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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
Chris
Just when you think green smoothies are safe. Geez, what next?
Yana Staples via Facebook
to be honest, I am still sceptical about this…I don’t think one size fits all…but I am grateful that you shared your perspective. I think it’s important to always pay attention how ur body reacts and how it makes u feel. and for sure to check for oxalate problems w ur particular body….but at the end of the day, I believe there is no question that organic leafy greens are really good for you….just KNOW UR OWN BODY….what makes one thrive, could harm another…..but to say that” it’s bad for u” – I just don’t agree with this
margar
Really? your advice is to cook leafy greens thoroughly with lots of butter? Ok, so let’s just swing the pendulum over the most extreme side! Hurr durr.
Human beings are meant to be able to eat things in MODERATION (unless a specific problem like allergies or other sensitivities), so I’d say a moderate consumption level is maybe twice a week, lightly cooked or in a salad. WHY tell people that the BEST option (You honestly said “better yet”) is to thoroughly cook green veggies in lots of butter??? So- remove ANY nutrition whatsoever and ADD more fat? My eyes are rolling so hard I have a headache now.
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
Consuming cooked vegetables with fat is a documented way to ensure absorption of the minerals present. Butter is much better than any butter substitutes (many articles on this blog about this). Yes, you lose some minerals by cooking but reducing the oxalates is a good idea. If you wish to consume your leafy greens raw, that is fine, just do it only occasionally and make sure you have a good quality extra virgin olive oil salad dressing on top to help absorb the minerals 🙂
Holly
Butter is much better than any butter substitutes? So butter is better than coconut oil? I beg to differ. I don’t necessarily think one is better than the other…but it greatly depends on the source of the butter and how it has been processed. Coconut oil and macadamia nut oil are excellent butter substitutes.
I, too, am skeptical of this article. Not that I don’t think oxalate damage is a real issue. But I find it very hard to agree that we should only eat raw salads once or twice a week. I’d like to hear some expert opinion on this topic…would be great to get Dr. Mercola’s feedback.
Alexis
Sarah doesnt mean butter is better than coconut oil…when she says “butter substitutes” she means margerine and such…correct Sarah? I think this article makes total sense…we dont have all the enzymes to digest plants like herbivores do. And yes…to the person up above who said they were getting a headache from rolling thier eyes so hard I believe…good fat, and lots of it is great for you! The right nutrients are good for you but if they’re not prepared right then your body wont absorb them and/or it will even cause harm to eat them so just prepare them correctly…thats all shes saying people.
Suzanne
Butter substitutes!?! I should hope that’s not what Sarah meant! Margarine is one of the worst things to ingest. It creates free radicals in the body and promotes heart disease..
PattyLA
Lettuce is low oxalate. Spinach is extremely, extremely high oxalate, even when cooked. Eat all the lettuce you want. Skip the spinach.
Elainie
This article is another example of why I won’t ever be duped again by WAP followers.People aren’t curing cancer on WAP high meat and fat diets. They are healing cancer and other serious disease on raw vegan diets and Victoria Boutenko has helped people heal via green smoothies. WAP just wants everyone to eat high fat and high meat diets and they are so righteous that their way is the only true way.
Food Renegade
Just because you can cure cancer on a raw diet DOESN’T mean you’re causing cancer on a non-raw diet.
Here’s the deal. The high-raw, high-veggie & fruit diet is GREAT for cancer because it’s been proven to help detox the body. That’s a really good thing, and anyone who needs a detox or a cleanse for health-related issues should definitely consider a high-raw, high-veggie & fruit diet.
But most of us don’t need a specific detox diet. Most of us need to cure our nutrient deficiencies. And BOY do we have them. Most of us are lacking in Vitamin D, Vitamin A, Vitamin K-2, Vitamin B-12, choline, magnesium, and selenium. It turns out that traditional foods, WAPF diet is bursting with these missing nutrients. So, for those of us who are nutrient-starved, turning to a WAPF diet is paramount.
The GAPS diet (which is WAPF compatible) is a healing diet and promotes juicing. But again, it’s meant to be a TEMPORARY, healing diet. Once healed, the GAPS diet includes instructions for transitioning to a more WAPF/traditional foods based diet to help maintain long-term health.
So, while the high-raw diet is fantastic for detox and healing, the WAPF diet is great for maintaining that health once it’s been returned. I’d suggest you probably wouldn’t even need a special high-raw, detox diet if you’d been eating a WAPF-type diet for your entire life. But the fact remains, most of us haven’t been eating that way since we were in our mother’s wombs, so we have an uphill battle and may find that a detoxing, cleansing diet is necessary to begin our healing journeys.
