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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
For the record, a study was published in the New England Journal Of Medicine in 1993 suggesting that high oxalate foods do not cause kidney stones.
http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM199303253281203#t=articleResults
“Oxalate is found in many foods, but the content is typically low36. Ingestion of foods high in oxalate can lead to hyperoxaluria and to the formation of calcium oxalate stones28. Oxalate values are not available for the full range of foods on our questionnaire; thus, total intake could not be calculated. However, our questionnaire included several foods with relatively high oxalate content. When we controlled for potentially confounding variables, the consumption of these foods (chocolate, nuts, tea, and spinach) was not associated with the risk of kidney stones (data not shown).”
I have not been able to find more recent peer-reviewed research that contradicts the above finding. Are there any published studies showing that spinach did in fact cause kidney stones?
Vivek –
http://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/kidneystones.cfm
http://www.livestrong.com/article/485037-can-eating-too-much-spinach-give-you-kidney-stones/
Thanks for the references. It seems to me that the recommendations on these sites are not based on peer-reviewed scientific research, but rather on a general concern about foods that have high oxalate content. There is no published research, so far as I know, showing that either:
[A] Spinach increases the risk of kidney stones OR
[B] Cutting spinach out of the diet reduces the risk of kidney stones.
Both A and B above would need to be true for people to benefit from eliminating spinach, and neither has been demonstrated. I also observed that these sites mentioned spinach and Swiss chard, but no other leafy greens, so there’s even less evidence that other greens are harmful in any way. Even in the case of spinach, there’s good reason to believe that its high calcium content neutralizes the potential harm of the oxalate.
In summary, I wouldn’t entirely dismiss the possibility that eating too much spinach too frequently may not be ideal, since every type of vegetable may have some potentially toxic component. In my own green smoothies or salads I strive for variety, rotating among spinach, kale, romaine, arugula, collard greens, or mixed lettuces on different days. Each type of green has a different nutrient profile, so it just makes sense not to stick with only one type. And if there’s any harmful substance in a particular leafy green, the rotation strategy minimizes exposure to it and gives the body more time to eliminate the toxin. In my opinion, the great benefits of dark, leafy greens for health and longevity far outweigh the potential risks, for people who haven’t received specific medical advice to avoid greens (and even that advice is sometimes not based on the best science).
Moderation is key to moral virtue. I try not to consume anything juiced or blended in an amount that I would not otherwise be comfortable eating raw as-is at any given time. Conversely, the day I see “spinach overdose” as a major contributing factor to any illness is the day I would ask for a second opinion. You can find or create “harmful” compounds in just about anything in your produce aisle. They balance with the good as yin is to yang. For those that haven’t figure it out yet: something at some-point is going to kill you; it probably will not be your smoothie.
Lj, I agree with you, as I stated on my blog: the key to health is to understand and love your own body. Treat it right. Do some research, make your own decision what is best for your health. I notice after drinking green smoothies for almost a month that I feel calmer, my sweat doesn’t smell & poop doesn’t stink as strong as it used to be.
I don’t even know what to think of this post. NO MATTER what you try to do something comes out about how bad it is for you. Like…what exactly IS supposed to be okay to eat? I personally feel better then I ever have eating high raw which includes green juices and smoothies. My acne cleared up, chronic constipation cured, more energy, need less sleep, skin glows, hair and nails grow faster, no longer need deodorant, severe sinus problems greatly improved, acid reflux cured, poop no longer stinks and the list goes on. If raw greens in high quantity are supposed to be so bad then why so many benefits? Any time I go back to meats, dairy and low produce diets for a brief time problems I’ve had in the past start coming back and I feel heavy and slow and meat…sheesh that crap doesn’t digest till the next day, it’s gross.
I guess all I’m saying is no matter HOW you eat there is someone some where saying how horrible this that or the other is… First dairy is good, now it’s bad, swap with soy milk, now soy milk is bad, swap with almond milk, now almonds are bad… that type of thing. How is anyone supposed to know how they’re supposed to eat? I think I’ll just listen to my body other wise I’ll have to starve myself based on all the ‘latest’ news that comes out LOL
This is Funny…. Ever since I cut out the arthritis prescriptions and processed food (not all 🙂 ) I went from Crutches and Slings to a Active Normal life Via the GREEN SMOOTHIES!!
7 Years of Greens and never had any of the symptoms they talk about… Not to mention I havent gotten sick since…
Its All about the Dollar!!! Watch out for People who write this kind of bs!!!
This is another case of scaremongering and an example of why some people should be allowed information as they turn it on its head and exaggerate everything. What the hell is supposed to be good for you anymore? What could we eat if we read and listened to all the articles about dangerous food? We wouldn’t be allowed to eat anything.
In response to your article on green smoothies, I wrote a blog on this subject, analyzing the pros and contras of green smoothies diet:
loving-living-in-vienna.blogspot.co.at/2012/07/green-smoothie-alert.html.
Maybe the only safe ‘food’ to eat on this earth is just sunlight ;-)?
A woman features on ‘the Sun Light Eater (Breatharianism)’ claims that she only lives on sunlight and has been doing it for 2 years:
loving-living-in-vienna.blogspot.co.at/2012/06/light-eater-httpwwwyoutubecomwatchvl0u6.html
I got an oxalate kidney stone after being on the South Beach diet, which recommended the vegetables listed, along with a ton of lean protein. Afterwards, they gave me a list of what to avoid, and all the vegetables in the diet were on it, along with the excess of protein, which also has effects on kidney function. And I’m thinking, no wonder! I agree with those who say it is different for everyone, but I’m telling you, no more veggie omelettes for me, and the prospect of a green smoothie makes me blanch. They did recommend lemon juice in water daily, and I do that–hot in winter, cold in summer. Can’t hurt. Meanwhile, I have returned to smaller portions, less sugar, small amounts of protein, and a balanced consumption of a varied diet, along with filtered water. Knock on wood. So far, I’ve been okay. I still have some weight to lose, but I’m heading in the right direction. (Another thing that worries me about raw fruits and vegetables is bacterial contamination, and that goes for things grown at home, too. Only thing that kills those puppies is heat.)
Yeah look out for the oxalates! Don’t eat leafy greens! Be sure to load up on the butter though! Total laughable nonsense and bullshit.
Someday you all are ‘goint to get it’ and whoa what an eye opening day that will be! A little light bulb will go off and you will say ‘oh my gosh Sarah was actually RIGHT!’ Mmmmm real bacon , real eggs, real butter……ahhhhhhhhhh so good! OHhhh and real honest to goodness milk! If our government doesn’t take it all away first . 🙁