Surprising Garden Plants Could Undermine Your Health

It’s not too difficult to determine if nightshades might be causing your inflammatory reactions. Here’s what to do if they are.

Some people notice improvements in gut, brain, and joint health when they stop eating nightshade vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant. Natasha Breen/Shutterstock

A certain type of plant that makes its own poison to protect itself from tiny predators may be irritating to humans as well.

These plants, called nightshades, are grouped together because they contain chemical compounds called alkaloids including solanine, a natural insecticide. Some nightshades, such as belladonna, are toxic to animals and humans, but others—such as tomatoes, white potatoes, eggplant, and peppers—serve as nutritious foods common in diets around the world.