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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
I think your article needs to be removed or rewritten. My SIL sent this to me and I was SO mad! I am a strict vegan – I chose this lifestyle to literally save my life. I eat dark green veggies every single day and in copious amounts, and have NONE of the conditions you are alarming people about- I have blood work done 1-2x year. For your information – please read this excerpt from this exceptional book written by N.W. Walker, D. Sci. Fresh Vegetable and Fruit Juices. In case you don’t want to purchase the book here is an excerpt (Also, please refer to the amazing Dr. Christopher who also disagrees):
“When the food is RAW, whether whole or in the form of juice, every atom in such food is vital organic. Therefore, the oxalic acid in our raw vegetables and their juices is organic, and is not only beneficial, but essential for physiological functions of the body. The oxalic acid in COOKED and PROCESSED foods, however, is definitely dead, or inorganic, and as such is positively both pernicious and destructive. Oxalic acid readily combines with calcium. If these are both organic, the result is a beneficial constructive combination, as the former HELPS the digestive assimilation of the latter, at the same time stimulating the peristaltic functions of the body.
When the oxalic acid becomes inorganic by cooking or processing the foods that contain it, then this acid forms an interlocking compound with the calcium, even combining with the calcium in other foods eaten during the same meal, destroying the nourishing value of both. This results in such a serious deficiency of calcium that it has even been known to cause decomposition of the bones (osteoperosis). This is the reason I never eat cooked or canned spinach.
As to the oxalic acid itself, when converted into an inorganic acid by cooking or processing the food, it often results in causing inorganic oxalic acid crystals to form in the kidneys.
It is worthy of notice that the minerals in our foods, iron, for example, frequently cannot be assimilated and used completely if they have become inorganic through cooking, and often prevent the utilizing of other elements through chemical and other action. Thus, the iron in fresh, raw spinach juice may be utilized 100%, but only 1/5 of that, or less, would be availabale in cooked spinach.
It is well to bear in mind, therefore, that as the organic oxalic acid is so vital to our well-being, the fresh raw juice of the vegetable containing it should be used daily to supplement the eating of these raw vegetables included in our DAILY salads.
The most abundant supply of organic oxalic acid is found in fresh raw spinach and rhubarb.”
Natalie, are you saying that what you believe works for EVERYONE? NO EXCLUSIONS? No? Neither is Sarah.
One more thing…I can tell you what my experience has been…watching my precious loved one die SLOW and PAINFUL from cancer and wanting desperately to find what would work for HIM. Not everything that was recommended was right for HIM. (lots of alphabet letters behind their names…) We tried and some things didn’t work. THAT will be the moment when you KNOW that everyone has to decide for themselves based on their understanding and experience. YOU CAN”T CHOOSE FOR OTHERS. It will break your heart, but leave you with the knowledge that it is a personal decision and NO ONE has the right to stop you from trying to find what you need.
Sarah, I enjoy your blog and appreciate your work in getting the word out about healthy eating. I agree with most of the principles of WAPF that you promote. However, your perspective on green smoothies is something I would disagree with. My family and I have been consuming about 1 green smoothie everyday for the past 5-6 years and we love it and have not gotten sick at all from it. It is a very important part of our diet and one that we promote to others.
Our diet is primarily raw (at least half and as high as 85% a lot of times) and we also eat natural grassfed animal products, cooked veggies, healthy fats, raw dairy, and fermented/soaked foods (grains, kefir, kombucha, etc). At one point early in our raw food journey, we became 100% raw and vegetarian. I even got certified as a raw food teacher. However, that didn’t last long because we didn’t agree with vegetarianism and we also believed in the importance of some cooked foods in our diet. But we still advocate a high raw foods diet, along with other principles that even WAPF promotes (ie: traditional, real foods)
The perspective of your article to *stay away* from green smoothies (and fresh juice) is one that I think is not totally balanced. I personally believe that there are too many benefits in raw greens to ignore it. Robyn Openshaw from GreenSmoothieGirl.com has addressed this issue of oxalates many times on her blog. Here’s a post that provides links to her oxalates posts: [Click Here]
Thanks again for all you do, Sarah! This is just an area I would respectfully disagree with you on. 🙂
Thank you Jocelyn, for showing others how to respectfully disagree. If Sarah hadn’t been the kind of person who has had to respectfully disagree with others at some point in her life, we wouldn’t even be having this discussion. Why people don’t want to allow the discussion, I will never understand. Truth stands on it’s own. Just stand back and watch to see if it stands or falls, but allow the choice to decide, to be made by each person. Some things take time to figure out… just because someone says it, doesn’t make it so. I appreciate your opinion.
