Nutrition plays a huge role in overall health. That is we provide dietary plans for people in Louisiana. Some people use green smoothies to supplement their diets. Consuming more leafy greens adds bulk, a multitude of nutrients, and has few calories. It may seem like the perfect solution and an easy fix, but there are dangers to using this method. There are also ways to avoid those problems.
What is a green smoothie?
A green smoothie is created by blending several raw leafy greens, such as spinach, collard greens, kale, or parsley, with milk, whether it’s cow’s milk, nut, or other milk substitute. The blend does not have a taste everyone loves, so people add fruit to make it palatable. It’s one way green smoothies become less healthy. People tend to add almost all fruit with just a small amount of greens or add a protein powder that has added sweetener. It becomes a sweet treat disguised as a healthy meal.
If you only use leafy greens, it can also be a problem.
There’s nothing wrong or dangerous about eating leafy greens unless you eat too many. A smoothie packed with all the leafy greens could expose you to an overload of oxalic acid. Leafy crucifer greens all contain oxalic acid naturally. Consuming too much oxalic acid causes oxalate crystals to form in your body. They accumulate, primarily in the kidneys, causing kidney stones. Eighty percent of all kidney stones come from oxalate crystals. Limiting your intake of leafy greens to 3 to 4 servings a day can help prevent that.
Green smoothies could make your belly feel miserable if you don’t chew your smoothie.
Whether your smoothie contains fresh greens, cruciferous vegetables, fresh fruit, or nuts, it contains a lot of fiber. Even if fiber is a big part of your diet, too much can leave you bloated. Raw vegetables are hard to digest. You might think that grinding them makes it easier, but by doing that, they aren’t exposed to long bouts with saliva that also participate in the digestive process. Instead of just swallowing your smoothie, let it linger in your mouth and chew it to allow the digestive enzymes in your saliva to do their work. Another solution is to lightly steam the greens before adding, but chewing your smoothie is best.
- Green smoothies may be full of thallium. Green smoothies often contain kale, broccoli, and other crucifers. Crucifers contain high amounts of thallium, a toxic heavy metal that accumulates in the body. Use organic vegetables normally grown on high carbon—thallium canceling soil.
- Crucifers often found in green smoothies also have high amounts of glucosinolates, a natural phytochemical. It inhibits the uptake of iodine by the thyroid, reducing thyroid hormones. If you have a thyroid deficiency, be aware and cook your crucifers to deactivate it.
- Be aware that all smoothies containing fresh fruit and vegetables, not just green ones, are high in fiber. If you don’t consume much fiber otherwise, introduce them slowly, or you’ll experience digestive problems.
- Use organic fruits and vegetables in smoothies or ones from the EWG Clean 15 list to avoid increasing your intake of pesticides and herbicides.
For more information, contact us today at Wellness On A Dime Coaching