too much veggies a bad thing?
Posted by stride4unity on Jul 31, 2006 · Member since Feb 2005 · 211 posts
As a veggie lover, I eat a lot of vegetables daily - about 7 cups. Is it possible to eat too many vegetables? I know they have vitamins and minerals but they also have sugars and even though they are simple sugars I am uncertain whether they can lead to diabetes. Does anyone know how many veggies would constitute as an overconsumption or have info/literature regarding a possible overconsumption on veggies? I'd hate to reduce my intake!
Oh gosh! I think it's impossible to eat too many veggies! People don't get enough as it is! I think you're fine with eating that many a day. Just remember though that you need balance with the other food groups, like your fruits and grains and protein. As for the sugars, they have such a low intake of that I wouldn't worry about it. The sugar that can lead to diabetes is the refined processed kind (white sugar, for example). Like I said, as long as you have a balance of veggies with the other food groups, I think you're OK.
I don't know tons about diabetes, but I do know a bit about blood sugar. Simple sugars do cause spikes in blood sugar (which can lead to conditions like hypoglycemia and eventually to more serious conditions like diabetes, although that's the limit of my knowledge about those disorders), but vegetables (and fruits) are full of fiber, which regulates blood sugar. Fiber and fat can regulate and lessen the blood sugar spikes, which is why low-carb diets suggest that you eat only fiber-rich whole grains, instead of white grains that contribute to spikes just as much as sugar. Veggies are considerably lower than fruit in sugars, which is why they're not sweet, so I say with as much certainty as someone not in the medical profession should, that you definitely should NOT worry about eating too many veggies. :)
If you are concerned about sugars in various vegetables, for whatever reason, look up the glycemic index scale somewhere. That will give you an idea of how much the sugars will actually raise your blood sugar. If you take a look at a list of vegetables, most of them are very low, which means go nuts! If you are concerned about your glycemic index because of history of diabetes in your family or something like that, you can see that some vegetables are higher in sugars than others (ie. carrots, corn, etc.) and go easier on those particular ones. But seriously, unless you have a crazy family history of diabetes and other risk factors (ie. overweight, other conditions), you shouldn't worry about consuming too many carrots.
Diabetes is not cause by eating too much sugar. There are two main types of diabetes. Type 1 is an autoimmune disorder where the person's immune system destroys the cells that produce insulin. Type 2 is associated with being overweight. With either type, one way to manage the disease is to control the amount of carbohydrate (which includes sugar) that one consumes. As a person who doesn't have diabetes, your concern should be maintaining a healthy weight and a varied diet. I wouldn't worry about eating too many vegetables unless you're eating too much food overall.
Speaking of diabetes...
http://www.NewsTarget.com/019785.html
Thanks for the explanation of diabetes mollyjade, I wanted to make that point but didn't have all the words at my disposal. I can always tell when my MIL feels guilty about eating too many sweets becuz she dashes off to have blood tests done, convinced she'll get diabetes (she's in her 90's). You can have it done here at a pharmacy and they are not averse to taking her money even tho they know she's not diabetic...
Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and young adults, and was previously known as juvenile diabetes. In type 1 diabetes, the body does not produce insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar (glucose), starches and other food into energy needed for daily life.
Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. In type 2 diabetes, either the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells ignore the insulin. Insulin is necessary for the body to be able to use sugar. Sugar is the basic fuel for the cells in the body, and insulin takes the sugar from the blood into the cells.
Just wanted to point out that Type 2 diabetes is not just a result of obesity. Perfectly thin people suffer from this disease, obesity does however contribute to the disease, helping it develop later in life when no previous problems with BS were apparent.
And to answer your question Stride4unity, I agree with Chicyuna, too many veggies is not an option, at least not for me, but the key is balance, as long as you are incorporating plenty of whole grains, legumes, fruits etc. it'll be fine :P