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Why Green Smoothies are NOT Healthy shares the dangers that exist in foods we consider “super foods”. Raw greens are high in oxalates, or cruciferous (thyroid cooling). Learn alternatives, and avoid kidney stones as well as other health issues.
This article is a bit personal, if you love green smoothies. Many of us started drinking green smoothies in an effort to get healthier, to heal some health condition or because we’re “crunchy” and love healthy tasting foods.
But daily green smoothies or green juicing are counter-productive for those who are seeking optimum health.
Many raw leafy green vegetables need to have their oxalates reduced through fermentation (probiotics consume oxalates) or cooking. Eat certain leafy veggies, like most foods, in moderation, purposely choosing low-oxalate options and rotating different varieties. (source)
Why Green Smoothies Are NOT Healthy: What are oxalates
Oxalates are organic acids produced my humans, animals and plants. In plants, the leaves always have the greatest concentration
of the oxalates.
Kale has perhaps been over-vilified regarding oxalates. It is actually low in oxalates, although the amount contained in any vegetable can vary depending on the soil and the season. Yet I am still an advocate for steaming or cooking kale, not eating it raw. Or ferment it.
Why? Kale and broccoli are both great examples of vegetables that may not be high in oxalates; but they are still hard to digest raw.
As Donna Gates of The Body Ecology Diet says,
…all members of the cruciferous family…in their raw state are considered to be “cooling” and suppressing to your thyroid. (source)
Should smoothies be a meal replacement
Many green smoothie lovers use smoothies as a meal replacement, especially for breakfast.
But let’s face it; the traditional farmer’s breakfast has it right: protein, sometimes beans, oatmeal and sourdough are great ways to start the day. Going back further in history, soups and stews and soaked porridges were nourishing breakfasts, and still are.
Smoothies are a BIG dose of fruit — which means a big dose of fructose, or fruit sugar.
Adding greens, or even avocado, doesn’t make them healthier. (Avocado is very high in copper, so we shouldn’t overdo.) Adding collagen or protein can add nutrition, but we still need to think of smoothies as a snack or healthy dessert.
Many Americans, especially, have a hard time switching away from cereals and smoothies. They’re easy; we thought they were healthy, even in excess, and they taste really good.
Why oxalates aren’t healthy
What happens to the body when it’s inundated with too many oxalates?
Kidney stones are the most common and well-known outcome, especially for those in higher risk groups:
- with candida overgrowth
- 10 to 20% of the population who are genetically predisposed to producing excess oxalates themselves
- who have Asian and Caucasian heritage
- with health conditions that make kidney stones more likely to form — Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, IBS, high blood pressure and hyperparathyroidism, to name a few
- who are obese
The problems that ensue, in addition to causing kidney stones, include these conditions:
- musculoskeletal problems
- autism
- yeast infections and general yeast overgrowth
- crystallization anywhere in the body, wreaking havoc in vital organs such as the heart and thyroid, causing permanent damage
Supplements for a low oxalate diet
Dr. William Shaw, an expert in diet and its relation to autism, ADD and Down Syndrome recommends low oxalate diets with the following supplements which compete in the gut for absorption, deterring crystallization:
- probiotics
- food-sourced calcium
- magnesium
- vitamin B6
- arginine
(source)
While it’s true that increasing K2 and B6, as well as many other nutrients, can aid in dissolving mineral build-up, these nutrients must be with their co-factors for proper assimilation and in the right ratio to other nutrients.
And B6 isn’t for everyone, as it’s newly been implicated as neurotoxic. (Personally, I avoid it.)
How to eat healthily & with fewer oxalates
Find low oxalate food lists here:
- Low Oxalate Food List with Free Printable PDF
- Low oxalate and low histamine
- Low oxalate and low salicylate
Since first writing this article, I have also learned about the toxicity of vitamin A and what happens when we eat too much of it too often, or supplement. You can read here about vitamin A toxicity.
Chronic vitamin A toxicity further rules out leafy greens as super foods.
As a result, I believe the healthiest foods to be: grass-finished beef or wild red meat game, cooked peeled vegetables in moderation, certain grains, sourdough and legumes if tolerated, certain fruits in moderation and many other Ancestral foods in moderation, foods our ancestors ate.
Here’s a classic, but updated for modern times, Anti-Inflammatory Foods List that gives a good idea of what’s truly gentle, nourishing and healthy.
