Normally, bell peppers and some tomato products are a big part of my diet (maybe 2-5 whole bell peppers per week), but I eliminated them for a week. One week later, I was able to do pull-ups with no pain in my elbow. I’m taking it easy building up this time - but hopefully this time if I overdo it it won’t take a half-year to recover from a minor injury.

Granted, the placebo force may be strong with me in this instance - but that was my experience with the self-experimentation. It’s interesting that I always found tomatoes to have an unpleasant taste (the strong acid in the juice), but ate them because “they’re good for you”.

So what about lycopene? Is that just a marketing gimmick or are there other sources of it?

As to the folk remedies with red pepper, capsicum in th peppers do indeed block pain. Nightshades are a vital source of pain killers such as atropine. But that does not warrant their direct ingestion.

Cheers!!

Also, there is a lot of anecdotal information regarding hot pepper as a folk remedy for all sorts of ailments. How does that relate to this new info?

Thanks!

As for not bothering some, I side with Dr. Smith on this. It probably effects everyone, but to varying degrees. As he said in one of the articles (paraphrase), “we all know people that can eat sugar for years with no apparent ill effects, but the damage is being done.” I’d say try an elimination and see how you feel when you throw them back in.

Nutrition benefits vs concerns…the nutritional benefits of nightshades is why I put them higher on the list than dairy, grains, and sugar. We can slice and dice it all day long, but I think if those big three are eliminated, the major concerns are gone. I’d consider cutting back/eliminating nightshades to be a secondary goal, though a noble one nonetheless.

Hope that helps
Scott