There are 7 vegetables that are killing you!
Killer vegetables – C’mon on!
I know that eating vegetables is what every nutritionist is touting these days and they are right of course.
Green leafy vegetables and most others are packed with nutrition and we should eat them on a daily basis.
Vegetables can also reduce acidosis levels in the body, help you reduce weight and provide you with a host of essential vitamins.
BUT – there are some vegetables that are much less healthy and can even cause harmful health effects on a variety of people.
So hold your skepticism at bay, take a deep calming breath and read on.
Our Top 7 Vegetables that Are Killing You
Before we begin our list, there are of you who should seriously consider either eliminating the following vegetables from your diet altogether, or significantly reducing your intake, or buying organic instead.
Here our list of the 7 vegetables that are killing you.
1. Soy
Soy has been 1 of the most touted and healthiest vegetables that people should eat over the past few decades. Not surprisingly enough – most of this comes from the soy industry itself.
But – there are a few things you haven’t been told the darker side of soy.
The first thing is that soy must be cooked because it’s poisonous if eaten raw. Most soy consumed in America has been genetically altered. The crops also tend to be heavily sprayed with pesticides which clearly have an adverse effect on your health.
The majority of the harvested soy crop is used to produce soybean oil which is used in an abundance of products or sold alone. Soybean oil contains fatty acids which are mostly Omega-6 polyunsaturated fats.
These fatty acids can cause inflammation and a host of other health issues. You should avoid soybean oil completely and foods which contain soybean oil.
Soy also contains a large amount of Isoflavons. Isoflavons in plants function as phytoestrogens which can activate a woman’s estrogen receptors.
Simply put, these compounds interfere with the normal functional hormones in the body and most notably with women.
But, they can also have an adverse effect on males who also have estrogen hormones but at much lower levels.
Some animal studies have also shown a higher increase in breast cancer related to increased levels of these isoflavones. Human studies reveal an increase in breast cell activity and cell proliferation.
For males, these soy based isoflavones can increase the estrogen levels and reduce sperm count. Isoflavons can also have a negative impact on the sexual development of the male child while in the womb.
Another negative effect of isoflavons found in soy is that they can also act as goitrons. Goitrons can effect the thyroid gland as they inhibit the thyroid enzyme peroxidise.
Studies show that a number of people who consume a steady diet of soy experienced symptoms such as hypothyroidism, an enlarged thyroid, suffered from sleepiness and constipation.
These symptoms disappeared when soy was eliminated from their diet.
The final negative health effect was the severe negative health impact was found in soy-based infant formula. Soy is very high in both aluminum and manganese.
Manganese can cause ADHD, increase puberty, and affect the menstrual cycle when soy fed children reach adulthood.
Soy based infant formula should be avoided completely.
2. Potato
I can hear the wails of you potato lovers out there. The first thing you should know about potatoes is that they are unfortunately one of the main vegetable culprits that are unhealthy to eat.
The reason is because they have the highest levels of carcinogenic causing pesticides of all the vegetables studied for pesticide residue.
These pesticides impact your nervous system and can cause damage to your liver.
Potatoes are also one of the least nutritious vegetables you can eat because they contain mostly starch and water.
And. Let’s face it – when we do eat them we either cook them in oil, add butter or margarine and most of us pile on the salt. None of these condiments are particularly healthy.
Potatoes belong to the “nightshade family” and vegetables in this group are known to contain alkaloids.
These alkaloids have negative health effects because they negatively impact joint function, your digestion and both nerve-muscle function.
3. Bell Peppers
Bell peppers are both good and bad as it depends where you purchase them. They provide a great deal of nutrition but they have a dark side.
Unfortunately, bell peppers also contain some of the highest pesticide levels found on a broad variety of vegetables tested. Bell peppers also come from the “nightshade” variety of plants.
This means that they also contain solanine which is an alkaloid.
Alkaloids such as solanine are known to impact a person’s nerve function which can cause physical symptoms such as twitching, convulsing and trembling of a person’s arms and legs.
Bell peppers also can contribute in developing inflammation of your joints.
This is one vegetable that you should especially avoid if you suffer from osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and other similar joint issues.
Bell peppers are also not a good vegetable for people with food sensitivity as these peppers are also a frequent cause of indigestion for those with sensitive digestive systems.
4. Eggplant
Although eggplant provides many health benefits such as fiber, antioxidants and a variety of minerals and vitamins, this a plant which should be used with caution.
Eggplant is a known diuretic and should not be consumed in large amounts by pregnant women as it can stimulate menstruation.
