Are nightshades overwhelming you? Here’s your complete guide to nightshades featuring why they matter, a full list, and substitution recipes!
Nightshade vegetables seem like healthy, nutrient-dense additions to any diet. Tomato is known as a cancer fighter, bell peppers are commended for their nutrient density, and eggplant is a common low carb swap. However, not everyone can tolerate nightshade vegetables and many deal with inflammation and aggravation of chronic illness as a result of eating nightshades.
With all of the healing that I’ve been able to do in the past several years, one thing has always eluded me… nightshades. Nightshades have been one of the single hardest things to reintroduce into my diet. Not only are they delicious, but they’re crazy sneaky! It’s not always obvious if there’s potato starch in a gluten-free bread or paprika in a breakfast sausage. You have to be incredibly aware of what you’re eating, and how your body is acting.
My nightshade intolerance was so inconvenient that I just wanted to ignore it. However, constantly adding fuel to the inflammation fire is not a great practice for those with inflammatory illnesses. As much as I didn’t want to, I became hyper-aware of nightshades, my symptoms, and learned all about what they and why they matter.
My awareness of nightshades has been transformative for healing my Hashimoto’s and getting my gut health and inflammation under control, and that’s why I’m sharing it with you!
List of Inflammatory Nightshade Vegetables & Fruits
Nightshades belong to the Solanaceae family and include thousands of edible and inedible plants.
Here are the common edible nightshades…
- Tomatoes: All varieties
- Potatoes: White and red potatoes, but not sweet potatoes
- Eggplant
- Peppers: Bell peppers, chili peppers, and any red spices
- Paprika
- Tobacco
- Goji berries
Are Nightshades Inflammatory for everyone? Why would you want to avoid them?
Not necessarily. Nightshades do have a lot of nutrient density on their own and can be a healthy part of a balanced diet for many. By no means would I ever suggest that the human race as a whole needs to go nightshade free!
However, nightshades are known to be inflammatory for many and can flare up joint issues, digestive symptoms, and other inflammatory diseases. Those with the following conditions are certain groups of people that may have nightshade issues…
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Any joint issues
- Digestive issues or “IBS”
- Autoimmune disease (hashimoto’s, graves, etc.)
Have one of these conditions but don’t feel like you have nightshade issues? I was in the same boat. I didn’t particularly feel a difference when I ate tomatoes, so why would I avoid them?
Not having an obvious reaction to an inflammatory food is common, and doesn’t necessarily mean it’s not inflammatory for you. What can happen is that our body can be so inflamed that we just don’t notice the nuances anymore. That’s why elimination diets like the autoimmune protocol are the gold standard for nailing down food intolerance as they allow your body the chance to anti-inflame so you can actually determine whether or not you have a reaction when you reintroduce the food.
What do nightshade intolerance symptoms look like?
Everyone is different and your symptoms will vary. But typically, you can look out for these symptoms…
- Joint pain
- Inflammation
- Fatigue
- Migraines
- Skin flares
- Digestive distress
- Flares to any preexisting conditions
Where do nightshades hide?
I’ve grown very accustomed to finding where the heck all of those sneaky nightshades are hiding after having entirely too many
Potato starch hides in…
- Gluten-free bread, pizza crust, crackers, and baked goods
- Some soups or other products with a thickener
Nightshade spices hide in…
- Most Mexican food (sad face)
- Sausage and hot dogs (these almost always have paprika)
- Breakfast sausage
- Anything spicy… I just automatically assume there’s some nightshade in there
Tomatoes
- Veggie broth
- Seasonings (Italian blends and others will often have tomato)
How do you substitute nightshades in recipes?
So does being nightshade free mean that you have to live without the flavors forever? Absolutely not! There are so many ways to fake it. Here are some of my favorite substitutes for nightshade heavy dishes…
Tomatoes
Marinara sauce
Coming from an Italian family, my dad always used to joke that spaghetti sauce ran through his veins. Uh… ditto. I love marinara sauce, but it really doesn’t love me back. I went a few months being nightshade free until I discovered nomato sauce! Yup… tomato sauce made tomato free.
