Do you like to eat food? Of course! Who doesn’t? We love to eat and eat a wide range of foods. Have you ever eaten food that has strange effects on your body? Have you ever eaten a certain type of food only to find a pool of sweat dripping down your head, the back of your neck, and in other not-so-appropriate areas?

Diet

What you put in your body affects everything about your body. Sweating after eating is the result of specific foods you eat which trigger your body to cool itself down. There are health reasons this may be happening as well. It comes down to the type and amount food eaten in a specific diet which leads to sweating.

   

Why Do Strange Side Effects Occur?

Eating a large amount of food triggers the thermic effect of food. This process is called thermogenesis. Other foods produce strange effects beyond sweating. The following are reasons behind having an increased thermogenic effect on the body:

• Your body is working extremely hard to digest fat, carbohydrates and sugar.
• The nervous system is working harder.
• Your heart rate is elevated and your blood vessels expand, a term known as vasodilation.

Some certain medical conditions, such as diabetes and chronic heart conditions, can cause a tremendous amount of sweat on the head, neck, and face. For the most part, however, sweating during eating is relatively normal.

Other Effects

There are more strange things that may happen to your body if you eat certain foods. Here is a breakdown of foods that can cause strange side effects. Please remember how these are short-term immediate effects and are typically temporary.

• Tomatoes: A great fruit that has been known to fight cancer. They are high in lycopene which, in too many doses, can cause a deep orange coloring of the skin.
• Rhubarb: A great and healthy food like rhubarb can cause your urine to turn a shade of red or pink. The chemical, anthocyanin, causes this.
• Asparagus: Eat too much of this healthy vegetable, and your urine will smell rather foul. That is because of a compound called methanethiol which contains sulfur.
• Soy– Favored among vegetarians, too much soy may reduce the chance of reproduction. There have been studies performed showing a connection between soy and a decrease of 42 million sperm.
• Shiitake Mushrooms– These woody-flavored favorites can cause a rash displaying streaks of red and blistering welts. This is called shiitake dermatitis, which is caused by the lentinan breaking down reacting to heat when inside the eater.
• Nutmeg– A large intake of nutmeg may cause headaches and hallucinations.
• Miracle fruit– The science behind miracle fruit is that when it counteracts with the tongue, it makes sour tasting food taste sweet. There is a ton of protein in the pulp of the miracle fruit and these receptors change how the food tastes.

Aside from the changes that may seem strange at first, there are foods that have a more dramatic and long-lasting effect on the body. Eating a diet of junk food leads to a myriad of issues including obesity, depression, digestive issues, heart disease, and even type 2 diabetes, cancer, and early death.

Fast Food for Thought

Fast food may be the chief culprit when it comes to having an effect on the body. These are the reasons:

• Headache– Fast food is filled with sodium which can increase the chances of a headache due to a large amount of salt.
• Depression– Fast food and processed food may limit the production of serotonin in the brain increasing the risk of depression.
• Acne– Carbs trigger acne. It used to be thought that grease causes acne, but carb-heavy foods can lead to acne breakouts.
• Dental problems– Carbs and sugar can destroy tooth enamel.
• Heart disease/Stroke– Fast food/processed food are loaded with cholesterol, increasing blood pressure.
• Shortness of breath– Calories turn into pounds. No exercise? No weight loss? Increased shortness of breath as that stomach gets bigger and adds more weight on the lungs.
• High Cholesterol– Fats from fast food are known as LDL, or bad cholesterol levels.
• Weight Gain– Check the calories of the fast food, and you’ll see it’s not a good move to eat it consistently.

Food Allergies

The most dangerous post-food reactions involve allergies. These can be lethal. There is a difference between a food allergy and a food intolerance, and knowing the difference may save someone’s life. A food intolerance usually causes the person to be physically lethargic, responding with vomiting and diarrhea. Food allergies can lead to shortness of breath, swelling of the throat, and if not treated, can lead to death.