Once upon a time, my day wasn’t complete without my super special, loaded with all the favourites, smoothie..
It was my key to future health, my guarantee of ongoing vigour, immunity, libido even.
And yes, there were always lovely girls working in their smoothie bar. So fresh, so clear skinned, so.. attractive!
So when I began to develop fairly serious side effects: weakened digestion, low thyroid function, severe acne hormones going crazy, things didn’t add up. This wasn’t part of my picture.
Who’d have thought? The otherwise innocent ingredients in my beloved daily gulp that, when combined in a smoothie, were slowly poisoning me.
So let’s just hold off a few minutes before reaching for the blender, shall we?
Let’s take a new look at what you’re swallowing blithely ~every day.
These are really, really important facts you should consider from Dr Susan Brown, our go-to expert on alkaline diet. She also the author of THE BEST book on alkaline food found here for a tiny $19. We’ve sold hundreds of this little ‘bible’ over our two decades of talking alkaline.
Side effects of green smoothies.
5 real health threats you should be aware of!
1. The raw veggie roadblock
Raw vegetables, even pulverized ones, are extremely difficult to digest. Their tough, fibrous structures require massive amounts of digestive energy to be broken down. Green smoothies will overwhelm your system if you already suffer from weakened digestion, bloating, gas, Candida, infertility, allergies or a suppressed immune system.
Solution: Lightly steam green vegetables before blending to make them easier on your system. You may be surprised how quickly you notice an improvement in your digestion.
2. Oxalic acid overload
Are green smoothies bad for kidneys? The answer may be yes if you overdo it on leafy green vegetables – Swiss chard, spinach, kale, and beet greens – that all contain high levels of oxalic acid, a naturally-occurring compound that forms oxalate crystals in the body.
Eating too many foods that are high in oxalic acid may accumulate oxalate crystals in the body, especially in the kidneys.
Oxalate crystals are responsible for 80% of all kidney stone cases in the U.S.
Oxalate toxicity is especially dangerous if you have hypothyroidism, Candida, vulvodynia, nutrient/mineral deficiencies, fibromyalgia, aspergillus, intestinal flora/gut imbalance, osteoporosis, or arthritis.
Solution: Limit your intake of leafy greens to 3-4 servings per day to avoid oxalate build-up. Along with otherwise healthy eating habits, this amount will provide plenty of plant nutrients.
3. Sneaky sugar
There couldn’t possibly be any sugar hiding in our beloved green smoothies, right?
Well… not quite.
All fruits and vegetables contain some sugar, and most packaged protein sources (namely protein powders and nut butters) use synthetic sweeteners like xylitol or stevia to increase total sugar content. Add too much sweetened vanilla-flavored nut milk, and suddenly your formerly “green” smoothie becomes a perfect recipe for the ultimate sugar high — along with the inevitable crash and cravings that are sure to follow.
Solution: Eliminate dried fruit ingredients, and keep fresh fruits in balance with other ingredients. Choose low-sugar, non-soy protein powders with plant-based ingredients like pea protein isolate, chia seeds or chlorella. Word to the wise: agave nectar, beet sugar, tapioca syrup and coconut sugar are just as damaging as regular sugar, so read labels carefully. Sugar is sugar, and there’s no room for it in your smoothie.
4. Goitrogens v. your thyroid
Cruciferous vegetables — like kale, bok choy, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and more — are absolutely bursting with nutrients and beneficial fiber. But they’re also crawling with compounds called goitrogens that can disrupt your thyroid function. Goitrogens interfere with iodine uptake and hormone production within the thyroid gland. So if you’ve ever experienced brain fog, exhaustion, depression, low libido, dry skin, unpredictable bowels, anxiety, poor body temperature regulation or hair loss, your thyroid may need some TLC.
Solution: Lightly steam all cruciferous vegetables before adding them to your smoothie, and reduce intake to a reasonable serving size per meal. Then, add these foods to your diet to help heal and support your thyroid.
5. The stowaway problem.
It may be unpleasant to consider, but raw produce contains a heavy load of bacteria and parasites — even if you choose the organic variety. Normally, the digestive acids of the stomach and the immune agents of the intestines destroy these little stowaways, so you never experience their effects. But many of us (myself included!) stuff our blenders to the brim in an attempt to pack in as much of that green goodness as possible. Unfortunately, those extra nutrients come at a price — a big dose of those bad little bugs, which turn your beloved smoothie into a daily dose of disaster for your immune system’s limited resources. The result? Inflammation, weakened digestion, and immunosuppression.
Solution: Use the Alkaway Natural Cleaner on all your fruit and vegies. It converts ordinary tap water into a powerful germicide, yet converts bck to good old H2O after it cleans up the nasties.
Bottom Line: Are green smoothies good for you ?
Now that we’ve been enlightened about the hidden secrets within our smoothies, you may be wondering: can I still enjoy my favourite blended beverage? The answer is yes, absolutely.
Green smoothies are still a great way to get the nutrients your body craves. But, as with anything else, be mindful of your choices — rotate your ingredients, wash produce thoroughly, and allow yourself a few “smoothie-free” days every week so you can try other nutrient-dense foods. This way, your body will be able to absorb all of the nourishing benefits (and none of the bad stuff) the next time you turn on the blender.
My favorite balanced smoothie recipe
Here’s one of my favorite recipes — with just the right amount of everything you need to stay healthy and happy.
The Equilibrium Smoothie
- Handful of spinach — though you can mix it up with romaine, kale, swiss chard, or a combination of all three!
¼ teaspoon of cinnamon
One apple, diced
One ripe banana, halved
Healthful hint: peeled, frozen bananas will keep everything cool, without the watered-down effect of melted ice cubes.
- 1 ½ — 2 cups of unsweetened milk alternative (or filtered water) depending on desired consistency
Milk alternatives include flax, cashew, almond, coconut and rice milk
Blend all ingredients together and enjoy your delicious and nutritious choice.
Cheers to your health!
But. always remember: you are mainly water. Water – enough good, pure, energised water is the foundational intake for longevity and health.
Learn more:
Ten lessons from 20 years of drinking good water
Taking the most basic – and effective -approach to inflammation in the body.
The Right Alkaline Water; What has changed?
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