WHAT IN THE WORLD??? Attacking green smoothies? WOW! There are so many worse thing that people put into their bodies in an attempt to lose weight. This article in bull! And I don’t know ANYONE who’s health has been made worse by drinking green smoothies–not a single person!
Good thing you don’t know me – I would blow your paradigm.
Two questions: would consuming calcium with oxalates cause the calcium oxalate to precipitate so that it is eliminated via the gut, or so that it embeds in body tissue? (I’ve been reading that calcium can be very heart-health detrimental, even on greenmedinfo.) Also, do probiotics help with oxalates by de-fanging them directly our by healing leaky gut in a way that prevents them from being absorbed into the bloodstream?
I certainly wouldn’t be taking that chance. Why consume them in green smoothies in such ridiculously large quantities? It is counter-intuitive and no traditional culture ever consumed their greens this way. You are experimenting with your health by participating in this dangerous fad.
http://renegadehealth.com/blog/2012/02/20/are-green-smoothies-actually-bad-for-you
did someone hack your page???
While I absolutely love your blog Sarah, I do think this particular article was either
A. Poorly researched
B. Mis-titled
I think the outrage in response is because you’ve made a blanket statement about green smoothies solely based on the topic of oxalic acid, when not all green smoothies are high in oxalic acid. That would be like saying do not drink water because water contains fluoride. It’s an unjust statement. May have been more appropriate to say “Skip the High Oxalate Foods in Green Smoothies” as opposed to telling people to skip green smoothies. The source article is a great one, by the way, thanks!
Green smoothies can be incredibly beneficial to health! Not all greens (or green smoothie ingredients) are high in oxalic acid. Honestly, the biggest health threat I witness when it comes to green smoothies, is the over-use of sugar (even in the form of using excess fruit and very little green, which causes insulin spikes). Also, there are ways to neutralize oxalic acid.
However, people do not have to be so mean. If ya’ll differ in opinion, how about a healthy debate or providing some additional facts as opposed to being downright cruel in response? Nobody is perfect and anybody can overlook facts, sheesh.
The following information may be helpful.
ABOUT OXALIC ACID
* – “Oxalates are naturally-occurring substances found in plants, animals, and in humans. Our bodies always contain oxalates, and our cells routinely convert other substances into oxalates. For example, vitamin C is one of the substances that our cells routinely convert into oxalates. In addition to the oxalates that are made inside of our body, oxalates can arrive at our body from the outside, from certain foods that contain them. (whfoods1)
* – Oxalic acid binds with calcium to form calcium oxalate, an insoluble salt. It also binds to other minerals, preventing their absorption by the body (pHbalance)
* – “Although oxalic acid can be a toxin, you would need to eat extremely large amounts of vegetables that contain the substance before it would cause any health issues.” (eHow)
* – “It is not clear from the research, however, that restriction of dietary oxalate helps prevent formation of calcium oxalate stones in individuals who have previously formed such stones. Since intake of dietary oxalate accounts for only 10-15% of the oxalate that is found in the urine of individuals who form calcium oxalate stones, many researchers believe that dietary restriction cannot significantly reduce risk of stone formation.” (whfoods1)
* – “Cooking has a relatively small impact on the oxalate content of foods. Repeated food chemistry studies have shown no statistically significant lowering of oxalate content following the blanching or boiling of green leafy vegetables. A lowering of oxalate content by about 5-15% is the most you should expect when cooking a high-oxalate food. It does not make sense to overcook oxalate-containing foods in order to reduce their oxalate content. Because many vitamins and minerals are lost from overcooking more quickly than are oxalates, the overcooking of foods (particularly vegetables) will simply result in a far less nutritious diet that is minimally lower in oxalates.” (whfoods1)
TO NEUTRALIZE OXALIC ACID:
* – “Drink plenty of water each day. One factor in the formation of kidney stones is low levels of liquid in urine. Drinking water will counteract that problem and neutralize oxalate. Monitor your water intake to ensure you drink at least eight glasses or more of water daily.” (Livestrong)
