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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
How kind of you to completely disgregard and minimize my testimony. How compassionate of you to determine for me, that there is no one else like me.
I am not a ‘follower’. i happened on the article in a routine search.
Sue B, I am sorry if some of the nasty commenters here minimized your struggle with recovery from green smoothies. I so appreciate you chiming in. You are brave and your story will no doubt stop at least one person from joining in with this health fad.
wow, year three of green smoothies and green juices…we grow our greens fresh and rotate greens regularly. thinking you are really making a global statement that seems loaded with opinion….oxalates are in them…but rotation keeps balance as it does with all foods…we eat our greens cooked too,….keeping the liquid and honestly…our health is explosively awesome….no pain…and had pain before…no sickness and had it tons before….just awesome health engery !! year 9 of juicing greens…drink green smoothies more than juice. I juice and freeze to have handy when I know I am needing a booste. anyway.just my 2 cents. I love your info, but I think you are wrong on this one. btw, I am hypothyroid…have been for 30 years….my dosages are lower now than before i made my diet change 9 years ago…rotation of greens is the key.green smoothies heal.
Holly, with all due respect, there is no one ‘diet’ for everyone. That’s great if the green smoothies have helped you. You must have good oxalate degrading bacteria in your gut, if not, then it’s highly likely you would have a problem.
Aside from the oxalate issue, many people cannot digest raw veggies or fruits as well as other body types. Cooking helps them digest these foods, and contrary to the common belief, many foods vitamin content actually increases and/or becomes more bioavailable if it’s cooked. You are benefiting from raw, oxalate heavy foods, but that doesn’t mean they’re right for everyone.
It seems clear to me that this discussion has gone like many a religious debate. Someone makes an outrageous claim with no support, then someone else calls them on it. Then that someone or their sheep followers claims that the caller was “offended” for noticing the issues with their arguement. Hello, these people are simply asking for evidence! ‘Ure kidney stones are painful people, but even if they are made of the stuff, it proves nothing. There is cholesterol found it blocked up places too, but we now know that the cholesterol is the body’s solution to the problem, not the problem it’ self! Just like a fever is the body’s fix and not the problem too. Anyhow, we only can see part of the picture now, and yet we know that the “harmful stuff” in all these fruits and veggies are harmless in a healthy gut with good flora and no leaks. We also know that people get more alkaline, feel better and lose weight when they eat them, so are more likely to be healthy and unaffected by the bad, if they eat more of it! Anyhow, I’ve noticed a lot of very knowledgable and qualified people nicely but very strongly disagreeing with Sarah, and all she does as usual is scoff and laugh. That is very prideful and whether I agreed or disagreed with her, I am yet again disgusted with her unteachable attitude! She has nowhere near the training or resources of Dr Mercola and yet people are going away from his well documented and sound traditional advice, to follow this sensationalism! That just shows me the idol worship going on with her followers. She needs to start a cult, as the followers are already here who are willing to go against all reason and common sense to follow her.
This is not an outrageous claim with no support. Please see the scientific source at the end of the article which is the basis for this article.
The outrageous claims are by green smoothie afficionados that these health damaging drinks are healthy. NO traditional culture EVER consumed their greens this way and people who drink these oxalate laced cocktails frequently are unwittingly subjects to a modern day experiment with many people already finding their health damaged perhaps permanently by ingesting such large doses of oxalates for extended periods of time.
Health damaging? LOL. I think you need to take a look at these recovery stories. Guess what Sarah? They all involve green juices. Do yourself a favor and open your mind outside of what WAP says.
I am a green smoothie convert about a year and a half ago. they really helped me… REALLY HELPED ME. UNTIL the kidney stones showed up.
I have had a calcium oxalate problem since 1988 when a broken foot didn’t heal properly. 2 years later, 34 calcium oxalate crystals were surgically pulled from my ankle. Since then, calcium cysts have sprung up all over my body, in every joint (esp hands and feet and yup, SPINE.
i was doing the smoothies, thought I was on to something when I started doing them less and less often.