Carolyn
She meant butter substitutes like I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter etc. The spreads. Coconut and macadamia are oils, not butter subsitutes.
George
>>>”Consuming cooked vegetables with fat is a documented way to ensure absorption of the minerals present.”
That is incorrect. Consuming cooked vegetables with fat will help facilitate absorption of fat soluble vitamins and nutrients.
Can you site the documentation you are referring to? I searched Pubmed and found the opposite.
Fatty meals will at best have a neutral effect. One possible beneficial mechanism may be Vit D upregulating calcium uptake. But I see a lot of parroting of misinformation such as MCTs will increase magnesium absorption when studies I’ve seen have shown the effect to be neutral.
Lisa
if I drink a green smoothie lets say 3-5 times a week and i add 4 cups of spinach is that bad? I HATE vegetables and this is the only way I get them down. I am 4 months pregnant and I am SOOO worried I’ll gain too much weight. I was already about 40 pounds over weight when I fell pregnant. (ok many people would argue that I was only about 25 pounds overweight, but I think I’m about 40 pounds over weight). I love food, I limit junk food (as in take aways to once a week) and thought that if I added a green smoothie with 3 fruit, and 4 cups spinach or lettuce I could manage my weight gain. I of course also try to eat as normal or healthy as possible during the day. Should I stop the green smoothies? I don’t understand? one website says it’s so good for you, another says it isn’t. I add yoghurt and seeds to mine…not that THAT will bring down the oxilate levels, but I try to get an all round well balanced diet. I eat no animal fats. I eat real butter but a reduced fat version of it..no added preservatives, trans fats or salts or sugars. I don’t eat meats that has visible fats, I eat whole grain breads and pastas and cereals. But I have a weakness for certain foods ESPECIALLY since falling pregnant. I am hungry all the time and found that green smoothies curbs at least SOME cravings.
I don’t want to harm my baby but I am at my wits end..
Esther
I’m also four months pregnant and have been following the type of diet/lifestyle Sarah talks about, outlined more at westonaprice.org. I’ve only gained 5 pounds so far in my pregnancy, and perhaps could have gained more, but I know that eating animal fats such as grass-fed butter with your vegetables truly does help absorb all the fat-soluble vitamins and does not make you gain too much weight. If a smoothie is the only way you can eat vegetables, I would continue drinking them. Use plenty of yogurt or kefir to make sure you’re getting probiotics. Smoothies are not a traditional food, but they are one way for us with more modern tastebuds to get enough vegetables.
TinaD
Animal fats are good for you, provided they are from healthy organic and/or pastured animals. There is a lot of research on this. Your body needs them, and they won’t cause weight gain; refined carbs, cereals, pastas, and excess natural sugars will.
Dave Kraus
There is a reason you hate vegetables. Maybe it’s a valid one.
Megan
You’re obviously not from this blog-o-sphere. 🙂 Check out https://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/untold-story-of-butter/
Sabrina
100% Agree Margar! My jaw is on the floor after reading this article…. seriously, concerning the SAD (standard american diet) that the majority of americans are eating, you’re picking on Green smoothies? One thing in particular you never mention in your article is volumes – or at least the ranges of safe and unsafe amount of leafy greens you consider unsafe – honestly, there are alot more people NOT getting enough leafy greens there are eating way too many and enough to cause this type of health issue. Also you don’t mention the practice of rotating your leafy greens to avoid overcomsumption of oxalic acid and also for getting the max amount of vitamins and nutrients in your diet, which by the way, leafy greens are contain the highest amount of nutrients of any other foods! I still can’t believe someone claiming to practice “healthy living” actually wrote an article like this….. do your OWN research, people!
Steve
Agree with Sabrina. Not sure which side of the fence this author stands. Based upon the title, it seems to be whichever side is the more sensational. Advising people to only eat on occasion leafy green vegetables–juiced or otherwise–is just sad. Of all the other things in the Great American Diet to pick on, I can’t believe they’ve stooped to this AND without more thorough research, such as the effect on insulin of those fruits to “soften” the taste, of which you only mention in passing. Perhaps then you might’ve made some valid point, but as it is, this article smells like bunk.
