Nightshades, a family of fruits and vegetables that includes favorites like tomatoes, potatoes, bell peppers, goji berries, and eggplant, are a healthy choice for many. Although most people benefit from eating nightshades, others report allergic or negative reactions.

Unfortunately, nightshade allergies can make it hard to find suitable alternatives to beloved foods like pizza. “I would die for pizza,” shared a MyFoodAllergyTeam member. “I know there are some decent ones around, but not only am I gluten-free, I’m also nightshade-free, which means no tomatoes. I am aware of the different variations of pizza … but somehow it just isn’t pizza for me,” she said.

So, what exactly are nightshades, and how do they affect the body? Here’s what you should know.

1. There Are Different Types of Nightshade Plants

Overall, there are about 2,700 different nightshades that grow around the world. Nightshades are a common part of many people’s diets because they include a lot of edible spices and plants. Spices made from peppers, including black pepper, chili pepper, paprika, and cayenne pepper, are all nightshades. Even if you don’t keep these spices in your cabinet, they may be hiding in other products, such as marinades, dressings, or prepared foods. They’re also frequently used in restaurants.

“I have a long list of allergies, including severe fragrance and nightshade plant allergies. I generally avoid restaurants because peppers are used so much for flavoring,” explained a MyFoodAllergyTeam member.

There are also several nightshades that aren’t edible. For instance, tobacco and petunias are inedible nightshade plants.

Some nightshades are even dangerous to humans because they contain compounds called alkaloids. While alkaloids are natural and can have medicinal effects, they may also be toxic in high doses. Most nightshades contain a very small amount of alkaloids. But the nightshades that contain higher alkaloids, like tobacco, can be harmful to all people regardless of allergies.

2. Nightshade Allergy Symptoms Can Vary

Nightshades are not considered common allergens, but this allergen does affect MyFoodAllergyTeam members. More than 200 members of MyFoodAllergyTeam report being allergic to tomatoes. In addition, over 60 members say they’re allergic to bell peppers, and about 40 members are allergic to potatoes. Nonetheless, people can develop food allergies to any type of food. An allergic reaction is an immune response that can affect different body systems.

Symptoms of a nightshade allergy can include:

• Difficulty breathing
• Digestive issues
• Dizziness and fainting
• Life-threatening anaphylaxis
• Skin rashes, itchiness, or hives
• Tongue swelling

One MyFoodAllergyTeam member wrote, “I am VERY allergic. Nightshades bring on severe respiratory issues. Since I’ve been off them, I have hardly had to use my inhaler, have breathing treatments, or take allergy pills. I miss tomatoes and peppers the most, but I don’t miss being sick all the time.”

“I cannot even touch a potato,” said one member. “If I touch a surface that someone who has been eating crisps has previously touched and then touch my face, I swell up. I’m getting very fed up,” they said.

Most of the time, a food allergy reaction generally happens shortly after eating the food. People with food allergies usually start to notice symptoms within two hours or, sometimes, within minutes of consuming the allergen. But in rare cases, symptoms can take four to six hours to develop or sometimes longer than that.

Some people with allergies to these foods must avoid the whole nightshade family. Others, however, may find that only certain nightshades trigger their reactions.

3. Some People Have a Nightshade Intolerance

Nightshade fruits and vegetables are generally nutritious and harmless to most people. They’re a staple of healthy traditional diets, like the Mediterranean diet. That’s because nightshades are known to have anti-inflammatory properties. Despite individual reports claiming the contrary, there’s no strong scientific evidence that nightshades increase inflammation in humans.

Nonetheless, some people notice a connection between nightshades and other health problems. It’s possible that those with inflammatory conditions, like autoimmune conditions, may develop a temporary food sensitivity to nightshades. Some newer studies have started to uncover a possible link between the compounds in nightshades and gut inflammation, particularly in people with irritable bowel syndrome or inflammatory bowel disease. Rather than causing a new problem, researchers suspect nightshades might make an existing digestive issue worse.

In most of these cases, symptoms are not considered an allergy but a food intolerance. If you have a nightshade intolerance, your allergist may refer you to a gastroenterologist who specializes in the digestive system. They can run tests to look for damage in your digestive system and offer medical advice to prevent and manage your symptoms. Food intolerances are often hard to pinpoint. Trying to avoid nightshades might help the symptoms, or there may be another food triggering the symptoms.

4. You Can Replace Nightshades in Your Diet

Nightshades are generally very nutritious. They provide disease-fighting antioxidants like vitamin C and lycopene. They can also be a great source of fiber, which is essential for good digestion. However, if you can’t eat nightshades, finding other foods to fill the gap and maintain a nutritious diet is important.

Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to swap nightshades for other plant foods if needed. For example, white potatoes are nightshades but sweet potatoes (or yams) are not. Additionally, many natural herbs aren’t nightshades so, despite avoiding pepper, you can still cook with rosemary, basil, and thyme.

5. You Can Talk to Your Doctor About Diagnosis and Treatment

If you suspect you might have an allergy to nightshades, you should talk to your health care provider. Because there are so many foods in the nightshade family, it’s important to figure out your specific allergen. Knowing what’s causing your nightshade allergy symptoms can help you avoid triggers without unnecessary restrictions.

Get An Allergy Test

Allergists can order a skin-prick test or blood test to help see if you’re allergic to nightshades or anything else. They may also ask you about your symptoms and your usual diet. It’s a good idea to keep track of any reactions you have and what you eat. This information will help them figure out why you’re having an issue. Skin and blood tests are useful for identifying food allergies, but they can’t detect food sensitivities. For that, a different approach is needed to understand how certain foods might be affecting you.

Eliminate Nightshades From Your Diet

You can meet with a registered dietitian nutritionist to learn more ways to substitute nightshades in your diet. They may recommend a supervised elimination diet where you remove nightshades from your diet for a few weeks and then gradually add them back in to watch for any symptoms. Elimination diets can help you pinpoint specific problem foods so you’re not cutting foods out needlessly. It’s possible that only one or two nightshades may be an issue for you, not necessarily all nightshades.

Start Treatment

Once you find out what’s causing the problem, you can explore how to treat a nightshade allergy or intolerance. Your doctor may recommend lifestyle changes and medications based on your symptoms. If your allergies seem severe, your doctor may recommend you carry an epinephrine auto-injector, also called an EpiPen.

One member shared, “I have nightshade allergies, lots of skin problems, and no energy. I’ve been nightshade-free for a couple of months — a big improvement.”

Talk With Your Doctor

If you think you might have a nightshade allergy or intolerance, it’s important to talk to your doctor. They can help you identify which foods are causing your symptoms and suggest safe alternatives. Avoiding problem foods and finding replacements can help you keep a balanced diet without cutting out too much. With the right support, you can manage your symptoms and still enjoy healthy, tasty meals.

Find Your Team

On MyFoodAllergyTeam, the social network for people with food allergies and their loved ones, more than 41,000 members come together to ask questions, offer support and advice, and connect with others who understand life with food allergies.

If you have trouble with nightshades, which ones are you allergic to and what symptoms do you notice? Share in the comments below, or start a conversation by posting on your Activities page.