Nightshades and the Paleo AIP: What are nightshades exactly?
If you’ve ever turned over a package of bacon, beef jerky, or seasoning mix to look at the ingredients, it’s quite likely that you’ve noticed a nightshade or two on the list.
Certain foods in the nightshade family, like cayenne, chilis, and white potatoes, to name just a few, are temporarily eliminated on the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol. But why is that?
In short, these nightshade foods have the potential to cause an inflammatory reaction in the body, which may lead to an autoimmune response that can trigger a flare up. *source
To put it a little more science-y, nightshades contain one or more lectin, saponin, and capsaicin properties.
These properties can affect someone with an autoimmune disease in multiple ways:
Lectins can increase intestinal permeability (aka leaky gut).
Saponins can also contribute to leaky gut, as well as trigger an immune response in the body.
Capsaicin has been attributed to irritation of mucosal tissues and membranes (and yep, you guessed it, leaky gut too).
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It’s common
It’s also worth mentioning (in case you are feeling frustrated when your body hollered out at you when you tried to reintroduce chili peppers or eggplant) that nightshades have been reported to be the least likely to be tolerated as a reintroduction for those doing the Paleo AIP.
I’m so sorry to report this but it can also be comforting to know that you are not alone if your body cries out when you try to eat bell peppers! It is a very common reaction.
Hidden spices
Be aware that if you read “spices” or “natural flavors” on a food package’s ingredient list, more than likely the seasonings include nightshades. If you are truly curious and want to check with the company who makes the product, you can always make phone calls or send emails kindly requesting that they disclose to you what exact spice/seasoning is used.
Just be aware that:
1) Not all food companies’ customer service reps are 100% knowledgeable about what nightshades are, so the information you get from them may not be totally accurate.
2) Many companies will not disclose this information even if they do know it, and this is due to concerns that competing food companies are trying to steal their secret recipe!
Which is understandable, but as far as instantly losing a customer when they won’t reveal whether their food has paprika in it or not, this has happened to me on more than one occasion. Sorry, not sorry!
Nightshade-free foods
Since I have reactions to nightshades, I like to make sure that the packaged foods I purchase are 100% nightshade-free and AIP compliant. When I shop through Shop AIP I know that I’m always going to find a whole bunch of safe foods for me to eat in their AIP Elimination section of the shop!
I’ve also worked directly with Sanrda, who runs the online store, in curating a special collection set of my favorite nightshade-free AIP convenience foods! You can check out the It’s All About AIP Bundle right here.
Nightshades and the Paleo AIP: So, what foods are actually nightshades?
Here’s a list of common nightshade foods for you! Feel free to bookmark this page or screenshot the list to keep with you when you shop:
- Ashwagandha (found in many adrenal, sleep, and calming supplements)
- Bell peppers / Sweet peppers
- Chili peppers (like red chili flakes, jalapenos, habaneros, chili spices, red pepper, and cayenne)
- Eggplant
- Goji berries
- Gooseberries
- Paprika
- Pimentos
- Tomatillos
- Tomatoes
- White potatoes (not to be confused with sweet potatoes or yams)
Though this is a cheat-sheet and not an exhaustive list, you can find more info out about less commonly-found foods that are nightshades in this post here by The Paleo Mom!
Have you noticed a reaction when you have nightshade foods?
If you’ve tried reintroducing nightshades and noticed success or a reaction, I’d love to hear! Leave me a comment below about your experience with Nightshades and the Paleo AIP!
Also, for some of my favorite AIP recipes that use nightshade-free, simple substitutions but taste SO GOOD, check out these yummy posts:
XO,
13 Comments
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