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Based on various postings from our discussion forum
I am new to macrobiotic living, and have found the transition encouraging, enjoyable, and almost effortless. One thing that I'm unclear about is nightshade vegetables. When I was vegetarian, spinach, eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, and potatoes were often my staples. What is it that makes these veggies unfavorable in macrobiotics? Nightshades are very yin because of how fast, when and where they grow, structure, and the time of their activity. They contain toxins that destroy red blood cells and have been connected with a long laundry list of other problems; kidney stones, ulcers, rheumatoid arthritis, breathing problems, digestive problems, skin problems, nerve problems/paralysis, and energy problems are some of the negatives. Macrobiotics also looks at what we eat in terms of its energy/activity because this energy is transferred to us when we eat it. This is why microwave cooking is not recommended or mechanical processing or cooking when you’re in a bad or fearful mood....it all transfers. Meat carries with it a lot of qualities that are not conducive to human behavior. Herd mentality, for example. People who eat a lot of chicken tend to act like chickens. Same thing goes for plants. The nightshades are antisocial, hang out together exclusively and are loners. In other words, there are also emotional implications. And there are more of the same type of characteristics. Extreme, out of balance eating greatly accentuates these effects. Under balanced conditions, the body can handle this within the scope of moderation. It’s better to stay away from nightshades during the healing phase of macrobiotics and then, as you widen your diet, you can gradually incorporate anything you want, testing to see how it makes you feel and making the adjustments accordingly. Tobacco is also a nightshade. The following information was posted by Bruce Paine on the main cybermacro Forum 1/24/99: The word nightshade is the common name for the family Solanaceae. Products include potato and eggplant (Solanum spp.), and tomato (Lycopersicon). Other edible fruits from Physalis (cape gooseberry, strawberry tomato, jamberberry, sugar cherry, Chinese lantern etc., according to the species and variety), Cymphomandra (tamarillo), Capsicum (sweet and chili peppers), etc. Most produce poisonous alkaloids, and some are commercially important in this connection (Nicotiana, Hyoscyamus, Datura). Many cultivated ornamentals, e.g. Petunia, Lycium, Solanum, Cestrum, Solandra. |
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