this trend is fairly wholesome: to encourage people to meet their daily recommended fibre intake.

Why Experts Say It is Actually a Good Idea but in Moderation

Fibre has always been a nutritionist's favourite. Health experts have been saying it forever: getting enough fibre every day can seriously boost your overall health. It helps keep your digestion on track, keeps your blood sugar steady, and even brings down cholesterol levels. On top of all that, it has been linked to a lower risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers.

Plus, fibre keeps you feeling full for longer, which means fewer snack attacks and better weight management without trying too hard.

How Much Fibre is Too Much Fibre?

As with most TikTok trends, the issue is not the idea but the excess. Experts caution that suddenly jumping on the fibermaxxing trend without building up gradually can lead to bloating, gas, constipation, or the dreaded combination of all three.

Fibre draws water into the digestive tract and bulks up stool, which is great, but only if your body is used to it and you are drinking enough fluids. Adding too much too soon can overwhelm your gut and leave you feeling worse, not better.

If your stomach tends to be on the sensitive side or you have something like IBS, suddenly flooding your system with a ton of fibre can actually make things worse. Instead of feeling lighter and healthier, you might end up feeling gassy, bloated or straight-up uncomfortable. So while this trend is all about gut health, jumping in too fast can totally backfire.

How to Fibremaxx Without Wrecking Your Stomach

• Take it slow: Do not shock your system. Add a little more fibre to your meals every few days so your gut has time to catch up.
• Hydrate like a champ: Fibre needs water to do its thing. If you are not drinking enough, you could end up feeling more blocked than balanced.
• Stick to real food: Go for natural, whole sources like fruits with the skin, veggies, lentils, oats, brown rice, nuts, and whole grain everything.
• Mix your fibre types: Soluble fibre like oats, apples and flaxseeds helps with digestion, while insoluble fibre like leafy greens and whole grains keeps things moving.
• Do not go overboard: A giant portion of lentils might look cool in a reel, but your stomach might not agree. Keep it balanced.

Easy Ways to Add More Fibre

• Swap white rice for brown or red rice
• Sprinkle chia or flaxseeds on your yoghurt
• Stir lentils into your soups, dals, or pasta sauces
• Munch on roasted chickpeas or a handful of almonds
• Do not peel your apples or cucumbers
• Start your day with oats or a whole grain cereal

Known as a silent killer, high blood pressure is a much more common issue than we believe. It is a condition where the blood pushes against your artery walls, creating pressure. It not only increases the chances of heart disease and strokes but was a contributing cause of 664,470 deaths in the US, according to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. So how does one tackle this issue?

New research suggests that drinking a bit of vegetable juice every day might help older folks lower their blood pressure. Beetroot juice is especially good because it has a lot of something called nitrate. Nitrate is important for how our bodies work and has been linked to lower blood pressure and healthier blood vessels.

How Beetroot Juice Might Work: A Mouth-Body Connection

Researchers at the University of Exeter believe that beetroot juice's positive effects on heart health could be due to changes it makes to the bacteria in your mouth.

In their study, participants drank either regular beetroot juice (full of nitrate) or a placebo drink (with nitrate removed). When people drank nitrate-rich beetroot juice, tests showed a decrease in certain mouth bacteria called Prevotella and an increase in beneficial bacteria like Neisseria.

Notably, older participants in the study started with higher blood pressure on average. Their blood pressure went down after drinking the nitrate-rich beetroot juice, but not when they drank the placebo.

Science Behind Why It Helps

One of the researchers explained that this study shows how foods rich in nitrate can change the tiny organisms in our mouths. These changes could then lead to less swelling (inflammation) in the body and help to lower blood pressure in older people. This discovery is exciting because it opens the door for bigger studies to look more closely at how things like what we eat, and even if someone is male or female, affect how their body reacts to getting more nitrate from their diet. It helps us understand the hidden ways food can impact our health.

What the Study Found

The study involved two groups of adults: one group of 39 younger people (under 30 years old) and another group of 36 older people (in their 60s and 70s). Each person in the study tried both the real beetroot juice and the fake juice for two weeks at a time. The researchers observed that the changes in mouth bacteria happened in both the younger and older groups. However, the drop in blood pressure was only seen in the older participants.

Another researcher from the study mentioned that we already know that eating foods rich in nitrate is good for our health. She also pointed out that as people get older, their bodies naturally produce less of something called nitric oxide, which is important for blood vessels. Older adults also tend to have higher blood pressure, and high blood pressure can lead to serious heart problems like heart attacks and strokes. So, encouraging older adults to eat more vegetables with nitrate could offer really significant and lasting health benefits.