- Make Nomato sauce from Grassfed Salsa
- Or buy Nomato sauce from KC Naturals
Tomato based dishes
Let’s talk about tomato-heavy dishes like Italian and Mexican fare… I got you covered!
Chili
How the heck do you make chili without nightshades?! Oh… I’ve got you covered there with this instant pot nomato chili!
Enchiladas
This zucchini chicken enchilada casserole comes with a nightshade-free enchilada sauce, which is not something you see every day at your local Mexican restaurant!
Lasagna
This one pot lasagna skillet is grain free, dairy free, and nightshade free! Hallelujah!
Eggplant
Zucchini
Zucchini is a similar texture for eggplant and can be a good swap! These zucchini fries are similar-ish to eggplant parmesan!
Potatoes
Sweet Potatoes
Yep, sweet potatoes are SAFE for those of us with nightshade issues! They’re not a member of the family, but have a lot of the same qualities. Here are some of my favorite recipes…
Jicama
Jicama is often referred to as a Mexican potato. I like to describe it as a mix between a potato and an apple. Starchy, but crunchy! They’re also high in prebiotic fiber which feeds our good gut bacteria.
Plantain
Another amazing potato sub for making chips, fries, and more!
Rutabaga
Red spices
Cumin
Cumin is a seed spice (so, not AIP) that’s nightshade free and has a great kick to it. One thing to note is that it’s green! I’ve made chili with cumin before and watched it turn green and was super confused… it’s the cumin!
Black pepper
Black pepper is also a seed spice (not AIP) but it’s not a nightshade and is always a great swap to add spice.
Turmeric
I’m constantly using turmeric to swap for red spices. It adds color, a bit of spice, and tons of flavor! This bang bang shrimp recipe is one of my favorites and features a nightshade-free bang bang sauce.
Can nightshades intolerance be healed?
It’s 100% possible. It all depends on how your body heals, and your own bio-individuality. For someone like me, I’m not sure if I’ll ever be able to reintroduce nightshades. I just have such a gnarly reaction to red spices, peppers, and potatoes. However, tomato is the one nightshade that I can be slightly flexible in moderation.
Many people do reintroduce nightshades, but it really just depends. It may not be in the cards for everyone, but there certainly is hope! Following an elimination protocol that allows for healing and slow reintroduction like the autoimmune protocol is an amazing way to tackle this.
Regardless, I hope this list helped you see how much opportunity there is to substitute nightshades, and how to live with the intolerance!
Get my free download, "10 Steps to Heal Your Body".
Get this download and join thousands of others and subscribe to the newsletter for exclusive recipes, tips, recommendations, and more!
I’m so relieved to know there is a way to have pasta and sauce without getting sick! I really miss these flavors. I am not very sensitive to nightshade but I try to avoid them once I have Sjogren’s and Celiac disease. This article is so encouraging! It makes me feel good about my healing process. Thank you!
Bell peppers have never agreed with me. Always caused indigestion. My first gall bladder attack was caused by bell pepper. Could not even think the word without getting sick. And, have never been crazy about tomatoes. A real sacrilege in the South!! Seems my body was telling me what it could not tolerate. But I love eggplant!!
Thanks for confirming what I was thinking.
Please stop spreading false information. This diet might work for you and relieve your symptoms but it is not scientifically proven and these foods are not pro-inflammatory. See article below written by a nutrition professional:
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321745.php
My post states that those with arthritis may have issues with nightshades. It doesn’t say that they all have nightshade issues.
As for nightshades not being inflammatory, see this study where it was shown that those with preexisting IBD issues had an inflammatory response to nightshades.
Nutrition can be picked at all day from every single angle. There are very few definitive answers. I’m simply sharing general information about what some (not all) people experience and my recipe suggestions for nightshade free recipes.