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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
Elizabeth Gilhuly via Facebook
This is one of the few areas I will agree to the “moderation” theory. Most things this doesn’t apply to but here I will agree not to overdo it. I’ve heard that kale is more nutritious cooked.
Amber D'Ann Picota via Facebook
so green veggies are bad for you??? i’m more than a little puzzled here.
PattyLA
No but eating high oxalate veggies is. Arugula, mustard greens and lettuce are low oxalate. Spinach, chard and beet greens are high. It is about picking the right ones and not overdoing it. Spinach is only in season for a short time. Only eat it when in season if at all.
Clancy Harrison MS, RD, LDN
Don’t forget Kale is VERY low in Oxalates too.
Justine Raphael
But remember that kale is high in goitrogens. I would never, ever eat crucifers raw now that I know I have thyroid issues. Should have avoided them all along, soy too. Save the raw veggies for salads and ferments, is my appoach.
Beth
Interestingly, oxalate in kale depends on the variety of kale (dinosaur/lacinato is low but the others are not, like the curly kind). The links provided by Susan Owens and PattyLA provide more in-depth lists and info about this. These sources also talk about the fact that fermenting and soaking do little to reduce oxalates.
Kristan Holbert via Facebook
So should we also avoid eating these foods everyday in our diet? If we consume 1-2 servings a day total of these greens in a smoothie or in a salad, are we harming ourselves?
PattyLA
Yes avoid eating them daily. For some you need to avoid them for life. At the very least only eat when they are locally in season and only in moderation then. I gave myself a kidney stone after just one month of eating spinach in my scrambled eggs every morning. No where near as much as you can get in a spinach salad or a green smoothie or juice.
Cana
how do you get rid of kidney stones? just wondering.
The Vitamin Fox
There are many effective ways to rid yourself of stones in the kidneys. As a preventative, some of the same things that prevent gallstones are very effective, i.e., a shotglass full of unfiltered apple cider vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil every morning before food; a daily dose of an ionic magnesium product (make sure that it’s ionic, i.e. reacts electrically with water). For treating kidney stones already formed, the best thing I’ve come across is a prescription supplement called “Stone Formula” by Plum Flower brand. It’s used in China’s largest hospitals and boasts a 95-97% efficacy rate at dissolving kidney stones. It’s expensive (about $43 for a weeks supply, although a week or two or three is usually all you need to get rid of the stones) and you have to find a licensed health practitioner to buy it from (usually an acupuncturist or chiropractor), but it’s worth it if you like to avoid the drug/surgery hamster-wheel of the modern medical industry as much as I do.
k.
I feel like you can’t give yourself a kidney stone from adding a small amount of spinach to eggs. This whole blog seems ridiculous.
Marie Hall
Hi K, I’ve been drinking a green smoothie every morning for about a year and a half. I just loved it. Last month I had a horrible kidney stone attack, I wouldn’t wish on anyone. It’s a month now and it’s still there. and have to have a proceedure to remove it. The first thing my doctor said was….no more spinach!!!
Diane Welch via Facebook
I’m interested to see the discussion on this!
Amanda McCandliss via Facebook
Are lettuces to be eaten in moderation too? Or just dark leafy greens?
PattyLA
Lettuce is usually low oxalate. So are turnip greens, mustard greens and arugula.
Dan
Glad to hear turnip and mustard are low oxulate then! My green smoothie consists of 1 cup shredded kale, 1 cup turnip or musdtard greens 5 large radishes, 1 cup of celery, 4 oz low salt v8, 1/2 cp cucumber or green squash, 1/4 tsp sea salt, 1/2 lemon, 1/2 tsp dried hot peppers, 1/2 serving of whey protein! With this smoothie I sometimes eat 1 tbs of almond butter on 2 no salt saltines!.
Cathy S
Lettuce contains a moderate amount of Oxalic Acid (1/3 or less the amount of spinach), but not low. Kale is low. Here are two differing sources for the amounts of Oxalic Acid in vegetables. &
Kateri Hunter via Facebook
Wow. I was being pushed into this even. Sigh.
