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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
Interesting. Thank you for the link. Here is one of the conclusions the author came to:
“Animal proteins, and fruits, because they contain the lowest levels of toxins, should form the basis of the diet. Not all fruits, of course, are perfectly safe—avocados, for example, contain so much unsaturated fat that they can be carcinogenic and hepatotoxic.”
Quite revelatory… particularly for one who has gone the Atkins route, and so understand the “science” behind this thinking. The journals that were listed were in themselves quite astonishing, not the least of which was this:
BJU Int 2000 Jan;85(1):107-13. A maternal vegetarian diet in pregnancy is associated with hypospadias. The ALSPAC Study Team. Avon Longitudinal Study of Pregnancy and Childhood. North K, Golding J Unit of Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology, Division of Child Health, University of Bristol, UK. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the possible role of the maternal diet, particularly vegetarianism and consumption of phytoestrogens, in the origin of hypospadias, which is reported to be increasing in prevalence. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Detailed information was obtained prospectively from mothers, including previous obstetric history, lifestyle and dietary practices, using structured self-completed questionnaires during pregnancy. Previously recognized associations with environmental and parental factors were examined, focusing particularly on the hypothesized hormonal link. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify independent associations. RESULTS: Of 7928 boys born to mothers taking part in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Pregnancy and Childhood, 51 hypospadias cases were identified. There were no significant differences in the proportion of hypospadias cases among mothers who smoked, consumed alcohol or for any aspect of their previous reproductive history (including the number of previous pregnancies, number of miscarriages, use of the contraceptive pill, time to conception and age at menarche). Significant differences were detected for some aspects of the maternal diet, i.e. vegetarianism and iron supplementation in the first half of pregnancy. Mothers who were vegetarian in pregnancy had an adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 4.99 (95% confidence interval, CI, 2.10-11.88) of giving birth to a boy with hypospadias, compared with omnivores who did not supplement their diet with iron. Omnivores who supplemented their diet with iron had an adjusted OR of 2.07 (95% CI, 1.00-4.32). The only other statistically significant association for hypospadias was with influenza in the first 3 months of pregnancy (adjusted OR 3.19, 95% CI 1.50-6.78). CONCLUSION: As vegetarians have a greater exposure to phytoestrogens than do omnivores, these results support the possibility that phytoestrogens have a deleterious effect on the developing male reproductive system.
Right.
I can understand your reaction 🙂 …After years of juicing greens, this article rocked my world…Don’t draw any conclusions on just reading this one single article. Do your own research! By all means you don’t have to believe Ray Peat. But start looking into anatomy and physiology and get a better understanding of how the human body works.
To me what is really scary is when I hear a nutritionist (such as the one who responded to this article) compare us humans to cows and rhinoceros to justify that we can get our proteins from greens. Doesn’t that nutritionist know that cows have a digestive track thats completely different to that of a human? They have four stomachs for a start not just one like we do.
Don’t take my word for it or that of anyone word for that matter, just do your own research and come to your on conclusions. Just be very wary of those who believe/claim they have all the answers but little is based on actual scientific facts.
And if what you’re doing is working for you, then good on you 🙂
Good luck 🙂
a ‘nutritionist’ has responded to your blog post on her own blog but i feel she’s really taken it all out of context as if your article was advicating for people to load up on junk…Here’s the link:
http://www.kimberlysnyder.net/blog/2012/05/29/response-to-article-how-green-smoothies-can-devastate-your-health/
I thought you could maybe writea response too? Don’t think it’s professional that she’s taking your words out of context.
Be interested to read this response, particularly the substantiating literature citations.
I have read this entire thread, and have yet to see a reference to studies or research to support the initial assertation as valid advice for the general population. The conditions being discussed affect 1.4% of the population. What percent of the population are affected by cancer? Heart disease? Those are “devastating” diseases, not renal calculi.
There have been many calls for reference to supporting literature, all of which have been ignored. This speaks volumes to the credibility of those assertations.
Of course! there’s plenty! Here’s a start for you:
http://raypeat.com/articles/articles/vegetables.shtml (Read about the author too!)
