In modern life, more and more people know—for the sake of health, one should "eat less greasy meat and more fresh vegetables and fruits." But everything has its limits. Some people, upon seeing vegetables, can only think of health, leading to the emergence of a group of "vegetable lovers," mostly women, who even long-termly refuse "rich meat and fish." Their daily vegetable intake far exceeds the recommended amount from nutritionists, while they rarely or never eat meat. Nutrition experts believe this is inappropriate.
Undeniably, vegetables are rich in vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber. Eating a moderate amount of vegetables can promote intestinal peristalsis, aid bowel movements, provide the body with essential micronutrients, exert antioxidant effects, and ensure the normal function of various organs. However, excessive vegetable intake can have the following harms: certain vegetables contain high levels of oxalic acid, which can easily form stones. For example, spinach, greens, celery, and tomatoes contain relatively high levels of oxalic acid. When combined with calcium from other foods, it can easily form calcium oxalate stones. This is one of the reasons why many women who prefer a vegetarian diet are prone to developing stone-related diseases.
Most vegetables are alkaline foods. For patients already suffering from calcium phosphate stones, consuming large amounts of alkaline vegetables daily can increase stone formation and make it difficult for them to be expelled from the body.
Vegetables high in crude fiber, such as celery and spring bamboo shoots, are difficult to digest in large quantities and are not recommended for people with gastrointestinal diseases. For patients with cirrhosis, excessive consumption can also easily lead to complications like gastric bleeding or esophageal variceal bleeding, worsening their condition.
For pregnant women and children and adolescents in their growth and development stages, large amounts of vegetable intake can hinder the absorption of calcium and zinc in the body, affecting children's intellectual development and bone growth. If vegetables are consumed in large quantities for the purpose of "dieting" or "feeling full," while reducing or completely avoiding meat and fish, it not only affects the body's intake and absorption of essential fatty acids and high-quality protein, leading to protein malnutrition, but also hinders the absorption of rich nutrients like calcium, iron, and zinc from these non-vegetarian foods. Women should be particularly mindful of avoiding iron-deficiency anemia and calcium deficiency caused by excessive vegetarianism.