Cana
My sister became a juicer after watching “Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead” DVD. Her TSH is higher than 6 months ago. She also believes that the China Study is based on science. I stopped my infrequent juicing and now eat my veggies cooked in butter. I’m still tired (I have Hashimoto’s) even though I followed NT and GAPS diets. Check out http://dogtorj.com. Avoid gluten, corn, soy and milk casien as they wreck havoc on your guts. The fact that almost all of corn and soy are genetically modified probably has a detrimental effect on our guts too. CA will have a proposition to label all genetically engineered food this Nov. We need to vote YES! Voting YES will probably mean the rest of the country will get GMOs labeled. Spread the word.
Connie Henrie via Facebook
Very interesting, another reminder of Moderation in all things.
Diana
like 🙂
Lucia
amen
Brittany Blankenship via Facebook
oh wow!
Shellie
And here I thought I was suffering through the taste to do something good for myself! Thankfully I dislike them enough that I never drank them a lot. Yeay, no more green smoothies 🙂
Erica
Sarah,
I completely agree with everything you said, it is imperative be people be aware of it!
People to know especially if they suffer from (or if the first two things run in their family) thyroid problems, kidney problems, chronic fatigue, candida or fungal problems. Being 70 pounds overweight I came across the green smoothie diet and dove head first 100% into it 2 years ago. NEVER lost a pound only became increasing exhausted and fatigued but I continued for 4 months with green smoothies for 2-3 meals a day.. I made sure to cut the sugar from fruit by only putting in 1 piece of fruit and bulking up on broccoli, spinach, kale or dandelion greens. My fatigue exhaustion and irritability became extreme. My hair and nails suffered as well by becoming thin and brittle. I stopped doing the green smoothies. A couple of months later as I researched I came across NT and Gaps diets and slowly started implementing these foods. I also came across an article explaining OXALATES and GOITROGENS, it also listed foods that should NEVER be EATEN RAW! Broccoli, kale, spinach, chard and mustard greens. *All things in moderation, do as you think best for your body but be fully aware.*
Beth
I have low thyroid issues, fibromyalgia and probably a few other surprise ailments lurking somewhere. 😉 The only vegetables I eat raw are carrots. I occasionally have salads made with lettuce. I cook every other vegetable that I eat. I eat my cooked veggies with plenty of butter (because Nourishing Traditions says that it’s very beneficial) or cheese.
We drank green smoothies and my kids didn’t like them. Green smoothies made them hyper and they made me feel light-headed and sometimes nauseated. And the greens generally have high oxalates and goitogrens in them. Yuck!
Jaci
Are you suggesting that you only ( or mostly) ate green smoothies for several months? That is not healthy in anybody’s book. That diet is not balanced. No wonder you were irritable and had other problems. But you mentioned that you drank 3 green smoothies per day and yet you lost no weight??? hmmm that doesn’t ring true. What other foods were you eating? This article is bogus. There is nothing wrong with green smoothies. They are very good for you as part of a balanced diet. I am currently eating the 80-10-10 way and it is amazing. I eat as much as I want (mostly fruits) and some fats and proteins from things like green smoothies, raw veggies, nuts, and seeds. I am not super strict either. Every few days I eat something else that I want such as a peanut butter sandwich with wheat bread or a big glass of Soy milk chai. I don’t think that I will strictly eat this way forever but this will forever change the way that I eat. And it is perfectly healthy to eat greens raw. This is just silly.
Gary
Your symptoms made perfect sense once you said “I made sure to cut the sugar from fruit by only putting in 1 piece of fruit”.
You probably didn’t get enough calories. chronic fatigue will happen quick.
candida or fungal problems happen when you eat too much fat. And I’m making an educated guess that you ‘binged’ on nuts, maybe dairy or even junk food.
kidney problems can happen with detoxing.
Lettuce is low Oxalate. But make sure you get 2000 calories a day (fruit and grain). The body won’t drop weight if it thinks it’s starving.
Brad
You didnt eat fruit so your hair and nails got brittle. You would have lost weight if you just ate more fruit and went to the gym.
