How Overconsumption Of Dry Fruit Is Detrimental To Health?

Dry fruits are a good addition to the diet when consumed in limited quantities. However, if you eat them in excess quantity, it can have adverse health effects on the body. Not more than 2 tablespoons of dry fruits are recommended in a day. Because of their sugar content, they can easily help to put on weight by adding excess calories.

Here is a brief overview of how overconsumption of dry fruit is detrimental for health:

1. Weight gain: Studies conducted by researchers over the years has revealed that it takes over 3500 calories to gain 1 pound of weight. However, consuming just 250 calories from dry fruits can result in over 2 pounds of weight in a single month. A sudden increase in weight can bring in other complications such as obesity, menstrual problems in women, high blood pressure etc. It is therefore imperative to stay away from excess intake of dry fruits. To ensure minimum intake of calorie, you could focus on dates, apricot, cranberries, blueberries etc.
2. Asthma: Sulphur dioxide is often used to process dry fruits and is a good food preservative, disinfectant and bleaching agent. Studies revealed that this foul-smelling gas isn’t very harmful when consumed in limited quantities. But, as per food safety experts, the permissible limit of sulphur dioxide in humans is no more than 20 mg per day. This is equivalent to one apricot. Sulphur dioxide can cause asthma, allergic reaction and skin rashes in an individual.
3. Gastrointestinal problems: Food items that have a high fibre content are good for health. It helps in regular bowel movement and smooth blood flow. However, consuming too much fibre can lead to bloating, diarrhoea, flatulence, cramps, and constipation. This is exactly the case with dry fruits as well. They contain fibre and have the capacity to wreak havoc in the intestinal lining on overconsumption. Gradual and steady consumption of dry fruits over a period of time can mitigate this risk.
4. Decay of tooth: Dry fruits that are available in the market come with a thick coat of sugar so that they do not infuse moisture and do not stick to each other. The only problem is that dry fruits contain an astonishing amount of sugar in themselves. The sugar significantly contributes to decaying of the tooth. This is the reason why overconsumption of dry foot should be eschewed.
5. Sugar crash: Most dry fruits have a high glycaemic index. The latter can quickly surge blood sugar levels and spike energy levels. It also results in a fall of blood sugar level resulting in sudden fatigue and sugar crash. Therefore, patients suffering from high pressure should strictly refrain from dry fruits.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!