Nightshades-The vegetable family that has strong spiritual resonance.

Nightshade vegetables belong to the Solanaceae family and contain over 2000 varieties of plants. Isn't that interesting? Commonly nightshade vegetables consist of tomatoes,potatoes,onions and bell peppers. These contain alkaloids that impact the nervous system and digestive function. Now,alkanoids are,further classified as solanine,chaconine,capsaicin and solamargine,which if consumed in high quantity can become toxic to human beings. Why is that so? This is because nightshades cause internal heat that leads to drying of nutrients in the body which further creates inflammation,irritation and skin issues.

The alkaloids and bitterness of these vegetables disrupts the digestive fires leading to gas,bloating and indigestion. I would like to draw an Ayurvedic perspective to this,nightshades tend to cause toxic buildup in the energy body that causes bone stiffness and pain in the joints.

Diving a little deeper into each night shade vegetable:tomatoes and bell peppers are rich in Vitamin C and contain antioxidants but can cause a leaky gut. For instance,potatoes can cause skin rashes,nasal congestion and digestive discomfort.

In Ayurveda,there are 3 dimensions of the energy body known as the Vata, the Pitta and Kapha. Overconsumption of certain Solanaceae foods can create imbalance in the body,however, seasonal consumption of food is advice by medicinal practitioners.

Let us understand how each elements governs the energy body. The below table consists of the elements of the nightshade family on they block the energy centres of the body.

Types	Elements	Governance	Qualities
Vata	Air and Ether(Space)	Movement,Communication, Circulation,The Nervous System	Dry,Cold,Light,Subtle, Mobility
Pitta	Fire and Water	Digestion,Metabolism,Body Temperature and Intellect	Hot,Sharp,Light,Oily, Liquid
Kapha	Earth and Water	Structure,Stability,Lubrication of joints and skin,Immune System	Heavy,Slow,Cold,Soft, Stable

Having said that, nightshades cause depletion in the protective lining in the bowl causing leaky gut and also, can cause a toxic release in the bloodstream causing eczema,excess mucus production in the throat and nose,achy joints,inflammation and skin rashes. This intrigued me to explore another heightened area on how each nightshade impacts the chakras in the body. Thus,my next segment includes the discussion of energy chakras and impact of nightshades.

Energy Chakras	Impact of Nightshades
Root Chakra	Red coloured foods like tomatoes,bell peppers lead to heat generation in the body causing the root chakra to get inflammed leading to anxiety and lethargy.
Sacral Chakra	The sacral chakra governs creativity,sensuality. Hence,foods like paprika,cayenne,tobacco consumption increases digestive issues,increase in passion and heightened unhealthy sexual drive.
Solar Plexus Chakra	Ayurveda studies state that the Manipura Chakra gets overstimulated causing lethargy and ignorance that blocks energy flow. When potatoes are largely consumed,the digestive discomforts begin the states chakra.

Nightshades are overall good for health and consumption in moderation,however individual with specific food sensitivities should avoid consumption. Being a strong source of Vitamin C,lycopene and fiber,nighshades aid in generating antioxidants that battle many infections.