Deedee
It sounds like your body was suffering from malnutrition. Just drinking 3 green smoothies a day is not the way to eat healthy and lose weight. I make my daily green smoothie with protein powder (vegan) fruits, spinach, and water. I eat greek yogurt for breakfast with some fruit preserves (no sugary preserves, just all fruit preserves) and almonds. For lunch I have a green smoothie, with 2 cups Fruit, 1-2 cups spinach or kale, vegan protein powder, and water. I snack on cheese sticks and fruit. Dinner is some lean protein, veggies, and maybe sweet potatoes. Then I reward myself with a serving of low fat, no sugar added ice cream that i make at home. In the first 3 days, i lost 3 pounds and have insane energy, even though I suffer from 24/7 headaches and chronic recurring meningitis. Everything in moderation!
Paul
Erica,
Are you sure it was the greens causing the problems and not your major source of calories. If you only had 1 piece of fruit in each smoothie and you didn’t lose any weight obviously your calories were comig from fat or alcohol. So after your uninformed, irresponsible, and foolish, putting it mildly, attempt to piece together a health regime you come on here and blame the greens. Other people reading this should do their own research and not believe the uninformed and ignorant.
kaley
This was me 5 years ago!!! green smoothies gave me terrible kidney stones. That was one of the first things my doctor told me to stop eating. Then I started weston a price and healed my gut. Thanks so much for the post!!! People need to hear the other side of the story.
Michelle
Shellie – Substituting lower-oxalate greens may be a much better option than giving up on them altogether. For example, romaine lettuce is a much lower oxalate green than spinach, as well as being far milder in taste. As Sarah herself says, enjoy your greens, but in moderation (she mentions as salads, for example). So if green smoothies aren’t to your liking, by all means, skip ’em. Just don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater!
Terrie Schultz
There is no basis to this blog. Where are the references to support this information:
You may be interested in this:
Laryssa @Heaven In The Home
What about Spirulina or Chlorella?
Monica
I’m interested to know about spirulina too. The multivitamin I take daily is loaded with it.
Martha
Spirulina and chlorella ate fantastic greens with many benefits. Don’t skip them.
David
Likely the real problem there is not any specific ingredient, but the multivitamin in general. Science is generally pointing away from multivitamins and toward specific supplements for your specific vitamin shortfalls. Generally, they’re completely unnecessary.
Michelle
Spirulina and chlorella have both tested as being very low in oxalate. As with anything, unbridled consumption probably isn’t wise, but adding a spoonful to your smoothie is certainly a better choice than a handful spinach, at least in terms of oxalate.
Beth
Here is a tip for interested readers seeing this post for the first time. If you’d like to avoid sifting through the hundreds of comments and learn more about the expanding knowledge concerning oxalates, I suggest going to the various comments made by PattyLA and Susan Owens and the links they provided (in addition to Sarah’s source article, cited above).
Heidi @ Low Oxalate Info
You may also want to read Michelle’s thoughtful responses and her response article on her blog about the science behind oxalate consumption. I also write a blog for people on the low oxalate diet, and I can assure readers here that oxalate problems are much more common and more severe than the medical community realizes or would have your believe. However, not every one needs to avoid oxalate in the diet. Just use common sense.
I would encourage everyone who reads this article to learn about the MANY oxalate-related symptoms including genital pain, rectal pain, fibromyalgia, autism, burning mouth syndrome, chronic fatigue, bladder pain, thryroid disease, irritable bowel syndrome and “brain fog” to name a few. If you have any of these conditions, stop the green smoothies or at least chose low oxalate greens like turnip greens, mustard greens and dino kale. If you do not have any of these oxalate-related symptoms, at least you will know what might be the cause if you begin to have problems later.
I don’t believe everyone needs to stop green smoothies. But I do agree people should cut back on the high oxalate greens and use more medium or low oxalate greens instead and in more moderate amounts. I personally prefer to eat my low oxalate greens southern style with a lot of bacon fat and a little low oxalate tabasco sauce, but to each his own.
I hope my blog helps someone who really needs oxalate information. The low oxalate diet has been the single most important step I’ve taken to improve my health and it could be yours also.
Heidi
Get Healthy
The one thing not mentioned here is…. the majority of people who have issues with high oxalates – ALSO have a leaky gut. (Good explanation about what is a leaky gut: . Other diseases that can happen due to high oxalates & leaky gut is “Litchen Sclerosis.” If you suffer from Litchen Sclerosis here’s a blog with good resources: http://lichensclerosis.wordpress.com.