Alexis
UUUUUGGGGGHHHH!!!! Obviously the majority of people following this blog already know to a certain extent what is and is not healthy. Sarah doesnt have to tell you to not eat processed foods and such because you should already know that. I think shes assuming that everyone already knows the basics and is taking it one step further to inform us of the possible dangers in doing raw smoothies. I dont see how this doesnt make sense.
Nicole, The Non-Toxic Nurse
Agreed! She didn’t tell anyone to stop eating greens altogether, she simply said to be mindful of oxalates and made a valid point about the possible health implications of swigging down bushels of high-oxalate greens in liquid form. Ask anyone who has had a kidney stone or other oxalate-related issue if they wish they had known about oxalates in food. Suggesting that Sarah should not discuss oxalates because swigging oxalate smoothies is better than the SAD is a bit ridiculous to me given that kidney stone pain is so severe that they teach us in nursing school to go straight for the Demerol for such patients . . . never mind the other health risks associated with oxalates.
margaritak
Ran across this post searching for pros and cons to the Green Smoothie Diet. As a casual, infrequent visitor to this blog, the sensational headline and clearly hyperbolic language made me read the article with a skeptical eye. I am blown away that anyone claiming to be interested in nutrition would seriously try to dissuade people from eating green, leafy vegetables. Even in the recommended “doses” I have read in various forums and blogs, the actual green leafy vegetable consumption is 2 cups, cups not “bushels”, of a combination of the following vegetables: romaine lettuce, swiss chard, bok choy, spinach, kale, dandelion greens, carrot greens and arugula per day. It would take a lot of green smoothies, not the recommended 16-32 ounces per day, to create an oxalate disorder in the 80% of the population the article states is not already suffering from one. That 80% figure comes from the article, where it’s stated that 1 in 5 people suffer from oxalate disorders. I could not find any research online to substantiate that quote.
Cheryl
Thank you!!
Sofia
I don’t understand where these people are coming from. This is a WAP friendly site. That’s Weston A. Price. I don’t get how so many mainstream, conventionally thinking people end up here. If you read up a little on WAP, then you will bypass the massive amounts of silly questions about where she is coming from, move at least 10 steps closer to knowing some real truths about health, and then we can talk. Until then, consider it info and move on or delve further and really learn something different and then ask some intelligent questions.
Sarah, I don’t know how you keep you’re head about you with so many ignorant people stopping by. Good on you!
Sofia
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
I don’t take it personally. I realize these folks just need to eat a lot of BUTTER and they would get a whole lot nicer real fast. LOL
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
I also show many of the mean comments to my kids and say to them “do you think I care what these people say? Absolutely not!” It’s a great lesson to show them that what other people think of you is completely meaningless and to do your thing regardless. Most people never learn that in their whole lives. I would love for my kids to learn it young.
Helen T
But, but……..I get mean comments from my own family and friends when I bring stuff like this up! They are all of the mindset that, “HOW WOULD YOU KNOW BETTER THAN DOCTORS? Or, you’re learning this on the internet? Ha!”
Sue
Hear, Hear!! or is it here, here?
Carrie
Wow, aren’t you all so welcoming to newcomers. Guess you don’t need or want more visitors to your blog.
There is so much misinformation in regards to “healthy” eating, you may want to find a kind, welcoming way to educate people if you want their business. Then again…maybe you don’t.
Cindy
LOL! Thank you for that – you are really funny 😀
Cindy
margar
Alnea
Clearly you haven’t been indoctrinated into the secret mysteries of animal fat and its importance in the human diet. You might be shocked to learn that lard is actually really good for you. Go on, gasp.
Bernice Blauvelt Henry via Facebook
Are you a nutritionist?
Elizabeth
Yes, she is.
Brenda
Is she a licensed nutritionist? Her professional credentials don’t seem to indicate that…
Ursula
Licensed nutritionists in the USA now have to agree and teach the abysmal food pyramid or lose their license…. I wouldn’t trust them for anything!
You’re just like the people who don’t believe any health info unless it has been printed and approved of by science/medical journals….. who have been shown to be printing a ton fraudulent information.
Tina
And yet here you are listening to the holy teachings of a random blogger on the internet more than any scientific journal or gastroenterologist. You’re the least gullible of them all, right?
…Yep.
Kate @ Modern Alternative Mama
Why does that matter? There are plenty of nutritionists who advocate a low-fat diet filled with processed “healthy” snacks, vegetable oils, and artificial sweeteners. I’d rather take advice from someone who’s done extensive self-study than someone with a degree who parrots the same junk that got us into this health crisis….