* – “Add 2 cups of calcium-fortified orange juice to breakfast. Citrus juices contain citric acid and may neutralize some products in urine, including oxalic acid. Science has yet to prove this, but MayoClinic.com lists citrus juice as one alternative medicine for treatment of kidney stones.” (Livestrong)
* – Good gut flora will neutralize oxalic acid (Cookwell)
* – Fermenting foods will neutralize oxalic acid (Cookwell)
* – Add an egg shell to spinach while cooking, it will bind the oxalic acid. (pHbalance)
* – Add calcium carbonate to your greens while cooking. Cooking itself does release much of the oxalic acid, but adding calcium carbonate while cooking removes even more. The calcium carbonate combines to the oxalic acid and removes it from the food. Very little calcium carbonate is needed to make it effective. One tsp. per pot of water is plenty for these purposes. You can buy calcium carbonate powder from most health stores or even online health food retailers. (eHow)
OXALIC ACID CONTENT IN FOODS
* – Kale has only .02g of oxalic acid per 100g. On the other hand, there is a whopping 97g oxalic acid per 100g of spinach. (Guinealynx)
* – http://www.guinealynx.info/diet_oxalic.html
SOURCES
whfoods1 – http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=george&dbid=48
whfoods2 – http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=38
Livestrong – http://www.livestrong.com/article/268569-how-to-neutralize-oxalates-in-a-diet/
eHow – http://www.ehow.com/how_5859381_break-down-oxalic-acid-food.html
pHbalance –
Guinealynx – http://www.guinealynx.info/diet_oxalic.html
CookWell – http://cookwellforlife.blogspot.com/2011/03/oxalic-acid-veggies-probiotics.html
Beautifully put.
Thank you. Correction on the very last bullet. Spinach has a whopping .97g, NOT 97g lol
THANK YOU Jodi!
Someone with an actual education!
Prime, you might be interested to know that the inspiration for this post came from a talk I saw last week from Dr. Kaayla Daniel PhD in Nutrition – author of The Whole Soy Story who was expounding on the health dangers of high oxalate foods and how foolish people are for consuming large amounts of them. Of course, this likely won’t be good enough for you. You will find some other reason why the information is wrong and why you are right.
Prime,
Actually, according to her listed credentials, Sarah’s college education is higher than mine 🙂
I have never met Sarah in person, but I do respect her as an individual. She does a lot of good for people in general, and for those trying to get well from being very sick. I know, because I am one of them. Her videos and blog posts have served invaluable in helping me to understand traditional eating and getting me on my way to healing (thank you Sarah!). Not to mention that she gives this information away for free where others are literally charging hundreds of dollars for it.
While I do not always agree with everything Sarah says, or how she portrays the information she’s sharing, I wouldn’t dream of insulting her. Quite frankly, I am dumb-founded by the multitude of nasty responses to this post. It’s so unnecessary. It really just only makes the insulting person look bad in my opinion.
I’ve always felt that a good gauge of a person’s character is to look at his or her intent. Sarah’s blog post about green smoothies was clearly not written with malicious or deceitful intent. While I personally feel this blog is a bit misleading and has caused unnecessary confusion and fear, it is still quite informative and it wasn’t written with the intent to hurt others. Seems to me that she wrote it to warn others of the potential dangers of high oxalate foods and in using those foods in large amounts in green smoothies – and perhaps to employ traditional eating habits instead of green smoothies. The post doesn’t particularly read this way, depending on how you look at it, but I believe that was her intent, at least in part.
Yet I have to ask, what is the intent behind all of the malicious comments of so many people here? What does one gain by insulting another? What’s the pay-off? I don’t get it.
I don’t agree with Sarah’s assertion that we shouldn’t drink green smoothies (although it appears to be sound advice to those with leaky gut syndrome), but I’m not going to come on here and insult her because I have a difference of opinion. What purpose does that serve? Uh, none.
Yes, a more accurate title of the blog post may have been something like “How Oxalic Acids Can Devastate Your Health”. However, this would not have landed the attention of green smoothie consumers. Perhaps Sarah’s goal was to alert green smoothie consumers about the potential dangers of oxalic acids. In which case, the title serves its purpose well.