Poppa Rotzee
Funny, I have a lot of those symptoms and I am as close to a carnivore lol. I eat a lot of meat and stumbled upon this article looking for Kale Recipes and wanted to add more fruit and veggies to my diet.
Pauline
I would differ on these comments.. i personally know several women with fibro…..those who did the work for green smoothies, lost weight, increased energy, with most if not all symptoms of fibro gone.
Joanna Katherine
Hi there. All of these conditions are also related to mercury toxicity from Amalgam fillings. See Andrew Cutler’s research on http://www.noamalgam.com
amy
Autism is NOT a symptom.
Laura
RE. Autism as “symptom”… This just shows how unscientific the basis for most of these kind of articles are. Please people, consult real medical professionals and check your facts before making sweeping statements about food stuffs.
Nothing in excess is good, but you can do so much worse than eating a whole bag of green leafy vegetables a day.
Really
Do your research people. This is from WHfoods.com
“For the vast majority of individuals who have not experienced the specific problems described above, oxalate-containing foods should not be a health concern. Under most circumstances, high oxalate foods like spinach can be eaten raw or cooked and incorporated into a weekly or daily meal plan as both baby spinach and mature, large leaf spinach can both make healthy additions to most meal plans. In short, the decision about raw versus cooked or baby versus mature leaf spinach or other oxalate-containing vegetables, for example, should be a matter of personal taste and preference for most individuals.”
BrownEyedGirl
After finding out that Whole Foods has sold out and is supporting “co-existing with GMO’s” (check out Sarah’s article & news video) and that many of their “365” brand of “organic” (yeah right) veggies come from China, yes CHINA (even the California Blend), I cannot ever again put my trust in their company or their products. Before finding out the truth, I traveled 40 minutes to shop at the closest Whole Foods store and I will never again shop there unless it is absolutely necessary. And although I have started shopping at several local stores (even before I came across this tragic knowledge) because most of the food in “Whole Foods” is so ridiculously overpriced, I will now gladly pay twice as much at my local health food stores who sell truly organic food and still care about integrity. It is a sad, sad day when even our so-called “health food” stores are selling out for profit now.
Amanda
WHfoods.com is not related to the Whole Foods stores……… it stands for “The world’s healthiest foods”
BrownEyedGirl
I did not know that…thanks for clarifying. 🙂
JoshW
I work at Wholefoods Market, and what you just said is a complete lie. The wholefoods store is one of 2 certified organic grocery stores. They are held to strict regulations to maintain that status and are held accountable by 3rd party companies.
Meagan
I used to work at WholeFoods Market too. And I support what Josh said. Whole Foods doesn’t support GMOs, and clearly labels GMOs. Also, at WFM we treat organic vs conventional very seriously. The organic stuff is always above or away from conventional and clearly labeled.
Shahee
http://www.triplepundit.com/2013/03/foods-promises-storewide-gmo-labeling-2018/
karen
stand behind you brown eye girl, Josh sorry you are fooled if you think this is a lie!
Annie
How do I find Sarah’s article and news video?
jolita
I do not agree with this article, say: cook your veggies and put butter on…. greens healing properties can not be denied, of course I do not recommend living on greens, but all veggies and fruits contain oxelates and is not a threat to health including greens. she should have also wrote, if you got cancer do chemotherapy and cook all of your greens and vegetables so you get completely nutrient deficient and die faster
AngieB
Where do these people get their education and where are the references to these asinine recomendations? Where is the research people!!!
stephanie
i agree! this is the kind of article that is hanging onto one idea while overlooking many. seriously, and it comes up in a google search for kale smoothies, because of the content. exactly what i do not want to see, people being turned away from leafy greens due to false information that parades as fact in this article.
last day isrealite
Well said. Deception at its best, when you cook food you kill all the nutrients.
