Natural foods are essential for our well-being and balance. For this reason, nutritionists always recommend following diets where fruits, vegetables, and greens are predominant, as well as consuming enough water and doing some kind of physical activity.
However, all in excess is harmful. Although we already know that processed foods are not especially recommended for health, it turns out that natural foods, which are recommended in weight loss diets, could cause the opposite effect, or even bring serious health complications if consumed in excess.
Nutrition expert Kharem Marín assures that “natural foods are obviously the best option but consuming them in excess can still hinder the weight loss process because, although they have vitamins and minerals, they still have calories. Everything will depend on the intensity and frequency of the physical activity performed, gender, age, weight, and specific goals”.
The following are some examples of foods that are healthy, but should not be consumed excessively:
Nuts:
Nuts are a great source of healthy fats, provide vitamins and zinc and help keep you satisfied during snacks.
However, they should be consumed in a balanced way, because if eaten in excess, they can cause problems in testosterone metabolism and raise body fat levels, thus sabotaging your weight loss process.
In addition, an excess of this food can cause gas and bloating because they contain phytates and tannins that slow down digestion.
Olive Oil:
Health experts always recommend eating salads with lots of greens and olive oil and not vegetable or synthetic oils. However, olive oil also has calories.
One tablespoon of this oil can contain up to 100 calories, now imagine consuming more than three servings a day. Without noticing it, you are adding more than 300 calories to your daily intake.
The biggest problem is not only the calories, but an excess of olive oil can also lead to obesity and cardiovascular problems.
Water:
Just like you read it! Although water is vital for the body and is essential for weight loss and keeping the body hydrated, an excess of its intake causes a disorder known as “hyperhydration”.
The overall recommendation of experts is to consume a minimum of eight glasses of water daily. However, high-performance athletes, for example, tend to consume much more than this amount and can become hyperhydrated. The amount of water our body needs will depend on physical conditions, age, and weight.
According to the Mayo Clinic, consuming too much water causes a significant decrease in sodium levels in our body and this can have dangerous consequences for our health.
Some of its symptoms are vomiting, nausea and disorientation.
Fiber:
Fiber is especially beneficial in promoting intestinal transit and, therefore, prevents constipation; it also plays an important role in preventing excess cholesterol in the body.
But, like everything in excess, it has its cons. For example, consuming too much fiber can decrease the absorption of minerals and vitamins, as well as cause digestion problems and intestinal difficulties.
As we can see, it is necessary to maintain a balanced lifestyle, which includes a little of each food group and not fall into excesses just because they are marked as natural or “healthy” foods.
Source: Esto es azúcar