The truth of the matter is that EVERY green contains an alkaloid, and the buildup of these alkaloids in the body is toxic. I know this from reading Victoria Boutenko’s book, “Green for Life”. I also know that it is important to rotate greens when juicing or consuming green smoothies. Yet many people have not read this book and are not aware of this fact. Enter Sarah’s blog post. She put information out there that should alert one to further research if they are not familiar with the topic. She also alerts those with leaky gut to reconsider consuming high oxalate foods.
Furthermore, posts about how Sarah shouldn’t be writing about food because she isn’t a Nutritionist, I think, is very harmful to freedom of speech in general. An innocent blogger’s site was recently attacked by a dietician board, making those very same assertions (http://www.diabetes-warrior.net/2012/01/28/this-site-free-speech-are-being-investigated/). Please do not fuel that type of fire.
It is our responsibility, as individuals, to discern between good and bad information, and to know what is right for our own body as an individual. It is our responsibility to seek further information if something doesn’t sit right in our gut. That is what I did. I sought further information, and shared what I found. It is debatable whether the information I shared is accurate. After all, I pulled this information off of other websites. I didn’t check the research or references and I have no idea how valid the information really is. It is simply an opposing view to prompt others to research for themselves.
One other thing, when I am deciding on what type of diet or protocol to follow? I always, *always* pay attention to what the person looks like, who is promoting that method. If somebody is promoting a specific type of diet and they don’t exactly look healthy? It might be a good idea to consider the source.
Sarah,
my boyfriend and I have discussed this very topic, and we both agree that you are the perfect picture of health. Great hair, glowing skin, nice teeth, and proportionate – and I like your wardrobe :op Thanks for all you do!
Prime,
Victoria Boutenko is a wealth of information when it comes to green smoothies. Here are some links to the information you may be seeking. If it doesn’t list what you need, purchase her book, “Green Smoothies for Life”. Either way, the insults really serve no purpose.
Green Smoothie Consumption Guidelines and Common Questions (How much is too much):
Guidelines for drinking greens smoothies. Take note of Emilyb’s comments:
Frequently asked questions about green smoothies:
http://greenforlife.com/gsfaq.htm
Why you should rotate greens:
How to Choose Greens for a Green Smoothie:
Food Combining and Green Smoothies:
Also, take note of what’s under the “Treatment” heading of the source article that Sarah provided a link to. William Shaw describes doses and timing in which to take calcium citrate in order to have it bind to oxalate and cause it to not be absorbed. Based on that, alone, I consider Sarah’s post invaluable, because it leads every single reader to an article that tells each one of us how to protect ourselves from oxalates, whether we are consuming green smoothies with swiss chard, or cooking them and slathering butter on them! I consider that a service to us all.
It’s just sad that people are now proliferating the information in a very misunderstood way (see trackback posts). Yet another example of how we all need to do our own research. Speaking of which, here is an excellent follow-on post: http://oxvox.com/backing-it-up-with-science-can-green-smoothies-really-destroy-health/
Sarah,
Did you see Victoria Boutenko’s response to this post? What do you think about it? It’s very well researched…
Thank you, Jodi, for a well-balanced, informed and reasoned reply…and also for the information and links. It’s a few months after these notes posted now but I’m just beginning my investigation into this area. I would like to encourage anyone reading my post to consider that each individual has to follow his or her own best path for their bodies’ nutritional needs. We are each unique, have our own DNA, heritage, environment, needs – nature and nurture, essentially, and have our own ‘private’, as in no one else is in exactly the same place or on the same road, deficiencies and health issues. For myself, I vastly improved my health with a whole, living foods lifestyle beginning 2.5 years ago, and of course green smoothies are a staple, but I live in a northern climate, so have happily included some cooked foods when I feel the need.
A side note: I make my smoothies thick, so they need ‘chewing’ and my saliva is activated for improved digestion, but for those who just want to eat greens straight, consider the IDEA that we don’t have the jaw strength that used to exist, nor do all of us have our wisdom teeth any more, which would have been used to break apart the tough cell walls that greens have, AND we do not generally spend nearly enough time chewing them to break them down sufficiently for optimal digestion. Thus some of the main benefits of smoothies with leafy greens…per a lecture by Victoria Boutenko on Dec. 3, 2012. She also gave proof of the fact that greens HAVE been eaten raw by humans for hundreds, if not thousands of years: had a page from a 14th century ‘Olde Englishe’ book that gave ingredients and directions for making a ‘salat’ – salad – that was full of greens: the main difference is probably in cultivated vs. wild greens! That matter right there may have a big place in this discussion, but I don’t personally know that for a fact – yet! (Sarah, (or Jodi), have you looked into this subject at all? I haven’t much to date but am aware of the wild-harvesting movement, and the supposed massive benefits of ‘free-range plants’, for lack of a better term!)