Emily
@ Kate, very well said. I’m a nutrition major and find it extremely frustrating that we are taught to encourage a low fat diet.
The main argument from people such as the Green Smoothie Girl is that Americans with a typical SAD diet can only benefit from more veggies. However, people following a traditional diet, who are more likely to read this blog, don’t fit into that category.
This article isn’t going to cause people to quit eating healthy greens completely, but bring awareness to a health issue that people can research on their own and determine what is best for them.
I can understand the negative attention Sarah is getting for promoting this, but it’s mainly from raw foodists and green smoothie drinkers. If you are a regular to this blog, you probably aren’t eating completely raw, so the argument isn’t very acceptable to me. If you’re a raw foodist, why read a blog based on the Weston Price Diet? And why get mad about it?
Deborah Roberts
I agree……..low fat diet is harmful to our health and every time I have tried to be a big green veggie juice and lots of raw greens……I start to have horrible candida and severe digestive issues…..
Center
Please fix that sentence so that I can understand what you’re trying to say.
Deborah Tukua
Interesting article. I’ve been drinking a tablespoon of powdered alfalfa, barley and carrot powder in spring water, every morning for years. Don’t believe these contain oxalates. Any comments on my ABC drink?
Mary
Watch your alfalfa, it’s now been ok’d to be grown GM — of course without labeling.
Wysteria Jackson via Facebook
I was raw vegan for a spell, I drank a lot of green smoothies and my teeth were in rotten shape. That being said, a lot of people regained what they considered health by green smoothies. There are even books about it. I can’t get into your article but look forward to reading.
Mary
What constitues a ‘High’ Oxalate diet? What kind of volume? I have a smoothie most weekday mornings, the main reason being to get some kefir into me. I use 1 cup of kefir, then add some frozen fruit and often a small handful of spinach or lettuce. I’ve tried kale but find it too strong. The volume of green in the smoothie is small. Should I be concerned?
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
If it is small that is good … I still wouldn’t do it everyday though particularly since most people have candida issues nowadays whether or not they recognize it.
SFM
In my experience most people are quite unaware of oxalate issues . . . I stumbled across it with on of my children and some of his symptoms. There is a very good yahoo group devoted to oxalate problems.
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
Yes, people don’t get how serious the oxalate issue is particularly since so many are candida challenged already. They just think the more veggies the better and so why not blend huge amounts into a drink and chug it down. Bad idea!
Aimee Ridgway
Someone mentioned almonds being high on the oxalate list? Oh but I love eating almonds every day! I make sure I soak them, am I putting myself at the same risk as people who drink green smoothies?
PattyLA
In a word yes. All nuts but especially almonds are high in oxalates. 1 oz of almonds has 115 mg oxalate. A low oxalate diet allows for 40-60 mg of total oxalate a day (all veggies contain some amount of oxalate.)
Mary
So how do you get rid of the candida??
Cheri
So now eating green leafy vegetables is bad for us, too? Good Lord help us all.
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
Of course not! Just don’t eat them raw in green smoothies on a frequent basis as people are practicing today. The end of the article describes how to eat them safely.
Mary
But you just said cooking them doesn’t help either.
I like my green smoothies also.
So what are we supposed to eat since green veggies and salads aren’t good for us anymore.
Mandi
Hear hear! What on earth are we supposed to eat? Every time I turn on the computer there is yet another “dangerous” food that I absolutely must not eat or I’ll suffer the pains of a miserable unhealthy life. I’ve cut out everything I actually like, and am eating a balance of good foods that come from the earth. Now I’m supposed to eat leafy greens “on occasion?” Please.
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
Eat veggies as traditional cultures ate them – cooked in butter or fermented – NOT as part of a health fad where large amounts of raw veggies are blended up in a drink. That’s what you do.
Amanda
Hmm. There is a recipe for fermented spinach on a very popular traditional foods website that I wanted to try. Would this be an example of a good way to safely eat spinach? Especially since fermented foods are used more as a condiment? I’m still learning. Thanks!
Mary
If “oxalates are extremely stable” , how does fermenting change them if cooking doesn’t? I know that fermenting gets rid of sugars in the food and improves the nutritional value, but never heard of them affecting oxalates.
Also, if only 20% of people are sensitve to oxalates, how are we to know? When you tell everyone to watch their intake, how does this justify the 20%?