Foods and supplements for kidney stone elimination and prevention
Here are some foods and one supplement (safe and not easily found in food) that will aid in kidney stone elimination and in deterrence of crystallization in general:
- Find K2 in brie and gouda, butter, fermented veggies and grass-fed eggs. These foods all provide K2 in the right ratio with magnesium, vitamin D and calcium. I personally supplement with K2 (this product).
- Magnesium (this is the one I use and love) helps balance calcium absorption properly so it won’t calcify.
- Taking 2 tablespoons of olive oil and lemon juice mixed together 4 times a day is recommended by many herbalists. Lemon juice provides potassium.
- Thyme, knotgrass and juniper teas are all recommended.
- About chanca piedra, also known as Stone Breaker, Ehow says: “With a name that literally means “break stone,” this beneficial herb has been used for centuries to break up kidney and gall stones…” It truly has a wonderful reputation and some great success stories.
What exactly not to eat to deter crystallization of oxalates
- Cut out foods like peanuts, chocolate, spinach, parsley, beets, beet greens, collards, rhubarb, black tea, soda, and miso soup, which are all high in oxalates. Soy, many grains, nuts and seeds, berries, kiwi and navy beans are also high. Here’s a more exhaustive list to use as a guideline.
- Discard the cooking liquid you use to steam, boil or blanch vegetables.
- Reduce oxalates slowly in the diet. If you stop eating oxalates too fast, your body can dump them too quickly and cause uncomfortable symptoms.
- Eliminate excess fructose. See my smoothie ideas below, all of which are low-fructose!
- Foods or supplements high in vitamin C, which adds to oxalate retention and causes the body to create oxalates.
How to make healthy smoothies without oxalates
Those of you who once loved green smoothies, as I did, what do you put in your smoothies now?
Here are some healthy smoothie options:
- Oatmeal Banana Berry Smoothie (with no added sweetener)
- Oats Smoothie for Weight Loss (or weight maintenance, with high fiber and secrets)
- Tropical Berry Smoothie (Low FODMAP for those who struggle with bloating)
If you really want to include greens, consider moderate amounts of fresh basil, cilantro or peeled cucumbers. These are wonderful in smoothies that include some fresh lemon juice.
In Conclusion …
Keep in mind: we may not need as many leafy greens as we’re now told.
Being very high in vitamin A, I no longer believe we should load up on greens. The rainbow food fad is very new, and we don’t have long term studies showing what happens when people try to “eat the rainbow”. But we do have a lot of people in the low oxalate and low vitamin A groups who can testify what those kinds of diets did to their health.
Consider a more Ancestral diet that didn’t load up on certain foods year round. Instead, wild meat and other foods in moderation were a more natural diet.
You can Pin Why Green Smoothies Are NOT Healthy – Oxalates here:
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- How I Got Rid of My Daughter’s Cavities in 4 Months
- Why Copper is Estrogenic and how to avoid it (with copper foods list)
- Which Water Filter is Best
- Why I Switched from Cast Iron and Which Pans are Safe Instead
- Natural Ways to Increase Dopamine and Serotonin
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- How Vitamin A is Bad for Teeth, Gums and Bones
Mani (A New Life Wandering) says
Wow those two smoothies that you mention at the end sound amazing.
Megan Stevens says
Thanks, Mani! I’ve loved creating truly healthy smoothie recipes in the last few years. 🙂 So glad they appeal to you!
Holly says
my mind is being BLOWN right now. My whole green smoothie world has been turned upside down. GAH!!! So thankful for your wisdom and research Megan!!
Megan Stevens says
Sorry AND so glad, Holly! It’s a mixed bag, I know. Blessings for the adventures in new kinds of smoothies in the future!! <3
marisa@blogcabinmama says
I am feeling like Holly, too! Oh some research in my future. I love my green smoothies. Sniff, sniff. I have seen such amazing results with me health since starting them. Seems like everything you think is good for you can backfire. Thank you Megan for this eye opener and your hard work.