As a child, i hated greens, as an adult, i wasn’t so good about greens and salads either. When i discovered green smoothies I thought I had found the answer, and I did, but for only a while until my body recovered enough to compain – hence, kidney stones – in addition to all the other stones, is not fun.
Now, does anyone know how to get rid of them once they are everywhere (and ohhh sooo painful)
Very very difficult. Please consult a holistic practicioner. This is why these folks who are addicted to green smoothies and think they are just fine are so foolish .. they will just keep on going down this path to chronic health problems and won’t stop until major issues appear.
Thank you for sharing your struggle. Hopefully it will stop at least one person from the green smoothie madness.
Hi Sue,
Look up the vitamin k protocol, generally used for autism. From what I’ve read, vitamin K2 can possibly detox oxalates, although I believe this is controversial. I have read anecdotal evidence from mothers of autistic kids that this protocol has helped. In autism, oxalates are often a problem. Good luck!
Thx Sarah and Kari.
To all the haters out there, lemme just say a few things about people and their health issues. you know what? No one knows everything and especially those of you with alphabet letters behind your names, who have been ‘taught’ by those that wish to deceive and profit from the suffering of others. Every one is different and without going into a full medical history, no one knows for sure what anyone else can handle.
i am grateful for this column because it opened my eyes to the possibility of a condition I was previously unaware of until recently when i added green smoothies to my diet almost daily.
I agree with Victoria Boutenko who told us to rotate greens in our smoothies. I did that, too, but here I am, miserable and in serious pain from oxalate crystals everywhere in my body. i have had a total of three surgeries to have them removed from my feet and they won’t do it again.
I am sure most of you do not have my history nor suffer from what i do, yet to blatantly hate on Sarah for providing information that to me, was helpful in putting together some pieces is just… hateful.
You arrogant a*ses could just stay away, but instead massage your egos by being disrespectful and hateful towards someone who has done nothing wrong. Your egos and self-images are boosted by this type of behavior? maybe you need some good butter or ice cream – or a cookie and a nap! GFY
Here: if you all want REAL SCIENCE, Robb Wolf and Loren Cordain both have PhDs in biochemistry, have done ACTUAL lab research and have the REAL solutions. It’s called the Paleo Diet (there are vegetarian versions too)
http://robbwolf.com/
He site’s REAL research articles and has his OWN books. Over and out.
“REAL SCIENCE” doesn’t really mean much when you’re basing it on flawed studies…
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2010/11/lies-damned-lies-and-medical-science/308269/
really?
Hi Sarah,
Someone mentioned a blog you wrote about whey protein powder and neuropathy (sp?) I couldn’t find it in the archives; can you please post a link for it?
Thanks,
Joyce
I’m sorry but is this an April fools joke? You have to be kidding me. How many ounzes of smoothie are you talking about being dangerous?
I appreciate the concern shared in this post, but feel it’s a bit dramatic. I do agree that the green smoothie craze has been blown way out of proportion in it being the best for bodily detoxification and nutrition. Unfortunately our more = better mentality continues to get the best of us.
Oxalates are all around us, and in many different vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds. It’s also produced naturally by the body… so should we eliminate it altogether? I don’t think so.
In regards to the article, there actually is no proof that oxalates actually form kidney stones.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17538185
There was no correlation found in this study…
Beyond that everyone absorbs oxalates at different rates which is extremely variable from person to person and can be influenced by everything from gut microflora to inflammation. Being that most guts are likely inflamed (and possibly leaky) there could be a valid point made for reducing oxalates, but again it’s highly individual.
I do agree with moderation of all things, and if you’re making green smoothies with large handfuls of spinach daily the potential is there to have an issue.
I also think drinking a green smoothie from time to time (using greens like kale, chard, collards) can be a good addition to the diet.
I wonder how many green smoothies were consumed before electricity…
Think. What do you think? Think again.
And how much butter was consumed before dairy farming? It would be a safe guess to say that green leaves were eaten well before man ever came up with the unnatural atrocity of butter 🙂