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Green smoothies are all the rage these days. Many people are drinking them every day or at least several times a week in an attempt to get healthy and “alkalize” the body.
Whenever I visit the cafe of my local healthfood store, there are usually several people in gym clothes lined up to order a green smoothie to sip after their workout.
Green smoothies are made by blending large amounts of raw leafy green vegetables with fruit to soften and sweeten the taste. Typical vegetables included in green smoothies are cruciferous vegetables like kale, broccoli, collard greens, maca (usually as a supplemental powder) as well as others like spinach, swiss chard, celery, and parsley.
Is the green smoothie fad a truly healthy habit over the long term? Or, could regular consumption of these seemingly healthy drinks contribute to serious health problems over time?
Raw Leafy Greens Contain High Oxalate Levels
Frequent consumption of large quantities of raw, leafy green vegetables blended up as green smoothies can be deceiving at first. This is because green drinks facilitate an initial detoxification process that makes a person feel great. This is especially true when coming off a highly processed, nutrient poor diet.
While very nutritious, the vegetables used in green smoothies are almost without exception high oxalate foods. Over time, a high oxalate diet can contribute to some very serious health problems particularly if you are one of the 20% of people (1 in 5) that have a genetic tendency to produce oxalates or if you suffer from candida or other fungal challenge. In those cases, a high oxalate diet can deal a devastating blow to health.
Oxalate Toxicity Not a New Problem
The effects of oxalate toxicity have plagued humankind since ancient times. For example, scientists discovered an oxalate kidney stone about the size of a golf ball in a 2000 year old mummy from Chile using x-ray analysis.
Build-up of shards of oxalate crystals can occur almost anywhere in the body. Whatever tissue contains them, pain or worse is the result.
75-90% of kidney stones are oxalate related with 10-15% of Americans afflicted at some point during their lives. As the star shaped crystalline stones pass from the kidney, they cause pressure and pain in the bladder and urethra and can actually tear up the walls of the urinary tract.
Oxalate Stones from Excessive Green Smoothies
Oxalate stones can show up in any body tissue including the brain and even the heart.
Crystals comprised of oxalates resemble shards of glass. They can become lodged in the heart causing tiny tears and damage to this vital muscle. With every single contraction, more damage is caused as the heart pumps life giving blood to the rest of the body.
Oxalate crystals which end up in the thyroid can cause thyroid disease by damaging thyroid tissue.
A frequent location for oxalates to end up is skeletal muscle which will cause pain with even normal movement and make exercise nearly impossible. Dr. William Shaw, Director of The Great Plains Laboratory for Health, Nutrition and Metabolism who has studied oxalates extensively, is convinced that oxalate toxicity is a factor in fibromyalgia the pain of which can absolutely devastate a person’s life (1).
Vulvodynia – Painful Sex
Cases of women experiencing painful sex are on the rise with oxalates a possible culprit.
Vulvodynia is a condition causing pain in and around the vagina. It is linked to oxalates deposited in this delicate reproductive tissue. Oxalate crystals are very acidic and they cause irritation, burning, and stinging sensations for affected women. An accompanying feeling of rawness is typically experienced during sexual relations.
Oxalates Are Fungal in Origin
A surprising finding is that oxalates are produced in large amounts by fungus. Large stones have been found in the sinuses and lungs of people suffering from systemic fungal infections such as candida or Aspergillus.
Therefore, anyone who suffers from any sort of candida overgrowth or other fungal challenge like fungus nails or dandruff would be wise to be very concerned about oxalate intake via the diet.
Consumption of green smoothies would not in any way contribute to improvement of health in these situations. The majority of people today suffer from gut imbalance and candida (yeast) issues caused by antibiotic and prescription drug use including the Pill. This renders a high oxalate diet which includes frequent green smoothies an unwise practice for virtually everyone.
Does Cooking Destroy Oxalates?