Megan Stevens says
We are so young in our understanding of nutrition, since we lost our wisdom gained from ancestors and now bust out on our own without a foundation…until we learn the hard way or look to the past again. Hugs and so sorry and yes, you can still find a happy medium with certain fresh herbs, spirulina and steamed greens etc. It’s still a blow; and I went through it too. I used to make raw parsley and cranberry smoothies and thought they were the best. I love weird strong things. Boo hoo with you and I hope you find new favorites!!! <3
Emilia Contressa Gomez says
so you think raw parsley is not good either? i would love parsley and cranberries with stevia in a raw eggs smoothie! i used to put 1/2 a bunch of parsley in my smoothies. i would rotate greens but have them 5-6 dys a week. i used a ton of greens in each too. n usually had1/3 of a raw beet also n ginger too or sumtimes did a chocolate one. i wanted to get as much greens in the smoothie as i could. i would then blend in water for 3 min straight to liquefy. i would add shredded coconut too to have my own homemade coconut milk. added coconut oil or cream also. called them my fatty leafy drinks lol
i considered cooking the grns first at one point but i knew i d never do it on a daily basis and they were my breakfast almost always. i dont even buy bunches of grns, only chopped, washed, bagged grns brcuz otherwise i ll never eat greens…i just wont. and we eat greens daily as i try to do wahls protocol with her reqt of 6 cups raw along with 6 cups raw cruciferous which are generally grns too. salads count! 🙂
Megan Stevens says
Yes, I believe that all of the raw greens are counterproductive, not counting salad greens, which are fine and wonderful for eating raw. I can relate and understand; yes, I used to love my raw parsley smoothies. Best to cook your bagged greens and then add them in, or just avoid and re-think what our bodies need. 🙂
Natalie Carrad says
I have a kefir smoothie every morning. 400 mls kefir made with raw cows milk. 2 egg yolks, 2 kiwifruit, 1 Tbs diatamacious earth, 1 Tbs Maca, 2 tsp fermented codliver oil/ butter oil. And if I am planning on a late lunch i also add 1/2 a banana and 1 Tbs of coconut oil.
Megan Stevens says
Sounds delicious and fortified! Thanks for sharing! 🙂 Edited to add: I no longer advocate for cod liver oil. I believe it’s toxic with very high levels of vitamin A. For the same reason, egg yolks in moderation.
tania says
What if first we steamed all our leafy greens to lower the oxalates and then freeze them? N then use them for your green/ fruit smothies? Would this be better n considered a more nutritional way for our bodies to absorb them. ? Thanks.
Megan Stevens says
Yes, this is a perfect solution! 🙂 I also recommend not overdoing green smoothies, or using medium or lower-oxalate greens – like fresh basil, cilantro and peeled cucumber. It’s a great idea to rotate the kinds of smoothies you make.
Healthy Home Body says
I’m enjoying reading through your posts. Thanks so much for sharing! I’m always looking for new ideas for our GAPS Diet (even though I have two recipe boxes stuffed full now 😉 ) and these smoothie recipes look great! I look forward to reading through your recipes and finding favorites to share with my GAPS clients.
Thank you!
Megan Stevens says
Thank you!! 🙂 So glad.
tania says
Can u steam your greens first, freeze them n then use in your smoothy ? This would lower the oxilates n still be nutritious im assumimg.
Megan Stevens says
Steaming does not reduce oxalates, but boiling does, if the water is discarded. I also recommend not overdoing green smoothies. It’s a great idea to rotate the kinds of smoothies you make.
Sonia says
I do not think that streaming them and freezing them woudl actually affect oxalate levels. Bioling yes may lower but not steam or ice. Oxalates are very stable.
wendy says
What about barley grass?
Megan Stevens says
From what I can find I believe it to be low in oxalates, but have found less evidence than I would prefer to be sure. My favorite source for nutritional information is sometimes what I learn from the foods they feed racehorses! Oxalates bother horses too; and the lists of high-oxalate grasses to avoid feeding one’s horse does NOT include barley grass. It is never on the human lists either. But I haven’t found a chart or article that tells how much it DOES have. So I assume it is low; but I can’t yet know for sure. Thanks for asking, great question. 🙂
linda spiker says
Megan, If I order the “stone breaker” is there a recommended way to take it as prevention now that I am stone free? I will wait btw…till healed:)
Megan Stevens says
Yes, I really like the tea option; but the tincture is also great, depending on which one is more sustainable on a daily basis with your lifestyle and personal preference. There is strong historical use of both to stay stone free. Either Chanca Piedra Herbal Tea – Stone Breaker or Herb Pharm Stone Breaker Compound Mineral Supplement, 1 Ounce, both available from Amazon. Hope that one of them is highly effective for you, for a stone-free life, from here on!
linda spiker says
Thanks so much. Definitely going to give this a go.
Lolly Sweepins says
I buy big bunches of greens like spinach, kale, chard, and dandelion and blanch them as soon as I can so they are as fresh as possible. Two minutes in boiling water then plunged in ice water for most greens. Then puree them in the blender with a little water and freeze in icecube trays! I just add 2-3 cubes to my smoothies, which are always made with FULL FAT PLAIN yogurt. I get the vitamins and minerals from the greens while reducing the oxalates, the healthy fats from the yogurt, and don’t feel the need to consume huge bunches of greens at once like people often do with juicing.
