6 facts you didn't know about nightshades - College of Health and Human Sciences (2024)

FAQs

How did nightshades get their name? ›

Nightshade plants contain different types of alkaloid compounds, food factors that cause physiological changes in the body. The origin of the name “nightshade” is not clear, but some suggest the name describes how these plants prefer to grow and flower in the night and shade.

The term nightshade is often associated with poisonous species, though the genus also contains a number of economically important food crops, including tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), potato (S. tuberosum), and eggplant (S. melongena).

Consumed in very high concentrations, alkaloids, such as solanine in potatoes and eggplants, tomatine in tomatoes, or capsaicin in peppers can cause symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach pain. This has led to debates about their effects in any dose.

Mythology and symbolism

Deadly nightshade was said to be the property of the Devil, meaning that anyone who eats the berries is punished for eating his fruit. In art and poetry, it represents danger and betrayal.

The most common edible nightshades are the tomato, potato, eggplant, bell pepper and chili pepper. Some diets claim that nightshades are inflammatory and should be avoided. This idea is rooted in the fact that nightshades are a large family of plants that contain a chemical compound called alkaloids.

The compounds that make deadly nightshade so lethal are called Atropine and Scopolamine. These toxic ingredients are so powerful that a minuscule amount slipped into a drink or added to a meal can send full-grown adults into paralysis, cause severe hallucinations, delirium, confusion, convulsions, and death.

The vegetable is an excellent source of protein, iron, vitamin A, iodine and zinc. Nightshades are traditionally used as medicinal plants.

Nightshade foods contain solanine, a chemical that some people believe may aggravate arthritis pain or inflammation. However, the Arthritis Foundation (AF) says that this is untrue. That said, if a person feels that certain foods, such as nightshades, trigger their arthritis symptoms, they should avoid them.

The common names for this species include belladonna, deadly nightshade, divale, dwale, banewort, devil's berries, death cherries, beautiful death, devil's herb, great morel, and dwayberry.

In addition to these beneficial pharmacologic agents, Nightshade-derived glycoalkaloid compounds, a key defense mechanism against predation, have been shown to disrupt intestinal epithelium and to potentially activate mast cells in the gut mucosa, leading to adverse symptoms in humans.

What problems do nightshades cause? ›

Nightshade vegetables, such as eggplant, tomatoes, and peppers, are common in many diets. However, in rare cases, a person can be allergic or intolerant to one or more of the nightshade family. A person with a nightshade allergy may develop breathing problems, a rash, or eczema shortly after eating certain vegetables.

Even less is known about the effects of nightshades on other autoimmune diseases. However, there may be some connection between increased intestinal permeability, or leaky gut, and autoimmune conditions like celiac disease, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis ( 15 , 16 ).

One of the most famous associations of the Deadly Nightshade is its connection to mythology, folklore and witchcraft. In antiquity, the plant was associated with the cult of Dionysus, the Greek god of wine and ecstasy, and it was allegedly mixed for a drink that could induce a trance in worshippers.

Powers and abilities

Nightshade can teleport herself and others by passing them through the Land of Nightshades, but it subjects them to their worst nightmares. She has the ability to transform herself into a semi-solid shadow form (it requires a great amount of concentration) or manipulate darkness.

The reason for naming these plants “nightshades” is not definitively known. One theory suggests that they were called that because most of them grow in shade and bloom at night.

Tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, and white potatoes are all what's known as nightshade vegetables. They belong to a plant family called the Solanaceae family, which, fascinatingly, also encompasses deadly, inedible plants like tobacco, belladonna, and mandrake.

Because of their relationship to the far more deadly belladonna, mandrake, and other toxic nightshades, the edible nightshade vegetables that we know and enjoy today were largely avoided until the 1800s.

Allergies are caused by glycoalkaloids, a compound naturally produced by all nightshade plants. This is a natural pesticide that helps the plant fight against pathogens, such as bacteria. It can also stimulate an immune response in people.

Meet the Nightshade Family

Peppers (bell peppers, banana peppers, chili peppers, etc.) Red pepper seasonings (paprika, chili powder, cayenne, curry, etc.) Read labels: terms like “spices” and “natural flavors” often contain the above seasonings, and “starch” often comes from potatoes.