Why You Shouldn’t Overeat Healthy Foods?

Updated on October 30th, 2020
overeating healthy food

Health experts have always recommended taking nutritious foods, considering they promote health and help in our body’s proper functioning. While healthy foods are deemed necessary, what is the limit of eating them? Did you know overeating healthy foods can be equally deadly as junk food?

Someone has rightly said- anything of excess is not right, which means overindulging healthy foods may also harm our system in more ways than one.

For individuals who are looking to shed weight, this piece of write up may be helpful for you. How can we define healthy food? An edible substance that has vital nutrients to give to the body that helps it function better. 

But what is essential to know is that no food, even if it is believed to be healthy, has zero calories. So if you are continually indulging in these foods, you are still adding on to calories.

If you are on weight shedding mode, calories taken in must be less than the calories burned to lose extra kilos. If you think consuming these foods will help you somehow, you are wrong; this is where portion control comes in.

No matter what type of food it is, you must be conscious of the portion size. Anything in overabundance will only add on to your body fat, making you put on weight.

Foods You should not Overeat

Here are a few foods that you should not overindulgence

1. Nuts

Nuts have recently gained the popularity of superfoods. These tiny delights are believed to have numerous health benefits; they are loaded with fiber, protein, and healthy fats that offer more advantages than one. However, due to their high fat and protein content, over-eating them may not be a great idea.

Moreover, avoid packaged nuts as they are high in sodium content that can be detrimental to your health [2]. Eat a mix of a handful of nuts like walnuts, almonds, pecan, raisins, and pistachios.

2. Fruits

Fruits are super-healthy and delicious, thanks to the presence of several minerals, vitamins, antioxidant pigments, fiber, and phytochemicals that minimize the risk of several health hazards, only if taken in moderation [3]. Most fruits are rich in simple sugar like fructose that is metabolized to fat in the liver.

Consuming large amounts of these goodies, particularly those with a high GI (glycemic index) like dates, banana, mangoes, pineapples, and grapes, may spike blood sugar levels, provoke insulin and increase the chances of developing type-2 diabetes. 

[Read: Healthiest Fruits That You Must Eat]

3. Protein-Rich Foods

Proteins are the building blocks of hormones, cells, and tissues, without which our bodies cannot function. Excessive protein can put undue strain on our digestive system, particularly the kidneys responsible for flushing out the nitrogen waste products from our blood. So, if you are indulging in proteins, you may be inviting problems [4].

[Also Read: Top Protein Sources for Vegans]

4. Water

You heard us, right! Adequate hydration is necessary for optimal health; however, drinking excessive water can dilute the body’s sodium levels and further affect the cells’ functioning. Low sodium levels can force the water to rush in the cells leading the brain to swell.

Even if you are consuming healthy foods, make sure you restrict the portion size to avoid going overboard. Eat right, in moderation, and stay healthy!

5. Green tea

Most people may drink green tea without hesitation: It’s loaded with catechins, powerful antioxidants that help fend off inflammation, cancer, and heart disease.

However, the tannins present in green tea can also interfere with the absorption of iron from plant-based sources (non-heme iron), so if you have low iron levels or are at risk for iron deficiency (elderly, some athletes,  vegetarians, and pregnant women, who don’t consume adequate iron) avoid taking green tea with meals and simply drink it between them. 

6. Red wine

Red wine can help boost health, but the dose is vital. Red wine can be heart-healthy and part of a healthy Mediterranean diet, in modest quantities. A fair amount is defined as one 5-ounce glass per day for women, 2 glasses for men.

Just don’t plan on going dry 6 days out of the week so that you can guzzle 6 glasses of wine on Saturday evening. It uses ’em or lose ’em. No, saving them up for a chill out on the weekend. Booze of any kind does not mix well with many medicines; check with your physician about wine’s safety with your prescriptions. 

7. High-fiber foods

When it comes to shedding weight, fiber—the part of carbohydrate your body can’t digest—is incredibly crucial. It swells in the stomach to make us feel fuller longer, meaning we can shed weight without hunger. However, if you’re not used to loads of fiber in your diet, overeating at once can cause bloat and gas.

This is typical but irritating and can be socially awkward. You need to incorporate fiber consistently and gradually if you are used to a low-fiber diet. 

[Read: High-Fiber Foods List to Lose Weight]

8. Brown rice

While brown rice can be an excellent source of whole grains, it may have higher inorganic arsenic levels, depending on where it’s grown. Arsenic is present in soil and water and as a result of polluted runoff that can drain into groundwater.

This, in turn, increases water’s arsenic content in few places where brown rice is cultivated. Issues arise with consistent and frequent exposure; thus, eating products with brown rice derivatives and brown rice every day can increase arsenic exposure.

Rinse your brown rice and vary the type of grains you consume. Don’t miss these other high-carb foods that could kill you.

Bottom Line

While healthy foods are nutritious, too much of even healthy food can lead to weight gain. The secret is to remember to control the portion sizes of the foods you eat.

Individuals tend to give themselves the freedom to over-indulge ‘healthy’ foods. While the label might say that a beverage or food is fat-free or low-fat, watch the quantity you eat and refrain from eating excessive amounts. Foods that carry these health claims can be rich in calories and sugar.

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