Okay . . . so back to business . . . we were talking about "simple" vegetable carbohydrates the other day
And today we talk about "Nightshades" . . .
So what are they and how do they affect us . . .
Well . . . "nightshades" are vegetables that belong to the plant family called Solanaceae. And they got their name because these plants prefer to grow in shady areas, with some flowering at night.
Now . . . "nightshades" are nutrient sound vegetables and serve as staple foods in various cultures.
But . . . in this Western world we live in and the Western diet we love so much . . .
Many of us have become immune impaired, with our "good" bacteria being depleted. And as we know from previous Health tips . . . if we can't eliminate "lectins" from the food we eat due to this "lack" of "good" bacteria . . . lectins cause havoc to our organs and hormones causing weight issues, autoimmune disorders and disease.
Now . . . as I said . . . "nightshades" are rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants . . . making them healthy foods to consume . . .
BUT. . . they are also very "high" in "lectins" and "alkaloid" molecules that may harm our intestines "IF" we can't eliminate them.
You see . . . "nightshades" contain an alkaloid called solanine, which is toxic in high concentrations. For example . . . if potatoes are harvested too some . . . meaning if they have any green on them at all . . . these potatoes are highly toxic. Never eat a raw potato.
So not only are "nightshades" loaded with "lectins" . . . they also may have toxic alkaloid molecules.
Okay . . . so now you ask . . . what vegetables contain these dangers???
Well . . . that would be . . . tomatoes, tomatillos, potatoes (every kind except . . . sweet potatoes), eggplant, all peppers including . . . bell, jalapeno, chili and hot peppers, red spices such as . . . curry, chili, cayenne and red powers, paprika, pimentos, Goji berries and ground cherries.
Now . . . many people get confused and think the following are also "nightshades" . . .
but they're not.
And they would be . . . zucchini, sweet potatoes, onions and black pepper. So these vegetable are good to go. Eat them up.
Okay . . . so what is the devastation that "nightshades" can cause the body . . . IF . . . the body's defense system is compromised (not enough "good" bacteria)???
Well . . . these vegetables can cause . . . Rheumatoid arthritis, any joint pain, digestive issues like IBS, migraines, fatigue, skin flares and autoimmune diseases like Hashimoto's and Graves.
So unless your body is running like a fine tuned machine . . . I would stop eating "nightshades" until you can get your body's "internal dialogue" running correctly again.
And remember . . . "nightshades" cause "inflammation" in the body "if" the immune system isn't functioning properly . . .
And inflammation triggers the production of "fat" storing hormones which promotes weight gain.
So let's eliminate these vegetables for 30 days, let the body heal and lose some weight.
Tomorrow we'll talk about the last part of "simple" carbs.
As always, feel free to contact me here