Top 6 Healthy Foods That Are Harmful When Eaten In Excess
Hello All!!!!
You all must be aware of the fact that excess of everything is bad. Same goes for nutrition! Eating certain health foods in excess can actually cause harm!
Here is the list of 6 healthy foods that are harmful when eaten in excess:
1) Omega 3 fatty acids and fish oil
Omega 3 fatty acids help fight inflammation in the body, play an important role in development of the brain and reduce the risk of heart disease. Since our diets are usually low in omega 3, supplements have stepped in. However, consuming omega 3 in excess is very harmful. The recommended dose is between 1 to 6 g in a day but consuming 13 to 14 g can have blood thinning effects. This can be risky for those who already take blood-thinning medicine.
How about fish oil? Well, it is healthy but consuming it in high amounts leads to excessive intake of vitamin A which leads to vitamin A toxicity. It is a matter of concern for children and mothers-to-be in particular.
2) Tuna (fresh and canned)
Tuna is a fatty fish and is considered healthy. However, you must be aware that our oceans are polluted and have a high level of methylmercury. In higher levels the pollutant can cause negative health effects as it is a neurological toxin. Large tuna fish is known to contain the most mercury as it builds up in the tissues of the fish. Smaller tuna fish has lower mercury content and is usually canned.
Pregnant women and kids are asked to reduce their seafood intake to no more than 2 times a week. Try eating fish that has less mercury in it like salmon, trout, sardines and mackerel.
3) Cinnamon
Cinnamon is a really healthy spice that is widely used. It fights inflammation, lowers levels of blood sugar, reduces risk of heart disease, diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases and cancer. But amidst all the goodness, there is a compound in it called coumarin, which when consumed in large doses can be harmful. There are two types of cinnamon- ‘cassia’ and ‘ceylon’. Ceylon cinnamon has lower amounts of coumarin. You should not take more than 0.1 mg pr coumarin per kg of body weight. Consuming more than that can result in cancer and liver toxicity.
Choose Ceylon cinnamon whenever possible as it has less coumarin content.
4) Nutmeg
Nutmeg has a psychoactive compound called myristicin. In lower doses, nutmeg adds flavour to food but in large doses it can cause myristicin poisoning. It can cause seizures, nausea, dizziness, hallucinations and pain. You should not have more than 10 g of nutmeg at a time. Doses higher than that can cause toxicity.
5) Coffee
Coffee is a healthy beverage that is loaded with antioxidants and has a lot of health benefits to offer. Regular coffee has caffeine as its active ingredient with each cup having an average of 80 to 120 mg. 400 mg of caffeine is considered safe. But crossing that line can affect the nervous system causing insomnia, nervousness, muscle tremors, irritability, palpitations and stomach cramps.
6) Cruciferous veggies
Cruciferous veggies include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and the like. They have several health benefits to offer and they are a large part of our everyday diet. They are also a popular part of green smoothies and fresh veggie juices. But do you know that these veggies have compounds that affect the body’s ability to absorb iodine and this may lead to hypothyroidism. People with thyroid issues should avoid limit their intake of cruciferous veggies.
The bottom line
Though it is good to eat healthy stuff, keep in mind that going overboard is not a good idea either.
Eat healthy but within limits!
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