Again this article was not written to promote junk but that’s funny reading some of the comments I feel that’s what peopel got out of it…Interesting…
I’m shocked and dismayed by the vitriol directed at this blog post and the Healthy Home Economist.
Green Smoothies aren’t going to be the be all and end all for everyone. I hated them. Maybe it was because I didn’t use the $600 blender needed to make them really smooth. Maybe because it really didn’t taste great. Maybe I would have preferred soup. In any event, I will not be drinking or trying to drink any more green smoothies.
Cooking green vegetables in a little real butter makes sense to me.
There are many people that…. Drink soda everyday, drink energy drinks everyday, drink coffee everyday, eat red meat everyday, eat processed sugar everyday, go to fast food places everyday, smoke everyday, drink alcohol everyday. I feel much better having a green smoothie loaded with vitamins and antioxidants each day than any of the above. 😉
Everyone body is different. If you have thyroid issues YES you need to cook your veggies. For some, green smoothies have done wonders for their health. Others, no. To say that everyone shouldn’t drink them or everyone needs to stop eating spinach? Kale? Are you kidding? The post should be how everyone needs to stop eating fast and processed foods that are the true killers. But no … it’s human nature to read something like this and go overboard and that overboard is telling people to stop eating green veggies … ludicrous!!
Learn and do what is good for your own health. Listen to what your body needs. Eat real food, mostly plants, not too much … how’s that for advice
Bonita – educate yourself on traditional real foods and this blog before making assumptions in your “drive by” comment on what this post needs to be about.
We know about the dangers of fast and processed foods. Most following this blog and the like do not adhere to he SAD American diet, so there is no point in making a post about it.
No one has told anyone to “stop eating green veggies”.
agree 100% with you Allie!
After reading much of Victoria Boutenko’s work and research I decided that I needed to try green smoothies for my health. In addition to various veggies I add avocado and coconut oil. They are extremely nutritious and good for my body. Anyone who wants to question the opinion of this author should read some of Boutenko’s books. It’s based on actual experience and research, not a silly opinion.
And here’s yet another opinion from incrediblesmoothies.com
“The short answer is “generally, no”. There are a few rare medical conditions such as Primary Hyperoxaluria and Enteric Hyperoxaluria where one would need to restrict their dietary intake of oxalic acid. Also, those who are susceptible and have been treated for calcium-oxalate kidney stones, and therefore at risk of forming them again, should watch their intake of oxalate-containing foods.
Otherwise, oxalic acid is not believed to be a health concern for most people. Keep in mind that your body regularly produces oxalic acid, often synthesizing other substances such as vitamin C into oxalic acid. Whether you eat foods that contain it or not, your body maintains a naturally-occurring level of oxalic acid and regularly produces it whether you consume it in your diet or not.”
WOW isn’t this ridiculous?? So all that fuzz about “eating your vegetables” turns out to be DEVASTATING after all??? LOL hey you dear Sarah idiot, what’s your next advice? Twinkies and Coke for breakfast? Since healthy food devastates your health, maybe we should start skipping it altogether. Get to school for Christ sake!!! Learn about health and nutrition!!! DOn’t just quote and article you half way understand.
LOL No salad for me, I ate salad this week already and the crazy home economist told me I may die if I eat healthy leaves more than that
Wow, Leslie, you sound like a winner. Is this how you argue at home also? Calling people names and showing your ignorance? If you have ever read Sarah’s blog or anything related to Weston A Price Foundation or Nourishing Traditions you would know that she would NEVER recommend Twinkies or Coke. And there are enough typos and grammatical mistakes in your post that should make you embarrassed to tell someone to “get to school”. We wont even mention using the Lord’s name in vain. Classy.
Leslie you might want to do more reasearch…Read Deep Nutrition by Dr Cate Shanahan. Also look up Josh Rubin on youtube.com. A bit sad how you just insulted the writer of this article and made the wrong assumptions on what she was saying just because you disagree with her but do not have anything (SCIENTIFIC) to back-up your opinion with….
