By Niveditha Kalyanaraman
September 2nd, 2023
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Vegetables might be the superheroes of our diet. But they also come with their share of harm. The reasons that vegetables can be bad for you center on the presence of four factors: 1) Naturally occurring pesticides called plant-toxins 2) Antinutrients (they can inhibit digestive enzymes and leach important minerals) 3) High sugar content 4) Unnecessary fiber What plants lack in defensive claws and fists, they make up with the presence of their own chemical defences that are harmful to humans too. Here are 7 vegetables that may be harmful to you!
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Our beloved starchy friend might not be a buddy after all. Potatoes stored properly are safe. But most potatoes that we consume are fried in toxic seed “vegetable” oils making them downright carcinogenic. Potatoes that aren't stored well also produce glycoalkaloids which can undermine immunity. Source potatoes from places you can trust and have this fried vegetable once in a while, to be safe.
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This green leafy veggie we used to hate as children is a villain too. Mainly due to the presence of a toxin called oxalate. Oxalates occur naturally in plants and persistent consumption of it, leads to kidney stone formation.
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They are high in a plant toxin/antinutrient called lectin. They can damage health by binding to and causing lesions on the intestinal wall.
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An uncommon vegetable in Indian households yet a harmful one, Kale has about 21 different natural pesticides in it. They contain more pesticide residues by weight than any other fruit or vegetable.
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Corn contains a lot of carbohydrates and carbohydrates are sugar making agents. This makes corn a high sugar food. Frequent doses of corn can lead to inflammation and in some cases, obesity as well.
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Too much of anything is harmful and green peas are high in carbohydrates and calories that can adversely affect your health if consumed in large servings.
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This nightshade veggie might be a good meat alternative. But the downside is its quality of soaking up everything. It is like a sponge for fat and seasonings that can easily spike calories and sodium in your body.
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