Eating Certain Healthy Foods in Excess can have Harmful Effects - Everything is Best in Moderation

There are healthy foods that can be harmful if over consumed. While we thought we were doing our health a favor by incorporating cruciferous vegetables into our diet and having green tea instead of coffee, little did we know about the side effects of these healthy foods. As everything should be consumed in moderation, these foods should not be taken in excess as well.

Although bananas are a beneficial health food and a good source potassium, too much of the mineral can cause hyperkalemia, which can cause heart, muscle, and nerve problems. Though one or two bananas a day won’t hurt you, eating an all-banana diet, which some people actually advocate, can cause health problems.

Obviously one hot pepper won’t hurt you but these peppers have a chemical called capsaicin. It’s what makes them spicy. When we eat very hot peppers, the brain receives “pain” signals that can result in an upset stomach, nausea, or vomiting. Consuming a lot of super-spicy peppers can cause breathing difficulties because your lungs may constrict.

We’re always told to eat our greens but who knew too much could be harmful? Specifically, cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, Brussel sprouts, kale, and cabbage, these greens contain a compound called thiocyanates, which affects the body’s ability to absorb iodine. This may lead to hypothyroidism, which affects the thyroid glands and causes weight gain, dry skin, and fatigue.

Brazilian nuts are heart-healthy and high in selenium, a mineral that’s healthy for your immune system and thyroid functioning.
However, too much selenium can be toxic to the body, causing symptoms like brittle hair and nails, garlicky breath, and digestive complications. Stick to two brazil nuts a day to receive their health benefits without putting yourself at risk.

Nutmeg is always a great spice to add to your baking for a kick in flavor and scent. You may want to be a little cautious when using this spice in the future. Nutmeg contains a substance and when over-consumed, can lead to nausea, dizziness and even hyper-excitation.

Cinnamon is a delicious, widely-used spice that has some medicinal properties. However, cinnamon contains high amounts of a compound called coumarin, which may be harmful in large doses. Cassia and ceylon are the two main types of cinnamon, with different amounts of coumarin. The tolerable daily intake of coumarin is 0.1 mg per kg of body weight, about one teaspoon of Ceylon cinnamon. Consuming much more than that may cause liver toxicity and cancer.

These foods and spices are all incredibly healthy for us. However, just because something is healthy in small amounts, it does not mean that large amounts are even healthier. When it comes to nutrition, more is not always better.

Sources:
https://www.livestrong.com/article/407496-health-risks-of-hot-pepper/
https://www.med-health.net/Too-Many-Bananas.html

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Eating Certain Healthy Foods in Excess can have Harmful Effects – Everything is Best in Moderation

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