Don’t Kill the Kale! (Misleading Food Statements Debunked)

The Internet can be a confusing place, and it’s little wonder that misleading information is feeding into our confusion about food. With a quick, 5-minute Google search, these were just a few of the more outrageous headlines I was presented with:

“Can Kale Kill You?”

“Health Dangers of Eating Seeds”

“Beans are Bad for You.”

“Broccoli is bad for you, like, really toxic bad.”

Some of these statements may seem quite convincing. (Sensationalizing can be quite effective like that.) And while I do understand and appreciate what some influencers/brands are trying to convey, make no mistake that these kinds of headlines are, at best, misleading.

Don’t blame the broccoli

The trouble is that someone reading “Broccoli is bad for you, like, really toxic bad”, may be led to never eat broccoli ever again – particularly if that statement is coming from an online influencer with a large following. However, broccoli has so many benefits to offer for your whole body, so giving up such a wonderful veg could deprive you of the many benefits it has to offer.

So why are these bold statements out there?

Quite simply, to make you click. This is sensationalism, plain and simple, and while being an effective way to get people to take notice of you, it isn’t, in my humble opinion, an effective way to genuinely try to help people become more informed and healthy.

Every body is unique

Having studied nutrition for almost a decade, I appreciate the importance of seeing every person as a unique individual, each with their own very specific body chemistry and health concerns, and each requiring their own specific diet (not in the fad sense of the word – “diet” simply refers to the food each of us eat day to day – our “diet”.)

It doesn’t take a great deal of nutritional education to realize that there are some very sensationalized statements out there around food. Such headlines and posts are not helpful; they merely serve to confuse people about what they should or shouldn’t eat. That’s why I was motivated to write this blog post to set the record straight (even if I don’t get as many clicks as some of the authors of the scary food claims above.)

So, let’s have a look at some of these claims in more detail.

The truth behind the headlines

The truth is that with many grains, legumes, vegetables, nuts and seeds, you will find a host of beneficial nutrients that will serve your body well. These include a variety of vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, as well as fibre.

Some other components of these foods include:

·      Phytic Acid: found in beans, grains, nuts and seeds.

·      Lectins: found in legumes, beans, nightshade foods including peppers, tomatoes, potatoes and eggplant.

·      Oxalates: found in leafy greens, chocolate, nuts and seeds.

·      Goitrogens: found in soy, cruciferous vegetables including kale, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage.

 These components are a natural part of the plants, but may cause problems for some people. However, they do not justify the explosion of disparaging and misleading statements taking over the Internet, trying to convince you not to eat kale, nuts and seeds, or broccoli! I’m pretty sure broccoli, is not “really toxic bad”! But one could be convinced by reading the latest headline.

So, what are some of the possible effects these components may have on the body?

·      Phytic Acid: may cause absorption issues.

·      Lectins: may cause gastrointestinal and absorption issues.

·      Oxalates: in excess may lead to kidney and heart issues.

·      Goitrogens: may have an effect on thyroid function.

Here are some ways to reduce the amount of these compounds in your foods:

·      Soak nuts, seeds, grains and legumes.

·      Sprout seeds, grains and legumes.

·      Ferment veggies and grains.

·      Steam or cook your veggies.

While the above effects may be a concern for some people, this is not the case for everyone. If you have been recently diagnosed with hypothyroidism, you may want to cook your cruciferous veggies before you eat them, as this will destroy the goitrogens. Maybe you have kidney stones? Well, you may want to switch up your greens and stay away from some of the more high-oxalate-containing greens like spinach. Maybe you recently found out you have not been absorbing nutrients from the foods you eat? Soaking your nuts, seeds and grains, or opting for sprouted ones may be a better option.

Look at your lifestyle

All that being said, there are most likely other factors that are contributing to these kinds of health concerns, outside of food alone. Things like stress, lack of exercise, eating inflammatory foods and high amounts of sugar should all be looked at long before we begin condemning kale and broccoli! Maybe there is something in your home or work environment contributing to your symptoms or health concerns?

Don’t kill the kale! 

I guess all I am saying is this: Don’t believe everything you read on the Internet, at least not at face value or as a blanket idea. Don’t be in too much of a hurry to blame kale, broccoli, or your favourite nut or seed before looking at all the factors in your life that may be causing you issues. And definitely don’t be led in the wrong direction because of the latest veggie-slashing trend!

We are all bio-chemically unique, and how one person responds to a diet plan may be very different to how that plan affects another. There is no one-size-fits-all diet – only “your diet”.

Eat for YOU, eat VARIETY and eat for YOUR HEALTH!