Megan Stevens says
Sounds great, Lolly! Thanks for sharing!!
Kelly says
I’ve been searching and searching but cannot find any mention online of how much oxalates are in wheat grass powder. Do you happen to have such a reference? Thanks, appreciate your time!
Denise Szocka says
The oxylate level in wheat grass juice is mentioned in this study:
Comparison of Oxalate Content in Foods and Beverages in Taiwan – CiteSeerX
It is a PDF file and I’m having difficulty copying the link, so please Google the title above.
Recipes to Nourish says
This information is so helpful!!! As much as I love them, raw greens have never been good for my digestion and body. They’re so much better gently cooked with a healthy fat. Thank you for sharing this important info.
Daniela says
This is very interesting. Ever since I learned about oxalates, I’ve been wondering about green smoothies and have scaled back in making them. This is super comprehensive and educational! Excellent article!
Megan says
Thank you, Daniela! I’m so happy to hear it was helpful!
Raia Todd (@RaiasRecipes) says
I’ve never been on the green smoothie bandwagon. I prefer fruit smoothies as a dessert, or other veggies like squash, beets, celery and carrots in my smoothies. 🙂 I was pretty bummed about my salads, though, because I love adding spinach, kale, and other greens to them! Good thing they’re tasty sautéed, too. 😉
Megan says
I hear ya on the salads thing. Now I do love putting lettuce underneath (like romaine or butter lettuce) and sauteed greens on top with all the other salad fixings. That’s kind of a compromise and tastes great. 🙂
Shelby @F\ says
I’m not going to lie, I kind of want to cry a bit lol Mainly because we eat a ton of green smoothies and I am not convinced my girls are unhealthy and will get kidney stones- so deep breath haha I started steaming my spinach this week so we can rock that and I do alternate between chlorella and spirulina so yay on that front. Thanks for all the great info!
Megan says
Good for you Shelby!!! YAY! That’s awesome! Once you start new steps they become the usual pattern! I’m glad you’re honest. It IS disappointing at first! I felt the same way! xo and xo! 😉
Lindsey Dietz says
Just keep sharing this! People aren’t going to believe you, or they’re going to say you’re alarmist or whatever. But just keep on sharing. I wish everyone would take this info seriously.
Megan says
Aw, that’s lovely. Thanks, Lindsey! This truth is certainly not met with enthusiasm by most people. I appreciate your encouragement. There will always be people ready to hear it at different stages of their lives, just like we both were.
Lisa Dalton says
High fat hey! Did that already. Now my liver and gallbladder is stuffed!
No berries and fructose aswell. Hmmm. Dr Robert Morse claims to heal MS and cancer and everything really with these, herbs and glandulars.
I was just on another website which believes salt causes calcium levels to rise in urine and therefore contribute to kidney stones. I have had a very high salt diet and have kidney stones. Wondering if this is the cause of these stones. I also drank tap water most of my life….recently learnt tap water contains inorganic minerals i.e. rocks like the lime scale in your kettle….and thinking this may have contributed to their inital development…so now if i have beetroot juice with high oxalate….i get kidney pain….aggravation of the stones because apparently oxalate binds to calcium of the existing stone.
Distilled water removes these inorganic minerals….instead we are supposed to get our minerals from fruit and veg which contain organic minerals that we can actually digest/utilise.
Im on dr morses diet ….all fruit…but all the acids being pulled from my lymphatic system are being buffered by calcium being pulled from my connective tissue so looking ugly…wrinkles…but apparently you gotta look ugly before you look pretty. I apparently can do green juices to help but risk aggravating the kidney stones. Not sure what to do because i dont really believe in cooked food. Maybe i should ferment the kale and spinach. I’ll try barley grass and basil as per suggestions here too. Thanks.
Also…i wonder if soaking spinach in lemon juice will elimibate oxalic acid…then you could keep it raw for enzyme benefits…this way you can remove pesticide at the same time.????
Megan says
Hi Lisa, fermenting greens is a good option. Soaking in lemon juice will not eliminate oxalic acid. Best wishes.
Mihir says
I’m wondering if just a handful of Kale + an all in one powder like Vega would be fine?