Other people on different diets, such as Body Ecology and Dr. Mercola ( and GAPS, I think) state to get rid of almost all fruit because of the fructose being bad and acidic to our bodies. I like the Body Ecology Diet – this diet is what helped me finish curing my son’s autism and cured his gut (in a month). Donna Gates promoted lots of greens and fermenting. I also like W. A. Price because I like milk and eggs!
Brandon
I love green smoothies, and don’t think I could give up their refreshing sweet taste. They do make me feel much better. I’ve only been consuming them for about four years now, and haven’t noticed a problem as of yet, even though being fully aware of the oxalate levels. Sometimes I will use romaine lettuce in place of spinach or chard, for lower oxalate levels.
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
The problem with oxalate toxicity is that you can’t necessarily feel the damage they are causing .. case in point – oxalate shards lodged in your heart. Best to stop this habit and if you love them, enjoy them only occasionally as with raw spinach salads.
Vickie Innes
stop telling people this. you are wrong
Cecy
I Agree with Vickie, Green smoothies is been making a BIG different in our life.
Samuel simmons
Wow! There is alot to be said for sensationalism. Green Smoothies with spinach and kale are actually not just helping people to manage the waste in their bodies more affectly but also regulating sugar levels and improving stress related issuses. Of course any food consumed in access can be dangerous but the audience that would qualify far out numbers those whose lives are literally being saved be incorporating green smoothies. I am the owner of a succesfull fintess consulting firm in Philadelphia and I am also practicing raw foodist. Dr. Arscilla in NJ first introduced me to green smoothies several years ago. He has a center where people have been delivered from cancer diabetes etc.This is an eyecathing headline but really. Are you trying to help people or what.
PattyLA
I wish she was wrong but I have had kidney stones and vulvar vestibulitis. Going on a low oxalate diet changed all of that for me. I still enjoy arugula, mustard greens and other low oxalate greens, just no more spinach, almonds and other high oxalate foods for me.
jenn
I only partially agree. I had a bad case of Candida and saw 17 doctors with symptoms that didn’t make sense to any of them! The doctor threatened me with the removal of my gall stones and even said I was going to need a new liver. Finally with a special nutritionist…. I ate nothing but veggies, low sugar fruits and green shakes, and protein rich beans and home raised chicken. I got checked a year later and guess what….. no surgery. No stones. Perfect liver. It’s been 15 years since I’ve felt this good. And what about the GAPS diet? My friend is cancer free!! CANCER FREE!! She is only 35 and had the body of a 70 year old because of all the problems she had. NOT any more! I think more research should go into this. In the end.. everybody is different… Everyone’s life style is different…. and every body is used to processing different foods. I think people need more veggies in their life.
juliet
Vickie,
If it’s “wrong” it would be helpful if you state why and show some evidence to support your conclusion. That would contribute greatly to the discussion. Simply saying something is “wrong” doesn’t help any of us.
Terrie Schultz
I agree Vickie.
Cathy S
If you read the article she references, you will understand that for some people this is a huge deal. For others it may only a big deal when they eat a lot of really high oxalate food like spinach. If you are referring to the oxalate shards lodged in your heart, this does actually happen, if kidney stones progress and kidneys shut down.
If your point is that you may have some warning signs before things like shards in your heart, you are probably correct, but not before you have other serious health problems such as kidney stones, fibromyalgia, or vulvodynia. It’s just something to be aware of when you are eating more greens than you would feel comfortable eating under a natural circumstance, that you may be causing inadvertent problems down the road.
Brandon
I do see a cardiologist once a month, and there is nothing showing up. I will ask her the next time to look into the oxalate shards.
Linda
So…. I do not like these foods and don’t feel good on the ones you mentioned . All along I thought I should be eating these things and felt so out of the loop because I am not. I just need to really listen to my own body because it sure does keep me strong and on the right path for IT ! I’m so glad I don’t have to worry about forcing these green things into my body anymore! I love what Sarah does for humankind and now also the animals in our lives . Thank you again, Sarah! 🙂
Deedee
That’s just an excuse you age yourself not to eat greens. I don’t like spinach or raw kale, but in a smoothie full of yummy fruits, I have them everyday. Everybody is certainly different, and you don’t have to force yourself to eat anything, that’s not a happy life. Find other things that give you the same nutrients and eat them. Don’t be stuck on eating things you hate, that’s a horrible way of life. And, this article is not backed by credible information. I research everything to make sure what I put in my body does better, not worse. Having chronic pain is a horrible way of life, but with a proper diet, wonderful family and friends, and exercise, is the way to happiness.