What about cooking the greens first? Would this reduce the risk of oxalate overload and make consuming greens safer?
Not really, because oxalates are extremely stable. While cooking high oxalate foods and discarding the cooking water does reduce the level of anti-nutrients, it remains quite high.
Green smoothies are usually consumed frequently by those who swear by them. As such, a light steaming of the veggies first would not make a significant difference over the long term if they are consumed regularly. If you consume green smoothies only occasionally, however, a light steaming is a good idea. This practice adds a degree of safety to the process. Other tips for preparing safe smoothies are contained in this linked article.
Healthier Alternatives to Green Smoothies
The best course of action for health, then, is to opt out of the green smoothie diet fad. This is especially important if you have any sort of gut imbalance or candida issues.
If you enjoy green leafy vegetables, be smart about it. Don’t overdo like so many in the health community are doing with the best of intentions. Enjoy green drinks in moderation in salads. Or, cook them and carefully drain and discard leafy green cooking water. Never use it in soups and sauces!
Be sure to serve cooked leafy greens with a healthy fats like butter or coconut oil. Avoid margarine or any factory fats synthesized with rancid and/or GMO vegetable oils like Smart Balance. Using natural fats will facilitate maximum absorption of minerals.
Another option is to drink raw cultured vegetable juice or eat raw cultured vegetables. Not only will you get enhanced nutrition from the culturing process which adds enzymes and nutrients, but you will also get a beneficial and therapeutic dose of probiotics to help balance gut function and improve digestion. It also suppresses fungal overgrowth like candida.
Wheatgrass an Excellent Alternative!
Another option is to do shots of fresh, green wheatgrass juice.
Wheatgrass juice is very low in oxalic acid.
Here is a link to my favorite green juice recipe using wheatgrass and ginger. It is safe to drink regularly, daily if you like, instead of green smoothies. It is also an excellent drink for gently detoxing before pregnancy. The ginger assists with morning sickness issues too if you are already pregnant.
What to do if a Green Smoothie Diet Has Already Harmed Your Health
Are you already are suffering from some of the ailments described in this article? Do you suspect a high oxalate diet which includes green smoothies or a daily spinach salad may be the cause? If so, stop this practice immediately and consult with a holistic physician. You will likely need professional assistance to guide you on the road to recovery. Ridding your body of oxalate crystals that are potentially irritating one or more of your body tissues is no simple task! It is not advisable to attempt this protocol on your own.
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist, author, Get Your FATS Straight
References and Additional Information
The Role of Oxalates in Autism and Chronic Disorders, William Shaw PhD
Top 4 Cleansing Myths to Watch Out For
Ashley Bechtold — I think you’re on the wrong blog. Yes, bacon and eggs (pasture raised, etc.) is a fantastic breakfast.
Those of you trashing Sarah’s opinion on this because “it just doesn’t seem right”, maybe some more research of your own is in order before lashing out in such a way. And, in fact, she does point out that not everyone has an issue with this, just a significant percentage. So one or two examples of people not having a problem after consuming lots of green smoothies doesn’t really mean anything. There are people who smoke all their lives and don’t get cancer, but that isn’t a fair representation of the dangers of smoking for most people.
Just coconut milk and some celery with a few sticks broccoli in it and a little fruit – is that a better smoothie?
Bonnie Rose Shaw — you’d have to know and research more about traditional diets to understand where she’s coming from with the butter thing…. And also the cholesterol issue…
I am so glad that you are talking about this! I was very pleased that it made it into your presentation about Broth this weekend as well. I wanted to tell you so in person but you were busy.
More people need to know about the damage that high oxalate foods can do to so many people and you won’t know till it is too late. Detoxing from oxalates usually takes years. It is similar to eliminating heavy metals from the body. My daughter and I have been on a strict low oxalate diet (LOD) for over a year and still have more stored oxalate to eliminate but we are seeing such health improvements that it is really worth it. Sadly so many foods will never be in our diet again like spinach and almonds. They just have far too much oxalate to ever risk it.
