Other nutrients in nightshades may be good for your health. They contain antioxidants that protect cells from damage due to stress.
For example, anthocyanin, the antioxidant that gives eggplant its purple color, can reduce the risk of developing cancer, diabetes, and infections.
The antioxidant lycopene, found in tomatoes, may decrease the risk of some types of cancer and heart disease.
Nightshades also contain vitamins and minerals that contribute to good health, like Vitamin A and Vitamin C. Eating one bell pepper, for example, gives you your daily allotment of Vitamin C.
Consuming Nightshades
If you’re concerned about high alkaloid content in nightshade vegetables but still want to benefit from including them in your diet, there are a few things you can try:
In potatoes, the highest concentration of alkaloids is in the skin. One study showed that skinning potatoes before cooking removed up to 70% of the alkaloids.
Baking potatoes in the oven may lower the alkaloid content more than boiling or steaming.
Store potatoes in a dark, cool place to prevent them from producing more alkaloids before you eat them.
Since there are several different nightshade fruits and vegetables, there are multitudes of ways to cook them. If you want to learn how to cook nightshades, popular dishes that usually contain them include:
Salsa
Bruschetta
Tomato soup
Gazpacho
Pasta with tomato sauce
Baked potatoes
French fries
Mashed potatoes
Potato salad
Hash browns
Scalloped potatoes
Stuffed bell peppers
Baba ghanoush
Eggplant parmesan
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