me
What total bollox people spout in here about cooking greens removes nutrients. I read a recent study which actually showed nutrients were AMPLIFIED thru cooking. end of the day there’s so much bullshit spread online nobody really knows anything. eat wat u like and die
John
I’m going to agree with me. Cooking veggies doesn’t kill nutrients at least not much if you cook it right. Cook on medium temp at most and you retain most of the nutrients. High temps is bad for most everything. Spinach is better cooked than raw as it releases more nutrients cooked. Here’s an article and study about it:
Karen
Oxalates are not nutrients, they are anti nutrients
okapi
yeah cooking leafy greens is actually essential to unlocking them as a great source of vitamin a. blanket statements are not good; cooking reduces some nutrients while amplifying others. it depends on what you’re after.
okapi
also, please no one stop eating vegetables because of fear of oxalates. how many people have you heard of with oxalate stones? how devastating to their health has it been, when compared to our obesity epidemic? how about the heavily supported theory that a diet high in fiber and natural foods prevents colon cancer, which is super deadly? please don’t throw a great thing out the window because you heard a scary thought. compare it to what you know, what you see people actually sick and dying from, and pick your battles wisely. Lord knows what unhelpful foods the vitamin-and-fiber-rich fruits and vegetables in your diet will be replaced with.
Jim
Autism actually is a symptom. It is not a disease. It is a brain injury caused by vaccine serum that passes through a damaged blood brain barrier. There are certain viruses a mother can have that passes from her body to the fetus through the blood. they cause the protective blood brain barrier that should close soon after birth in the child to stay open which allows harmful vaccine serum to enter the brain and damage the part that controls our social aspects. Do the research and you will find the truth. Autism like all diseases is not genetic. The modern medical establishment and the evil money grabbing fda does not want anyone healed. They want to treat you. Wake up America
Nina
“[Autism] is not a disease….Autism like all diseases is not genetic.”
Huh? Make up your mind.
Laura
Oh gosh, do you really believe that? I recommend reading actual scientific articles on autism research. This is an extremely complex issue and I feel that many people just find it more convenient to stay on the surface of it rather than be bothered to read more and investigate better. By the way, I work with autistic adults.
kk
there is no “good” research to backup the claim that vaccines cause autism. The research making such claims was badly flawed.and unable to be replicated!
paigea
How did my cousins get Autism in the 50’s when neither of them were vaccinated for anything?
Sarah TheHealthyHomeEconomist
Autism has been around for centuries, particularly Asperger’s syndrome that Albert Einstein was reported to have. We are talking about regressive autism .. the type where the baby is fine .. talking and making eye contact and overall developing normally and then gets a round of shots which triggers regression to a nonverbal state and on the spectrum behavior.
Jim
You tell em Jolita. This article is ridiculous. Telling people not to eat healthy food that actually keeps you in perfect health. This article was probably really put out by the fda that wants everyone sick.
OMG
Please, please, please…people do your research before you side with any articles that are based from one source (especially the Weston A Price Foundation).
OMG...Misinformation
Also, someone is trying to push this because it is the first thing that comes up on Google when you type in “green smoothie diet”. Now who in the heck would have a problem with green smoothies? I know..people who want you to eat animal products. The people of the opposing Paleo Diet!! After knowing who, what, when, where and then why and how, I can no longer use this article as a good source of information. This is essentially misleading misinformation.
Jonathan
The People of the Opposing Paleo Diet….?….The Paleo diet consists of whole foods including nuts, seeds, non-starchy vegetables including leafy greens, meat, eggs, and dairy if well tolerated depending on whose type of Paleo you are following.
There are some zero carbers in the Paleo movement but most Paleo sites I’ve read talk about tons of plants….they mainly avoid legumes, grains, and dairy depending on site.
janet kile
I just read this same article that this quote was taken from – after reading the main article and thinking OMG —-
THE WHFoods article information seemed reasonable and more evenly written and handled……..
Nina
I agree fully with your summation of the referenced article Aimee. How the author of the Green Smoothie article derived her information from that same article is totally off the wall. As with all things, moderation is the key for anything you eat or drink. And of course there are the people who take Coumadin who must avoid dark green leafy vegetables because it could cause them to have severe bleeding issues.
dr mark
Careful here: for someone taking stable dose of coumadin and them eating a new diet high in Vitamin K will actually cause a reversal in the effect of coumadin leading to LESS bleeding. It is the WITHDRAWAL of green veggies (vitamin k) that can increase INT leading to bleeds.
