You could be getting too much of one food
As the old saying goes, you can have too much of a good thing — and that’s as true when it comes to your diet as anything else in life. Overloading your meals with one ingredient can mean that you create a dietary imbalance. Take turmeric, for instance. While the spice has recently come into the spotlight for its antioxidant properties and potential to help digestion and reduce inflammation (per Everyday Health), you can still overdo it. Consuming too much turmeric could interfere with iron absorption, lower your blood sugar to concerning levels, or contribute to the formation of kidney stones due to its high oxalate content.
You could have a shorter life
Eating the same thing every day could help you find more time in your schedule, sure. But when it comes to your overall lifespan, things might not seem so rosy. According to a study published in the International Journal of Epidemiology that looked at the link between dietary variety and mortality in women, participants who followed a healthy and diverse diet had a much lower rate of mortality than those who ate a more boring menu.
It’s important to point out that this study, which used data from over 59,000 women, indicated that the increase of the number of healthy foods eaten seemed to affect mortality, as opposed to eating fewer types of less healthy food. The study’s authors explicitly pointed out that having a less healthy diet (defined by the presence of red meats, saturated and trans fats, and refined carbs) “was not directly associated with a higher overall mortality.” In short, mixing up your diet is potentially the way forward to a longer life.
Your immune system could get weaker
When you eat the same thing day in, day out, you can naturally end up limiting the number of foods you’re not eating. And by constructing a less diverse diet, you can end up becoming deficient in certain nutrients. This deficiency can lead to a reduction in your immune system’s effectiveness. The British Journal of Nutrition notes that eating only specific foods can result in noticeable immune impairment. All told, consuming too much of a certain food or nutrient can also potentially cause impaired immune function.
For this reason, it’s advisable to follow a diet that doesn’t fall prey to the most common immune deficiencies. Two of the most vital nutrients our body needs, iron and vitamin D, are vital to a healthy immune system. They can also often be lacking in a diet, according to Healthline. Not getting enough vitamin A (from dietary sources like sweet potatoes, carrots, fish liver oil, and dark, leafy greens) can also result in weakened immunity.
Source: Healthdigest.com
