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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 would feel that this article might be reputable if it had more than one source. When writing an article about anything you should know to do your research and find the whole story. He Internet is full of people like you giving half the information. Next time do research in order to save yourself from looking ignorant. Green smoothies are extremely high in nutrients that many people are not able to get. They are one way to ensure that your bodies receives at least some of the fruits and vegetables it requires in a day.
I cured my stage 4 Non Hodgkins Lymphoma with green smoothies…The Dr. I worked with has cured many cases of advanced cancer and other diseases…Oxalates only effect you if the vegetable is cooked or steamed. Raw greens do not cause inflammation in the body. This information you posted is totally incorrect.
Mary,
Are green smoothies the only thing you did to heal? Did you not change anything else in your diet or lifestyle? Or add supplements?
Hi, Yes, I eliminated all sugars, including fruit. (cancer loves sugar no matter where it comes from). I eliminated meat and eventually fish. I went totally raw and twenty years later I am mostly raw and love it….I am now 67…Still run, do Yoga and when stopped by a Police Officer the other day for driving too fast , he couldn’t believe my age on my license and said he could’t believe I was even 50. I did also use supplements…anti fungals, sulphur based amino acids, and C, E. and a good natural multi…But the leading factor was green, green , green….The closest thing to human blood on the planet is the blood of plants…chlorophyl . Chlorophyl builds tissue, muscle and bone and rises the ph of the blood and tissue. I also meditate daily…You can read about me in the Book “Choose to Live”…Not about me but about a couple that worked with me and my husband and cured their own cancer…We must take control of our own health. We care the most about ourselves…Study study study…The person who wrote this article doesn’t know a thing about nutrition…She has been indoctrinated by Big Brother Pharma.
Ugh the privilege in this post
As always Sarah, you have provided another informative and useful article. Unfortunately, there are a considerable number of emotive, stressed-out naysayers posts that I have to wade through and as usual don’t really add anything useful. As stated, this is a WAP friendly site for WAP supporters. Peer reviewed articles are not all-seeing, all-knowing truth, especially those ones stating the efficacy and safety of big pharma. If visitors to this blog wanted the mainstream version, and whatever PubMed says they wouldn’t be here, right? Thanks again and keep up the good work.
Hey SARAH, I also agree with you that Green vegetables smoothies are really helpful for our good health, and my favorite smoothies is mango smoothies. I must say this will make lots of people to think about smoothies consumption. Very good work by you SARAH.
I see some people stating they are now confused as to what they should eat. That somehow the article is stating that eating vegetables is now bad. The moral of this article is moderation. If you consume too much of anything is bad. What is that you say? You can eat as many vegetables as you like? Perhaps, if you are actually eating them. Your stomach would tell you to stop at some point due to the volume of food in your stomach. If you concentrate a pound(s) of food into juice form, you are obviously taking in more minerals than your body can handle. Please keep in mind this article is about over doing it with this new “health fad” and nothing more. Like I said if you consume too much of anything it will be bad for you. If you drink too much water, you can dilute the sodium content in your body to the point where it can be fatal. And that is WATER! The one thing we need more than any food, can also have ill effects if over done. (yes that is true, google it)
Do you have any concept of how much water you would need to consume to make your statement evenly close to true..your as badly informed as the OP. you read one fact on google and now use it as a fact for not eating too may vegetables?, wow hahahaha