2024

SOME HEALTHY FOODS ARE BAD FOR YOU!

 

Shocking title, isn’t it? Even sounds ridiculous, right? Definitely paradoxical. It’s true, though, some healthy foods are bad for you, BUT only if you eat too much of one. So, the main words to remember here is ‘too much’. It seems the phrase ‘too much of one thing can be bad’, also applies to certain healthy foods.

Here’s a list enumerating what these are. Remember, you can still have these, but just don’t go overboard.

Canned Tuna – It seems impossible how fish can be bad for you, doesn’t it? They’re supposed to be packed with healthy benefits, such as Omega-3. So, how come it can be bad if you eat too much of these? The fact is some tuna varieties contain higher-than-average amounts of mercury—some three times higher than others (albacore vs skipjack). Excessive mercury in the body can lead to problems in vision, lack of coordination, issues with hearing and speech, and muscle weakness. What you can do is limit your consumption of canned tuna per week. At the most, 3 cans per month. An even better idea is to switch to salmon, which is low in contaminants.

Lean Protein – You thought lean animal protein is the best way. Well, it is better than high-fat meat no doubt, but not so good if this is pretty much your protein staple. You need to find alternatives for your choice of chicken breast, egg whites, and such. Too much of lean animal protein triggers the body to produce IGF-1, which is the hormone insulin-like growth factor 1. This promotes aging and increases cancer risks. In a recent study, a link was found between high lean protein intake and cancer-related deaths. If your calorie intake is 20% from lean animal protein, then that’s not so good. You can remedy this by getting your protein from plants.

Oranges and Tomatoes – What??? True, that’s the most common reaction. These 2 are really delicious, but also really acidic. Unfortunately, too much of either can lead to reflux. And overtime it can cause Barrett’s Esophagus, which is a disorder that causes precancerous lesions to appear on the esophageal lining. You need to limit your daily intake of these, if you cannot avoid them altogether. 2 servings of either of these a day is acceptable. But if you are already experiencing reflux, avoid them.

Water – A lot of people make it a point to drink a ton of water because it’s been said that water is good for the body. However, again, too much can lead to water intoxication. This happens when too much water intake actually dilutes the sodium in the body, which leads to abnormal low blood sodium, which may result in problems with brain functionality and even death. To find out if you’re over drinking, check your urine. If it’s always transparent, then you’re drinking too much, and you should take your water intake a few notches down.

Soy – Dieters usually choose soy as a healthier replacement to many dishes, as this controls cholesterol and blood pressure. However, it also inhibits iron absorption. So, while this is good, going all out on soy can cause anemia or deficiency in iron. Another component of soy is estrogen-like compounds (isoflavones), and consuming large amounts of soy over a long period may cause endometrial hyperplasia, which is proliferation of the uterine lining—this may lead to uterine cancer. Try to limit your intake of soy to 2 servings or less per day.

Spinach – Popeye might throw a fit with this one. However great spinach is for our health—as it is a source of fiber, protein, and loads of vitamins and minerals, and high in lutein, which aids in preventing macular degeneration—it also high in oxalate. This is a compound that can result to kidney stone production. So, too much of these can also be bad. Try to incorporate other veggies into your diet. There are lots of vegetables that can provide you with the essential nutrition you need. Also, for those with calcium oxalate kidney stones, you should also be extra careful in becoming excessive on this one.

The moral of this all is you can still enjoy all of these, as they truly are beneficial. Just don’t consume too much for extended periods of time. There are other rich and healthy foods that you can add to your daily dishes. Moderation is key.