The plant is also known to contain phytohormones which can also have a negative impact on pregnancy.
Eggplant can also cause indigestion in food sensitive people.
Food sensitive people have also been known to see an increase in allergic reactions after eating eggplant. Symptoms of food allergies associated with eggplant can include nausea, rashes, swelling of the throat and itchiness.
Eggplant should also be consumed in limited amounts because too much fiber can give rise to constipation.
And, although the plant is a good source of potassium, too much potassium can cause stomach upset, cause vomiting, and can give rise to hyperkalemia (too much potassium) and which can cause abnormal heart rhythms.
Eggplant can interfere with both antidepressant and antihypertensive medications because it contains tryamine which constricts your blood vessels and can raise blood pressure.
The plant also contains some of the highest levels of solanine found in any of the nightshade variety of plants.
Individuals who suffer from serious joint problems or inflammation should especially avoid eggplant.
Eggplant also contains oxalates which are a primary cause of kidney stones and gallbladder issues.
5. Conventional Spinach
We fully acknowledge that overall spinach is a health food, and offers many health benefits.
Sadly however, the store bought version of this also contains some of the highest levels of pesticides found in your local supermarket.
According to the USDA, spinach was to found to have as many as 48 pesticide residues. These pesticides can lead to an increase of carcinogens, hormone disruptors and neurotoxins.
There are a few other facts about spinach which you should be aware. First, the plant contains goitrogens and purines.
Consuming too much spinach can result in the body overproducing uric acid which can lead to the development of gout and kidney stones.
Spinach, like all leafy green vegetables also contain oxalic acid which can also cause kidney stones to develop. Most American diets fortunately include food variety that dispose of oxalic acid and is generally not an issue.
6. Cherry Tomatoes
Overall, cherry tomatoes are healthy as they contain lycopene which can prevent both prostate cancer and osteoporosis.
Unfortunately, the main reason why cherry tomatoes made out list is because they have been found to contain as many as 35 types of pesticides in the store bought version.
Cherry tomatoes are also of the nightshade family and can impact people who suffer from joint inflammation problems. Some people have experienced an allergic reaction to Lycopene.
And, consuming excessive amounts of Lycopene can result in other health issues such as stomach cramps, diarrhea, gas and even vomiting.
The acidic aspect of cherry tomatoes also irritates existing stomach ulcers.
Lycopene can also interact with some chemotherapy medications
7. Corn
Not corn too!
I’m afraid so. Corn makes are list because our first complaint is that most corn sold today has been hybridized and genetically altered. We still don’t what long term impact these modifications might have on our DNA down the road.
The second issue with corn is because of its starch and sweetness. Today’s sweet corn can be described as being a “bucket of sugar.”
For those seeking to lose weight, consider that corn is one of the primary foods that producers use to fatten their cattle.
Additionally, it’s also the condiments that you use to enhance the flavor such as piling on the butter, margarine and salt onto your tub of popcorn or corn cobs.
Corn also contains lectins. Lectins are proteins which interfere with leptin which is the hormone that tells you are full, and can cause you to overeat.
Today’s corn is even used as an additive to packaged foods to stimulate food cravings.
The current crops of enetically modified varieties of corn can impact your hormones which can lead to a variety of diseases. It can also prevent the absorption of iron, zinc and selenium into the body.
Reasons Why You Should Buy Organic
We would like to stress that several of the vegetables on our list of 7 vegetables that are killing you result from the exorbitant number of pesticides levels found in your average grocery store variety.
Dr. Joseph Mercola in his article for the Huffington Post noted that:
Did you know the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers 60 percent of herbicides, 90 percent of fungicides and 30 percent of insecticides to be carcinogenic? Most pesticides can damage your nervous system and are associated with numerous health problems such as neurotoxicity, endocrine dysfunction, immunosuppression, impaired reproductive function, miscarriage, and even Parkinson’s disease.
Eating healthy vegetables is essential to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, but be aware of what you are eating.
This is one of the reasons why you might want to consider opting for organically grown vegetable.
To qualify for the label of an organic vegetable it must not include any of the following:
• Pesticides
• Synthetic Fertilizers
• Sewage sludge
• Genetically modified organisms
• Ionizing radiation
An investigation of 43 different fruit and vegetable categories by the Environmental Working Group showed those vegetables with the highest residues of pesticides included:
• Sweet Bell Peppers
• Celery
• Lettuce
• Spinach, and
• Potatoes
We really have to put more thought into what we put into our bodies because you remember the old but wise saying:
“You are what you eat” And, it so very true!
