Lifestyle

7 surprising side effects of eating too many almonds

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We all think that almonds are our best friends. Munching on them is considered as an ideal binge behaviour as they are loaded with vitamin A.


Sure they are but what if you are overdoing the snacking? Is there any harmful impact of eating almonds more than you should? Yes, there are five.

Here we list them.

1. ​Digestive problem

If you are consuming a lot of almonds, it can cause constipation, bloating and upset your stomach. This is because there is a lot of fiber in almonds and your body is not used to consuming so much of it. If your fiber intake is increased, you can also increase your water intake to tackle the situation. However, best is to avoid an almond overdose.

2. ​Vitamin E overdose

100 grams (half a cup) of almonds contain 25 mg of vitamin E. Your daily requirement of the vitamin is 15 mg. Now, imagine the amount you are consuming if you have, let’s say, a cupful of almonds. More than three times your daily need! This may be fine and may not show any side effects if it is not supplemented with other sources of the vitamin, such as eggs, wholegrains and spinach. However, if it is, you may develop diarrhoea, weakness and a blurred vision.

3. Weight gain

Almonds are high in fat content and calories. About 100 grams of almonds will provide you 50 grams of fat but a sizable portion of this is of monosaturated fats, which are healthy for heart. But if your lifestyle is sedentary and you don’t move much to burn the calories that you gain through almonds, it can lead to fat deposition in your body.

4. Increases the risk of developing kidney stones

Kidney stones can be a health issue one can face if too many almonds are consumed. Kidney stones are formed when there’s a high level of calcium oxalates left in the body and do not get secreted. Almonds, for one, are rich in oxalates and you’ll be surprised to know that the oxalate levels through nuts are better absorbed by the body than any other food source. That being said, the risk of developing painful kidney stones and bladder problems should keep you away from having too many almonds in a go.

5. Can make you allergic!

Some people can turn allergic to almonds, despite having eaten it since the beginning. This usually happens when a person has too many almonds in a go. When the body has something in excess, it develops an intolerance, doesn’t get the nutrition and more often than not, it could result in inflammation.

6. Medication interaction

100 grams of almonds contain 2.3 mg of manganese, which is the upper limit of your daily requirement of the mineral (you require 1.3 to 2.3 mg of manganese every day). It is highly likely that besides almonds, you are also consuming other sources of manganese such as whole grains, leafy vegetables and teas. A diet rich in manganese can interfere with your intake of laxatives, blood pressure medication and antibiotics.

7. Toxicity

This side effect is restricted to intake of bitter or lethal almonds. Though they have been proven as effective in curing spasms and pain, if you consume them in excess, it can lead to toxicity in your body. This is because they contain hydrocyanic acid, an over-consumption of which can lead to breathing problem, nervous breakdown, choking and even death! It is a strict dietary prohibition for pregnant women.

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