5 Harmful Effects Of Eating Goldenberries In Excess Amount

Goldenberries or golden cherries are the delicious berries belonging to the genus “Physalis”. Scientifically, it is known as “Physalis Peruviana”, and is native to South America but is now also cultivated in South Africa and Europe. It is also known by some other names like cape gooseberry, Aztec berry, poha, harankash, etc. Being a good source of many nutrients like vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytonutrients, flavonoids, etc. they are considered as a superfood as it provides a number of health and beauty benefits. However, it should be remembered that it is better to eat them in moderation as there are also some side effects of eating golden berries. In this article, we will know about the major side effects of eating golden berries, but first, let’s take a look at the below-mentioned nutrition chart of golden berries.

# Too Many Antioxidants Are Bad

Eating golden berries on a regular and moderate basis is very beneficial for our health because of the presence of antioxidants like vitamin C and other antioxidantal compounds like flavonoids, phytonutrients, polyphenols, etc. in them. These antioxidants fight with the free radicals in our body stabilizes them and thus prevents them from causing oxidative damage to our cells. Free radicals are nothing but the unstabilized ions that get formed during the oxidation process in our body.

# May Lead To Weight Gain

Regular and moderate consumption of golden berries has been found to be very beneficial for the individuals who are on a weight loss regime or who would like to get rid of some extra pounds. This weight loss benefit of golden berries is because of their low caloric value. Eating 100 grams of golden berries only provides around 53 calories of energy, which means one can enjoy eating golden berries without worrying about excess calories.

However, it should be remembered that golden berries are not completely calorie free and if you consume them in excessive quantity for a prolonged period of time, then these calories can quickly add up. And, if you are already taking enough calories through your diet, then eating too many golden berries may lead to weight gain ( over a period of time). Goldenberries are also rich in dietary fibers which when consumed in excess can increase the risk of malabsorption or poor absorption, and when our food is not properly digested and absorbed, then the risk of problems like obesity increases automatically.

# May Increases The Risk of Hypoglycemia

Goldenberries have been found to be very beneficial for diabetic patients or those who are at the risk of developing diabetes. This benefit of golden berries is because of its low glycemic index. Glycemic index of golden berries is low which means it releases sugar into the bloodstream at a slow rate, and thus prevents a sudden spike in the blood sugar level.

In addition to this, the dietary fibers present in the golden berries slows down the rate at which sugar gets absorbed into the bloodstream and thus helps in managing diabetes.

Although golden berries are effective in managing diabetes, it is better to consume them in moderation. This is because eating too many golden berries may lower the blood sugar to a dangerously low level, and this may increase the risk of hypoglycemia.

# May Increases The Risk of Hypotension

Eating golden berries on a regular and moderate basis have been found to be very beneficial for individuals with high blood pressure or hypertension, which is a major health concern that affects millions of people around the world, and is also a leading cause of various cardiovascular problems like heart attack, heart stroke, irregular heartbeat etc.

Goldenberries are effective in treating hypertension because of the presence of “Potassium” in it. Potassium is a vital mineral that acts as a natural vasodilator which means it relaxes our blood vessels, improves blood circulation, and thus helps in controlling high blood pressure.

Although golden berries are very beneficial for controlling high blood pressure, it is advisable to consume them in moderation. This is because too much potassium in our system may lower our blood pressure to a dangerously low level, and this may increase the risk of hypotension.

# May Put Burden On Kidneys

Goldenberries are an excellent source of many nutrients like vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, dietary fibers, etc. that plays an important role in keeping us healthy. It is also effective in maintaining the overall health of our vital organs like liver and kidneys.

The antioxidants present in the golden berries protect these vital organs from the oxidative damage, and the high water content of golden berries plays a significant role in removing toxins from our system, and thus helps our kidneys.