Paprika, nightshades, solanine, nervous system.......

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From:

http://www.worldshealthiestfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=george & dbid=62

http://chemweb.calpoly.edu/cbailey/377/PapersF2000//

http://chronicfatigue.about.com/b/2010/04/25/nightshade-vegetables-fibro\

myalgiachronic-fatigue-syndrome.htm

Potatoes, tomatoes, sweet and hot peppers, eggplant, tomatillos,

tamarios, pepinos, pimentos, paprika, cayenne, and Tabasco sauce are

classified as nightshade foods.

A particular group of substances in these foods, called alkaloids, can

impact nerve-muscle function and digestive function in animals and

humans, and may also be able to compromise joint function.

Interesting facts about Solanine

Tomatoes are prized by humans for their cancer-fighting antioxidants.

People eat these to gain their benefits and may try to extend this

benefit to their pets. A cat can be fatally poisoned by just 100g of

ripe tomato(11)! that someone carelessly left out or if unknowing of the

danger, tries to feed their animal.

Even though cats will not normally eat tomatoes, bored animals or young

animals will. This cat was in the hospital for two weeks, excessively

vomiting, continuous diarrhea, dehydration, and the inability to move.

The cat barely recovered even after such a small dose.

Potato farmers harvest their crop before ripening to prevent the spread

of viruses. The green vines are often used as animal feed. Yet if cattle

or pigs are fed the peeling of unripe or spoiled potatoes, the poisoning

and death rates will increase dramatically. This is because the toxins

more concentrated in the fruit (or the reproductive portion of the

plant, such as the eye of the potato).

In the 1960's, the search for a new potato was completed. The United

States has interested in producing a potato strictly for French fry

production. Lenape was an excellent candidate. This crossbred potato had

all the qualities of a great French fry potato. After commercial

production, it was found that Lenape had very high levels of Solanine.

Fourteen mg/100g causes a bitter taste and above twenty mg/100g causes a

burning in the mouth and throat. Lenape was found to have 30mg/100g.

This created a new standard that all potatoes had to be tested for

levels of Solanine prior to production (2).

Your mom was right; don't eat green potatoes or old potatoes! Exposure

to light or stress (or even aging) causes transformation of a potato's

amyloplasts to chloroplasts, followed by the synthesis of the green

pigment, chlorophyll. Light, stress, and aging also cause the potato to

produce chaconine and Solanine. The appearance of chlorophyll is thus a

warning that something is wrong with the potato. About 30% to 80%of the

glycoalkaloid content of a potato is in its peel with the remainder in

the flesh of the tuber(15). And don't think that just cooking the green

potato will deactivate the toxin. Boiling, microwaving, or freezing as

no effect on the toxin. Deep-frying (my favorite) has been shown to

reduce the levels of toxin (15).

Points to Ponder....

The Nightshade family members make two distinctly different categories

of toxins. No one plant has both kinds of toxins since the toxins have

opposite effects. The Atropine side of the family makes cholinergic

antagonists, causing depression of the parasympathetic system, while the

Solanine producers make cholinesterase inhibitors, causing stimulation

of the parasympathetic branch of the central nervous system.

One question remains; why does the plant produce these toxins in the

first place? These toxins could be serving as a defense mechanism. Since

the alkaloids cause the plant to be bitter tasting and the effects of

low dose consumption are uncomfortable to an animal, these poisons could

prevent the plants from being grazed on and destroyed. They could also

serve as a fungicide or an insecticide to prevent damage to the plant.

The bottom line is that some people have a problem with nightshades

while others don't, just like some people have a problem with sugar,

caffeine, alcohol or gluten that others don't. The only way to know for

sure how foods impact your symptoms is to experiment and pay close

attention. One great tool for that is the elimination diet, and it also

helps if you keep a detailed food/symptom diary.