5 Healthy Foods That Are Dangerous If Eaten Too Much

Illustration of dangerous healthy foods if eaten too much (Freepic)

YOGYAKARTA – Limiting food portions is important. The thing is, there are a number of foods that are nutritious but can be dangerous if consumed too much. The following is a list of healthy foods that are only good if consumed in moderation or not too much.

1. Omega-3 and fish oil

Omega-3 fatty acids play a role in fighting inflammation, brain development, and reducing the risk of heart disease. However, too much omega-3 is dangerous. So limit it to around 13-14 grams per day or a supplement dose of 1-6 grams per day. This content may have a blood-thinning effect in healthy people. Moreover, it is susceptible to excessive consumption by people who experience bleeding or are taking blood-thinning medication. Likewise with taking fish oil supplements. Consuming too much can cause vitamin A poisoning.

2. Tuna

Tuna fish is delicious when processed into typical Indonesian food, such as tuna balado and spicy basil tuna. However, both fresh and canned tuna are good sources of omega-3 fatty acids and are high in protein. However, tuna also contains high levels of environmental pollutants, especially those of medium to large size. The small size contains fewer environmental pollutants. According to Healthline, Wednesday, November 29, choose darker colored tuna because it has fewer pollutants than light colored tuna.

Illustration of healthy foods that are dangerous if eaten too much (Freepik/topntp26)

The consumption limit for canned tuna is that children weighing 25 kilograms can only eat one portion of white tuna weighing 75 grams every 19 days. More than this limit will exceed the recommended limit. It is important to understand that tuna contains many important nutrients. But it is necessary to ensure that tuna is taken from seas that are clean from pollution.

3. Cinnamon

Cinnamon is high in oxidants and has been shown to fight inflammation and lower blood sugar levels. Consuming cinnamon is also associated with a reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. However, cinnamon also contains coumarin compounds which are dangerous if consumed in large doses. Especially Cassia cinnamon with a higher amount of coumarin than Ceylon.

Coumarin can be tolerated at around 0.1 milligrams per kilogram of body weight and if consumed too much it causes liver toxicity and cancer. Therefore, daily intake is not recommended to exceed 0.5 – 2 grams of Cassia cinnamon every day. Meanwhile, the Ceylon type can be consumed up to 5 grams or 1 teaspoon of cinnamon per day.

4. Coffee

Coffee is a wonderful drink, because it is rich in antioxidants and other active compounds. The benefits are good for reducing the risk of liver disease, type 2 diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases. But limit coffee consumption to 400 grams or containing 80-120 milligrams. Taking 500-600 milligrams per day, it can be excessive and overload the nervous system, causing insomnia, nervousness, irritability, stomach cramps, heart palpitations, and muscle tremors. It is important to understand that the amount of caffeine needed varies greatly between individuals. Some people can drink as much coffee as they want without any negative effects.

5. Cruciferous vegetables

Cruciferous vegetables are green vegetables including broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kangkong, cabbage and mustard greens. This type of vegetable is an ingredient in daily dishes, but the thiocyanate compound interferes with the body's ability to absorb iodine. This can cause hypothyroidism which is characterized by an underactive thyroid gland. Symptoms include enlarged thyroid gland, weight gain, constipation, dry skin, and decreased energy levels.

Apart from healthy foods that should not be consumed too much and are explained above, others that need to be noted include chicken or beef liver and nutmeg.