I may receive a commission if you purchase through links in this post. I am not a doctor; please consult your practitioner before changing your supplement or healthcare regimen. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
This Complete List of Nightshades includes vegetables, fruits, plants and herbs. This list is printable, so you can refer to it easily from home when you plan your grocery list, meals and herbal remedies.
The reason to avoid nightshades is they’re linked to inflammation and joint pain.
With a list like this, it’s easy to do an elimination diet, for a month or so, to see if your symptoms improve or go away completely.
Nightshades store and build up in the body; so some would say: No nightshades are good nightshades. Others may be able to “get away with” having them only occasionally. But you may notice, if you try to have them two or three days in a row, or regularly, symptoms return.
What are nightshades
Nightshades are plants belonging to the Solanaceae family, which includes a wide range of species.
Some seem edible, but cause many people to have inflammation, while others are outright poisonous.
Interestingly, most nightshades are high in two other compounds: vitamin A and vitamin C. Vitamin A is now associated with both chronic and acute forms of toxicity, so another reason to avoid these foods. And vitamin C has anti-oxidant effects, which means: It helps to store toxins in the liver to protect us from them. One more reason and clue that nightshades are better to avoid (or only eat occasionally if they leave you symptom-free).
What alkaloid in nightshades is low-key poisonous
The alkaloid found in nightshades is solanine. It acts as a pesticide for the plant. In high amounts, solanine can cause nausea, diarrhea, headache or fever.
Potatoes that have turned green or started sprouting contain higher levels of solanine and taste more bitter, which is why they’re often discarded. Green tomatoes contain a lot more solanine than ripe red ones.
LIST OF NIGHTSHADES
Complete List of Nightshades: Vegetables
- Banana Peppers
- Datil
- Eggplant
- Hot peppers, including: cayenne, chili peppers, habaneros, jalapeños and red pepper
- Paprika
- Pimentos
- Potatoes (not sweet potatoes)
- Sweet Peppers
- Thai Peppers
- Tomatillos
Fruits
- Garden huckleberry (not the same as regular huckleberries)
- Goji berries (aka wolfberries)
- Gooseberries (aka ground cherries)
- Jerusalem Cherries
- Pepino
- Sunberry (aka wonderberries)
- Tamarillo
- Tomatoes
Plants and Herbs
- Ashwagandha
- Banewort
- Belladonna (aka Atropa Belladonna — This is the same plant used in the homeopathic and the Viagra pharmaceutical. Re the use of the homeopathic, it is not harmful: The principle behind this homeopathic use is to address symptoms similar to those that larger doses of the substance might cause.)
- Bittersweet (Atropine Belladonna)
- Brugmansia
- Datura
- Deadly Nightshade
- Devil’s Cherries
- Devil’s Herb
- Divale
- Dubiosia
- Dwale
- Dwayberry
- Great Morel
- Henbane
- Hyoscyamus
- Jimson Weed
- Mandrake
- Mandragore
- Petunias
- Solanum
- Tobacco
Free Printable Complete List of Nightshades
Print the free PDF list of nightshades here.
Pin this post here:
Heather says
Thank you for this! I realized I have been eating potato starch daily! It was in my favorite crackers 😫 I also will have salsa occasionally, and put paprika on all my meat. I have joint pain in my wrist, psoas, knee, and ankle. Definitely going to try to be more diligent about staying away from nightshades.
Megan says
Hi Heather, I know how easily these foods and ingredients can sneak into our diets! I’m glad you realized, and I hope you see some good improvements from pulling them out. I noticed a difference when I finally stopped eating paprika, and definitely notice the difference without potatoes.
Heather Hollinger says
Wow, it’s crazy to me that something like a little bit of paprika sprinkled on your food makes such a difference!
Megan says
Yes, it’s so high in vitamin A, and the body recognizes a sprinkling of poison.
Rae Hauck says
Paprika is also listed as a natural food colour so watch out for that too (160c)
Nancy Brown says
I was just reading on a site last night that basil, oregano, and thyme were nightshades. Are they?
Megan says
Hi Nancy, no, that’s not true. They belong to the Solanaceae plant family, and they’re not nightshades. 🙂
Jessica says
Nightshades have leaves that block starlight from their fruit . This also deprives their roots ,as with potatoes for example, What is it in starlight that results in this ? Also, those with blood types A and B cannot process nightshades- they are not compatible with these blood types and thus cause inflamation to occur. Those with blood type O as well as those with type AB do not have problems with nightshaes. Does ,or can, red light therapy figure into any of this in any way ?
Megan says
Hi Jessica, thank you for sharing your insights! I don’t know about the red light and how it might help, but thanks for bringing up this good question.
ocean says
I am type O blood and nightshades cause me pain and inflammation.
Sharon says
I have interstitial cystitis, every time I eat tomatoes, potatoes and red bell peppers I have a flare up of terrible burning in my bladder and kidneys. I have to drink baking soda for relief.
Megan says
I’m glad you figured that out, Sharon! 🙂
Kate says
I’m type O blood and cannot eat nightshades. Given that, I did not know that about cayenne and paprika – but it just makes sense!!!
Megan says
Glad this was helpful, Kate. Thanks for commenting! 🙂