Fruit regimens, fruit juice diets, banana and milk diets, high protein diets, lemon water, salads, vegan food items, sugarless appetisers, low-fat cuisines, organic foods, fortified foods, countless ranges of organic vitamins, supplements etc.
We have it all. We also have more obesity, more cancer, more diabetes, more depression, more mental decay, more tablets, more vitamin deficiencies, more time spent with doctors and in hospitals.
In our effort to get healthy, we may actually be doing more harm than good, if we don’t understand the physiology of the human body and mind. Too much of good thing is actually bad, even food!
Here are a few incredibly healthy foods that can be detrimental if you consume them in excess.
Nuts
Consuming a lot of dry fruits like almonds can cause constipation, bloating and upset your stomach because there is a lot of fibre in almonds and your body is not used to consuming so much of it. Similarly, while raisins are an amazing dry fruit to have but when eaten in excess can cause vomiting, fever and diarrhoea.
Water
We all need plenty of water—and most people don’t get enough. In fact, we often confuse our thirst for hunger. However, the other side of the coin is over-hydration. Drinking too much water over a short period of time can disturb electrolyte imbalance and in turn result in dangerously low sodium levels. That said, this usually only occurs, if someone drinks gallons of water over a short period of time.
Protein-rich Foods
Protein is a must, it’s good for repair, tone, muscle, recovery but, it does not mean we need more and more of it. In a diet where the protein consumption goes beyond 30 per cent of the regular caloric intake, a build-up of poisonous ketones in the body may occur, causing the kidneys to go into overdrive in an attempt to flush them out. This may lead to a substantial loss of water and calcium from the body, causing dehydration and bone loss.
Symptoms include a feeling of weakness and faintness, dry skin, loss of hair, low appetite, nausea and bad breath. In the long term, this may exert pressure on the kidneys, stretch out the liver and strain your heart too.
Fruits
True, fruits are nature’s snacks and are loaded with minerals, vitamins and antioxidants. This makes them an inevitable part of a healthy diet regimen. They also contain natural sugars, no harm in that but, too much is bad. Your body only uses what it needs, the rest gets stored as fat or becomes waste and all waste is waste, whether it’s a fruit or a burger. Waste is toxic.
Heartburn, diarrhoea, reflux, and bloating are all potential side effects of overeating fruits.
Cruciferous vegetables
Cruciferous vegetables are a family of greens that include broccoli, kale, cabbage and collard greens. These veggies provide with many health benefits, such as a reduced risk of cancer and heart disease. However, compounds in these vegetables called thiocyanates can hamper the body's ability to absorb iodine. This may further a condition called hypothyroidism.
Hypothyroidism is characterized by an underactive thyroid gland. Symptoms include an enlarged thyroid gland, weight gain, constipation, dry skin and low energy levels. Although cruciferous vegetables like broccoli are very healthy, adding high amounts to smoothies or green juices can contribute to a heavy intake of these compounds. People who are sensitive to thyroid problems should refrain from consuming these veggies in enormous amounts.
The foods on this list are all amazingly healthy. However, just because something is healthy in limited amounts, it does not mean that hefty amounts are even healthier.
When it comes to nutrition, more is not always better.