Nina
That’s what I said!!!!! You just restated it another way. But the whole idea of green smoothies causing harm is ludicrous.
Nina
Regina
I drank a green smoothie at the end of June, I became very Ill after drinking it. I feel as thought i am going to die. I have so much pain all through my body. I have had so many infections after drinking this also., One doctor did say she has seen other people with bad reactions, but she didn’t know how to help me. To the person who wrote this article,,, Please send me an email.. Please! I am so sick from the green smoothie, this is how I found this web site. Please help me
RD
I gave CVK education as part of my job at a hospital and our protocol, backed up by the ADA was that you maintain normal eating habits while taking coumadin. If you are used to eating foods with vit K then you don’t want to stop and lose their health benefits, and this will not increase clotting. If you don’t normally eat like this then absolutely don’t start adding vit K.
Fleur
I don’t think this article is a major concern. Whether you eat cows that eat grass or smoothies, you are getting nutrition from plants so why does she not mention cows. I don’t feel this article has much basis. Green for Life by Victoria Boutenko has sources than one guy. I don’t follow fads, I try to eat a balance of foods some of which are processed and majority organic fruits and veggies raw. I think moderation is the key for everything in life.
Heidi @ Low Oxalate Info
Aimee,
You are right. That article only lists a few very high oxalate foods — it’s not very comprehensive. The Trying Low Oxalates Yahoo Group has the most up-to-date comprehensive list of the oxalate content of foods, which is about 196 pages long at last count.
I love Sarah’s post for bringing attention to oxalate. Spinach can cause serious health problems. Scroll down to Susan Owens’ comments below (one of the leading oxalate researchers in the world for more information) for more thoughts on spinach. I wouldn’t eat the stuff for anything!!!
But there are a lot of low and medium oxalate leafy greens like turnip greens, mustard greens, dino kale, cabbage and letttuce that could be added to a smoothie in moderate amounts (a half cup or a cup). Many people with healthy gut function could handle this amount of oxalate and benefit from the vitamins and minerals. But spinach and swiss chard in large amounts – YIKES!!!
Terrie Schultz
Hi Heidi and Amy, you may be interested in this:
Natalie
What? Is this for real?
I’ve never read so much BS in my life… you may as well have written we’re all better off eating large steaks for breakfast along with that fried butter.
Greens are good for us! I’ve been a healthy Vegan for 4 years and trust me I can see and feel the difference in myself from cuttingout processed crap, dairy, meat and fish… we get EVERYTHING we need from the plant world…
Also take a look online and investigate for yourselves people…be your own investigator of TRUTH.
kealey
right on Natalie! i was just looking for the “great greens smoothie” recipe and i come across this absolute load of rubbish. read The China Study by Campbell, and Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease by CB Esselstyn. and seriously get your head out of your ass.
Julie
absolutely read The China Study. It will change how you feel about our nutrition standards here in the United States. You will never look at nutrition the same way again. I have been drining green smoothies for the last year at least 1/2 quart a day and so has my family. We have more energy, less sickness. Got turned on to the concept after hearing about greensmoothiegirl.com and get her program.
We eat “whole foods” as much as possible. Great feeling!
Will
I’m sorry, the “China Study” has been proven time and time again, to be bunk.
This isn’t an “anti meat” agenda going on here, it’s just looking at one side effect of certain vegetables consumed in excess, but in a non comprehensive way without much sources to back it up. That doesn’t make it all or nothing, like extremists on either side of the “agenda” cry as they blow their whistles.
And as far as the paleos go, they are ALL OVER green vedge — if you don’t even know who you’re crusading against (acting like they’re Atkins disciples), that speaks more about you than it does them.
ruth wilkerson
absolutely agree you with you natalie 100% when you take away all the verbage the article says… if you dare to eat something green cook it and put butter on it. our diets are like a symphony everything works together in the whole foods world. if all you eat every day all day is spinache i can see this being a problem. and just because leafy greens hold this component doesn’t mean it acts that way when it is in our bodies and combined with other whole foods. there is no large population study or scientific evidence to prove any of this.
Will
*anti-vegan, pro-meat rather.
anne roosa
IN addition to spinach, above article also mentions swiss chard,as green having oxolates- NOT all greens!