Ohhhh You Kiki don’t really argue that well either, oh by the way, sorry for the typos and the grammar errors, English is not my mother language as I don’t live in the US, but at least I speak another language, i bet you don’t, you sound like the typical American ignorant, blind follower of stupid pseudo scientist like the writer of the article. And I stand by my advice to her to go back to school! I’m no t claiming to be proficient in English grammar, but she actually IS claiming to be an EXPERT on nutrition. And you Kiki, learn to debate better
Leslie, hon, the difference is, I am not arguing with you just letting you know that your way of arguing would, in my professional opinion (I am a mental health counselor with a master’s degree in Psychology) be considered abusive.
As a matter of fact, English happens to be my second language as I am of Cuban descent and did not learn to speak English until I went to grade school and even then spoke only Spanish at home until about 4th grade.
Oh, and about debating, I am not nor have I ever claimed to be a debater; I was, in fact, just stating what was obvious to everyone else, that you are rude and obviously don’t care what anyone thinks of you.
What? your reply to my reply is scientific? Wow, you are telling me you believe that eating (or drinking in this case) green leafy vegetables can DEVASTATE your health? Really?, you watched some Doctor on youtube and that is proof of science? Do you know why I felt like insulting the author? Because her stuipidity may mislead ignorant people into thinking (or confirming) that greens are bad and should not be an important part of the diet. Seeing how tremendously obese the American population is, I bet you don’t need to hear such nonsense. You criticize for not offering anything scientific back up, well neither did you! But hey if you think words by a random doctor are SCIENCE, well go ahead, but don’t preach
Thank you for your post and for drawing attention to the potential dangers of high oxalate diets and drinks! I want to join in the conversation to say that oxalate problems are real and sometimes severe. I was disabled for many years due to oxalate-related symptoms. When you absorb or make too much oxalate, your body tries to defend itself by tucking the excess oxalate away in other tissues (thyroid, eye, brain, muscles, joints, genitals are all common “tucking away” places). Which tissues it chooses varies by individuals, but it eventually will cause health problems when the levels get too high. Unfortunately, many doctors don’t realize that what is causing your pain, chronic fatigue, irritability, brain fog, burning sensations etc. is oxalate. I invite anyone who wants to read more about the low oxalate diet and who can benefit from a low oxalate diet to visit my blog – Low Oxalate Info. I personally follow a Paleo/WAP-inspired low oxalate diet and my recipes and blog reflects this.
http://lowoxalateinfo.com/the-low-oxalate-diet/
Heidi
The very thought that green smoothies place our health at risk is a classic example of throwing the baby out with the bath water!
This entire article could easily pas as an advertorial for the processed and junk food industry.
This is a well written encyclical seemingly designed to confuse those interested in health.
It’s as if it was funded by the Foundation for Promoting Nutritional Genocide!! 🙂
I never dreamed of the day that green leafy veggies would be described as foods we should carefully moderate and in general limit.
Any metabolically savvy clinician understands that greens are the foundation of any healthy diet and that whole plant based foods set the biochemical parameters for minimizing any tendency to crystalization in tissues.
How many years have well intended clinicians discouraged green leafy veggies when placing patients on coumadin!
For over a decade, research hematologists have clarified that patients needing coumadin should eat ample amounts of greens and even take 100mcg of Vitamin K daily! Then the coumadin is adjusted to the diet – not the other way around!
Just like with all clever lies there is some truth in the article but the message is completely false!
Of interest is the way the articles author sought to established credibility by naming her source as Dr. William Shaw. If you read his article you find great information about oxalates but in a very different context than portrayed in her article (Source: The Role of Oxalates in Autism and Chronic Disorders, William Shaw PhD)
The focus should be that the average person needs to eat far more greens but also properly balance our diet with healthy forms of protein, fats and high fiber starches. In addition, we must never forget that health requires paying attention to all wellness parameters – not just diet. And finally, due to our unique genetic variability each of us should take advantage of broad laboratory testing. These tests gives us clues regarding our multiple weaknesses and therefore give us specific direction in our journey to interventional wellness.
Wes Youngberg, DrPH, MPH, CNS, FACLM
I reckon you’d learn a lot more by reading Ray Peat’s (phd) work on hsi website. http://www.raypeat.com