When superfoods become unhealthy!
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Superfoods are now an indispensable part of the Western food landscape. There is another beneficial powder for every mineral, and a different exotic berry for every vitamin. Often the benefits are grossly exaggerated, but fortunately they still do little harm.
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However, this is not always the case. There are indeed circumstances in which superfoods become unhealthy, especially if you eat a lot of them! We explain in today's blog why every miracle cure can have its drawbacks.
What are superfoods?
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The term superfood is widely used, but there is no clear definition for it. Usually something is said about relatively high concentrations of certain foods, such as vitamins, minerals or antioxidants. That's a pretty flexible limit, though, because what is a high concentration?
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11 minMain dishpeanut oil, tofu stir-fry cubes finely seasoned, stir fry sauce sweet and sour, thick noodles, carrot julienne, beetroot julienne, yellow bell pepper, watercress,rainbow salad with tofu
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45 minMain dishRed cabbage, mild olive oil, quinoa plus, forest outing, lemon, sesame oil, soy sauce less salt, Bio Today tahini white in pot, tap water,grilled red cabbage with quinoa salad
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30 minDessertBrie, Roquefort, port salut, gruyere, Camembert, walnut, garlic, thyme, honey, grape, baguette, Red onion, red grape, raisins, Red wine, Red wine vinegar, Brown sugar,generous cheese plate with onion marmalade
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30 minDessertFull Milk, whipped cream, macaroon, custard powder, vanilla sugar, sugar, protein, amaretto, almond liqueur, basic recipe cooking pears,macaroon pastry with casserole
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The result is that anyone can call their products superfoods without any problems. This also applies to products whose health claims are considerably exaggerated. And even for products that have unhealthy qualities in addition to their healthy properties.
When are superfoods unhealthy?
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There are several situations in which superfoods can turn out unhealthy. Below we list the four main problems.
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Of course it is nice if a product contains a lot of a certain substance. However, many people see the label 'superfood' as a reason to eat as much of it as possible. And that is not such a good idea. There are enough substances of which an overdose is just as unhealthy as a deficiency. A few examples:
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5 minDrink without alcoholbananas, cool fresh apple-pear raspberry juice, Soy drink vanilla,soy fruit shake
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20 minMain dishsauerkraut, sticking potato, liquid baking product, half-to-half minced, Spice meatballs, pineapple, olive oil, liquid baking product,gratin sauerkraut dish with minced meat
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40 minMain dishlemongrass, fresh ginger, Red peppers, onions, tomato cubes, fresh cod fillet, coriander, oil, ground turmeric (koenjit), coconut milk, salt,fish in creamy coconut sauce
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15 minSide dishsweet potato, soft goat cheese, egg, spring / forest onion,stuffed sweet potato with egg
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Then there are superfoods that can create unpleasant side effects in certain situations. Sometimes this is because people appear to be allergic to it, sometimes because of an interaction with certain medicines. A few examples:
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And then there are the superfoods with ingredients that are unhealthy for everyone. Sometimes this is due to careless production, sometimes simply because the product is not that healthy at all. A few examples are:
One-sided eating pattern
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Finally, superfoods create the danger of a one-sided diet. Some people eat so many crazy seeds and fruits that the base is lost a little. And then you suddenly find yourself with a shortage of very normal vitamins and minerals, which you could have solved just by eating a few sandwiches now and then.
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20 minMain dishTasty vine tomato, (olive oil, fresh basil, onion, garlic, Parmigiano Reggiano, zucchini spaghetti, pumpkin spaghetti, mini buffalo mozzarella,lukewarm pumpkin and zucchini spaghetti
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15 minSide dishtraditional olive oil, curry powder, wheat flour, coconut milk, sambal oelek, chicken broth tablet, water, fresh mango,curry sauce with mango
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30 minMain dishtraditional olive oil, lean ground beef, frozen Mexican wok vegetables, salsa sauce mild, taco shell, grated young cheese, creme fraiche,Mexican vegetable in tacos
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95 minMain dishmaize chicken, lemon, coarse sea salt, pepper, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, thyme, zucchini, tomatoes (small to), black olives without pit,provençal chicken with zucchini and tomatoes
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To prevent superfoods from becoming unhealthy, remember that no single product can reverse an unhealthy diet on its own. Variety, sufficient fruit and vegetables and few unhealthy additives are your first priority. If you have that in order, the superfoods are usually no longer necessary!
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If you still want to use them, do so in moderation - and with an eye for the possible risks of overuse.