Also, and these are the main ideas that attracted me to them in the first place, green smoothies provide a way (so far as I know and have EXPERIENCED) to moderate the sugar levels in fruits and at the same time feed our largely greens-deficient bodies to begin the reversal of health problems and hopefully restore ourselves to good, balanced wellness. Lest anyone wish to question that assertion, may I reiterate that this has been MY journey, (along with many others, some of whom have written here!) and reassure any readers that I utilize a plethora of other foods and prep methods…and am constantly learning about, evaluating and trying out more options.
HOWEVER…I have had underlying and supposedly undiagnosable health issues (headaches and fatigue, but more low-level stuff that, sadly, no ‘western’-trained doc has ever been able to adequately name or address), since I was 16 – it’s coming up on 30 years, so you can imagine my relief and joy at finding SOMETHING that helped me to feel better. At this point, then, I am finally feeling strong enough to delve into what my deep-seated health issues might be and from whence they came! According to one diagnostic method I’ve utilized, I do have quite an issue with several kinds of fungus and mold as well as calcium ‘collections’ that could turn into stones if not dissipated asap. My thinking on this, though, after several days of reflection, is that, unlike the way many are interpreting this informational blog, it’s good to be aware of possible issues with foods and oxalates, (really for anything we do), and I’m willing to research it further and determine if, FOR MYSELF, I feel that this potential danger outweighs the obvious benefits. (The information I had been aware of up to this point indicated that to reach toxic levels, the amount of greens would have to be VERY high, like more than anyone could comfortably consume, and that we’d know it when we reached ‘saturation’, as do wild animals who nibble on this and then that green plant all day long…that perspective still makes a lot of sense to me!) I’ve bookmarked your links to the GAPS diet and will look into that further – there really are a lot of issues and and a lot more treatments out there: may we each use our own innate and God-given wise sense of ourselves ALONG with other resources to choose well what we do each day!
( Sarah, I’m new here but I’m going to be bold and make a personal observation to you that I hope you will take in the spirit of concern which I intend: I came very close to tuning you out when I first tried to read several posts, as I felt put off by what can come across as a harsh attitude toward theories and philosophies that don’t seem to fit into your personal preferences, or that you feel justified in criticizing ‘scientifically’. I realize that you are a proponent of “Real Food” but does that have to mean that every other way of living and eating is necessarily flawed? That is truly the impression I get. Take this article, for instance: it is an admittedly attention-getting yet deceptive title, and, honestly, although I can understand and appreciate what you are saying, I don’t get much of a sense of compassion, care, concern or love from your writing, which is what I would look for from someone who is advocating their chosen diet and lifestyle as the way to optimum health. Nor do I feel that you’ve given even a nod, let alone a balanced view to the benefits of large (and varied) amounts of other kinds of greens that may be used as substitutes for spinach and such, if someone wanted to balance things out better. I guess the idea of honey being more attractive than vinegar (and not just to pesky little flies) comes to mind – maybe I’ve got a similar bent and so am more willing to address the controversy that seems to come up so often. The stress and ‘negative’ feelings (some would say energy) that I’ve seen generated here is, in my personal experience, probably MORE toxic that most foods that we’re trying to encourage others not to eat: hence, it defeats what I hope and assume is your whole purpose: to educate and inform, but beyond that, to uplift, heal and live a joyful, purposeful and meaningful life! So as not to be unbalanced myself here, I do thank you for your willingness to address potential issues and maybe ‘holes’ in people’s knowledge, and to put forth the effort that it must take to create and maintain a site like yours, let alone keep up with and hopefully enjoy the requirements involved in a healthy lifestyle these days!
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^^ Don’t be!! It’s a BLOG~not a scientific study!! Keep drinking your green smoothies… I have NEVER ONCE met ANYONE who’s health has been “Devastated” by a green smoothie…