-As a young adult (in my 20’s) I went to an MD for arthritis pain- he wanted to give me steroid injections, When I refused them, he said I’d be back when they got worse. I did research and found out oxalates (tomatoes,potatoes, swiss chard etc)and red meat (beef) made MY symptoms worse IF I OVERDID IT AND ATE TOO MUCH-eg: those bushels of tomatoes in the summer!)
Not sure if organic versions of these would NOT bother me/ I can eat them in MODERATION-and I’m sure everyone doesn’t have my problem. But I had an insensitive MD tell me my arthritis wasn’t that bad – and I exaggerated my pain and needed to grow up- ALL my problems were caused by my OVERWEIGHT!
Needless to say-I never went back to the insensitive idiot-and found out my problems were caused by oxalic acid and could be controlled with my diet. Also, 20 years later, my arthritis got so bad- I had to have both knee joints replaced. Just finding out it was probably SOMETHING in my diet that caused this too-unfortunately , I know I can NOT look to the medical community for answers to health and nutrition! JUST found this site- so glad! I think I’m really on the right track, now! Thanks to all!
Kyle
Be sure to cook leafy greens with butter for maximum absorption of minerals? That makes absolutely no sense.
Yvon
Yes it does as a lot of the vitamins are fat soluble so adding fat to your meal maximizes absorption.
biologygirl
Ever heard of a comma? Try using them. They would make your comment much easier to read.
Shakil
Rude.
Shelly
Not rude, but true.
Karen
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, idiot
Karen
my last comment was for biologygirl…your comment is rude and unnecessary
Ash
I found this article a little upsetting…I’m not saying it’s not true but it was defiantly hard to read. Why? My father went on the Gerson Therapy solely for fourth stage pancreatic cancer and does green juices daily (chard, green pepper, escarole, romaine, beet tops, watercress, red cabbage, one green apple)–> His cancer cells/tumor are dying! While the Gerson Therapy is known for its carrot juices, the green are considered the most vital. I saw this first hand. I don’t know….more than a fad for the dad!
Will
Awesome, so glad to hear stories like that of your Dad’s. Keep sharing them somewhere, anywhere.
Matt
Yep, totally awesome as the man says.
Mum unfortunately passed from cancer recently and we all totally wish we’d known about Gerson et al 9 years ago when she first got diagnosed. Still, at least all that knowledge about the power of raw whole foods and – yes – organic green and other vegetable juices is now doing those of us left behind a power of good.
Tell your father to keep up the good work 😀
Lisa
That is wonderful! I have lost so many family members to cancer over the last few years, all of them used chemotherapy and radiation. I’ve started a major battle with some family members stating that if I got cancer I would not do chemo and would do the Gerson therapy, or something similar. I firmly believe the answer is in our diets. It’s so awesome to hear testimonials.
I’m not sure about this article. I find it disappointing. Maybe the health problems are a concern to some people, but this article gives a very harsh tone at the entire green smoothie world, and there is no way someone will make me believe that having a green smoothie with spinach once a day is bad for me. If I had some of the symptoms I’m sure it would be worth looking in to, but for the rest of us, don’t make it sound like the plague! It’s almost silly to me.
Lesley
The Garson diet is amazing. I encourage all to read his books and watch the documentary called ‘the beautiful Truth’.
As for this article..I can’t help but shake my head in disbelief on how poorly it was written. So much disinformation. You mid as well said for everyone to stick to the ‘fast food diet’ because THAT is just, if not more healthy for you.
Roy
Sprulina is on the low oxalate list and Chlorella is claimed to help metabolize oxlates and flush them out.
Green smoothies are not the problem.
They are good and healthy.
It is what you put in them.
Just don’t use spinach, chard or beet.
A good mix of lettuces, arugula, broccoli sprouts, bok choy, alfalfa sprouts and dino kale are all on the low oxalate list.
You can make smoothies with whatever you like. Just choose carefully if you are oxalate sensitive like myself.
I have been through the kidney and bladder stones. I had a sudden flare up of arthritis about a month ago and finally realized that it was the spinach and chard in my smoothies.
Not stopping smoothies but I will be planting a low oxalate garden next year.