It is not uncommon to feel worse after you reduce oxalates in your diet since your body will switch from storage mode to elimination mode when you do so. Don’t fool yourself that you can continue in storage mode forever. Sooner or later your capacity to store oxalates will become full and then you will have symptoms all the time and have a huge body burden to eliminate. Do not eliminate all high oxalate foods at once! The body will dump too much at once and can cause kidney stones or other serious problems. Slowly step down your oxalate intake over time.
I will urge anyone who wants to know more to go join the Trying Low Oxalates Yahoo group health.groups.yahoo.com/group/Trying_Low_Oxalates/ The list owner is an independent researcher who is dedicating her life to understanding oxalates. She knows more than anyone else on the subject.
I also wrote a blog post about oxalates
Patty, thank you so much for the helpful information you shared! Very much appreciated.
Not sure if I read the same article that everyone else because I do not understand the negative response by some. she points out that the green smoothies or a high diet of oxalates could be harmful to those 20% of people who’s bodies have problems with oxalates. I am one of those 20% and I have kidney stones. There are other sources that suggest a low diet of oxalate for us kidney stone sufferers and even the mayo clinic’s advise is to stay away from spinach. I think this article is relative to some and not the most. Like all things in life,take what applies to you and your situation and leave the rest. 🙂
Not sure if I read the same article that everyone else because I do not understand the negative response by some. she points out that the green smoothies or a high diet of oxalates could be harmful to those 20% of people who’s bodies have problems with oxalates. I am one of those 20% and I have kidney stones. There are other sources that suggest a low diet of oxalate for us kidney stone sufferers and even the mayo clinic’s advise is to stay away from spinach. I think this article is relative to some and not the most. Like all things in life,take what applies to you and your situation and leave the rest. 🙂
That should be kale or spinach have their place just not every day?
Not everyday and not in large amounts such as what you can stuff into a green smoothie! Americans like to do everything to excess and it is a real problem when it comes to food. You can die from drinking too much water .. too much of anything even if a good choice is foolish.
I love this post Sarah, how you take a stand for difficult issues and how you so politely respond to all of the misinformed, angry, hostile comments. I have many friends who have gone on “juice fasts” after watching a certain popular documentary. Many of them rave about how its permanently improved their health, including my parents, so this issue is important to me.
I have a question for you, Sarah. My wife has been struggling with annoying dandruff for a couple years, and I have very slight dandruff. Could oxalate or candida be the culprit? We eat lots of almond butter, almonds, sweet potatoes, carrots, and brussels sprouts baked in coconut oil, but not a lot of leafy greens. We eat very healthy traditional foods, about 1/2 vegetables 1/4 grass fed meats, and 1/4 soaked beans, lentils, seeds, or steel cut oats. Would you recommend we change anything? I’m struggling to figure out which vegetables we should increase and which we should decrease. Thanks in advance for your help!
1 oz of almonds has 134.85 mg oxalate. A low oxalate diet limits daily intake to a total of 40-60 mg. 1/2 a cup of mashed baked sweet potato has 87.6 mg oxalate. Beans also have a lot of oxalate in general. Red lentils are low. Lima beans are medium. Oats aren’t low but they are lower than the other foods you eat.
The title of the post was strong and yet lots of people read it! Perhaps the issue is moderation? Kale or spinach have their place just every day? Hence eating seasonally is a good idea.
I have an oxalte problem. Spinach is extraordinarily high in oxalates. I don’t expect to ever consume it again. I gave myself kidney stones after just a month of eating it regularly in my scrambled eggs thinking I was doing myself a favor (this was cooked and drained spinach). The Trying Low Oxalates yahoo group I am in has story after story of people who thought they were getting healthier eating more spinach salads and ended up with declining health and often kidney stones or fibromyalgia.
seriously disagree.