The tomato season is now over. We will therefore have to wait several months to enjoy again succulent tomato-mozzarella salads, creamy homemade tomato sauces, comforting stuffed tomatoes and other delicious tomato gazpachos…
But for some people, tomatoes are mainly synonymous with digestive problems. When eaten raw, this fruit (yes) can cause stomach aches, acid reflux, digestive discomfort, or even intestinal cramps. But why, exactly?
American experts offer an interesting – and scientific – explanation. Tomatoes (like eggplants and potatoes) are part of the nightshade family: these plants naturally contain alkaloids, that is to say “defensive” molecules, intended to protect the plant against possible predators. – for example: capsaicin, nicotine or even solanine.
Nightshades contain alkaloids, i.e. toxic molecules
To bypass the “defensive” effect of alkaloids, most nightshades are eaten cooked – in fact, raw, they are often harmful to health (like potatoes, whose raw flesh is toxic). Except for tomatoes, which we love to eat raw, especially during the summer months…
If real allergy to nightshades remains rare, is there a hypersensitivity to the plants that make up this family? Possible.
To continue to enjoy tomatoes without systematically suffering from stomach aches, it is better to favor recipes where tomatoes are cooked – for example: tomato soup with basil and chorizo, tomatoes stuffed with Provence herbs, a puree of tomatoes and sweet potatoes, a bolognese sauce with fresh tomatoes… There’s no shortage of ideas!
Source :Tasting Table