Megan says
Not in my opinion, Mihir. No raw kale is best. Instead: a little fresh basil, cilantro or peeled cucumber. Thanks for the questions. 🙂
Mihir says
Also, in general are the all in one vegan powders healthy? Cause I do see spinach being used in them (possibly in small amounts but still worth thinking about)
Megan says
Hi Mihir, in general vegan powders aren’t healthy. First of all, they often are legume-based, like pea powder for example (or soy), which is hard to digest or assimilate and can be taxing on the digestive system. The other concerning factor is the wrong ratio of omega 3s to 6s. If we were to look at separate brands we could talk about the individual ingredients.
Mihir says
Thanks for the prompt responses! I was just concerned cause I like healthy stuff in general.
The specific powder Im using right now is Vega. Use it for my morning meal. I have a whey protein powder post workout in the evening.
As for your recommendations of Spirulina etc. Is Spirulina ok for daily use alongisde the following: Wheatgrass, Baobab, Gelatinized Maca, Goji Berry, maybe Acai Berry and Chia seeds?
AKA (Is it possible to overdose on the nutrition with all these in the normal recommended amounts if had together daily?)
Maybe Macha or Red Tea
My concern with Spirulina is the fact that it needs to be prepared super safe and Chlorella has a bunch of unnecessary stomach related side effects which make it seem like Chlorella is only good for a 2 week plan while Spirulina ‘seems’ ok for daily intake.
My shake looks like this atm: 1 cup almond milk, 1 scoop Vega all in one, 2 tbsp peanut butter, 2 tbsp avocado oil, 3 tbsp frozen fruit mix (strawberry, raspberries, blueberry, blackberry), 3/4 cup greek yogurt, 1 handful of kale
Megan says
Hi Mihir, I would ask your practitioner to be sure. Typically, assuming the spirulina is sourced well, it is considered a safe, long term, daily supplement by some. I would now consider the vitamin A issue, though. I am careful personally to not overdo almonds or peanuts. Almonds are high in omega-6s and peanuts have mold, unfortunately; and they’re a legume, so high in lectins, which can be hard on the gut. I’m sorry- so many downers! Obviously, as we’ve discussed, no raw kale. 🙂
Tom says
Just passed a kidney stone…ouch. no more oxalates for me. Funny thing is I knew about the dangers and thought I was eating in moderation, they can really add up when they are small amounts spread out in different foods. I did kale and collards in smoothies thinking its ok because they are relatively low, and I was eating with fats and nut milk to “neutralize” the oxalates. (Not sure if that is real science or just a youtube thing…) I even have a chart of oxalate content in foods and still managed to form a kidnesy stone! I have been doing low fodmaps and as a result eating tons of meat and not much carbs…thinking that has to be a factor? I have no idea what I am supposed to eat to not get IBS, inflammation, low or high blood sugar, and now kidneys stones. I have to avoid: fodmaps, excess protein, resistant starches, acidic foods, dairy, nightshade family, chenopod family, etc… so what then, foodpaste? I cant find any info on turmeric and ginger, do you know if they are high oxalate foods? Thanks for making the article concise and packed with useful info, I am getting right on the suggested foods and bought some chanca piedra…hoping this was a one time thing!
Kylie G says
Hey Megan! Have you ever considered sharing the recipes for your watermelon and blueberry smoothies? 😀
Megan says
Hi Kylie, I would love to, but we sold our café, and with it, the recipes. I’m sorry! 🙂
Lynda says
Hi Megan,
Thanks for all the great information! I will now be cooking my greens and freezing them into ice cubes.
Question: I had been putting frozen riced cauliflower into my smoothies. is cauliflower high in oxalates?
Also, are blueberries a nightshade?
Thank you so much!
Megan says
Hi Lynda, you’re welcome! Great! 🙂 Cauliflower is low-oxalate. Ideally it’s still cooked first, before being frozen and used in smoothies, because it’s cruciferous. Blueberries are not a nightshade. Blessings!
Elle says
I’ve talked to qualified dieticians before and they said green smoothies are a fine way to get your greens in. No offence but what qualifications do you have to be give this kind of advice?
Megan says
Hi Elle, there are many dietitians in the world with different perspectives on what’s healthy. If their views conflict with one another, then one could argue they disqualify each other’s educations. Certainly some of them are wrong. But if a lay person reads scientific journals and studies the roles of oxalates or goitrogens and how they affect the body, this lay person may have a contribution to make for individuals who are willing to think about their own health in a way that self advocates. If you need practitioners with degrees from whom to learn to trust the accuracy of the data, I’d point you to additional articles:
1. https://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/vegetarianism-and-plant-foods/the-role-of-oxalates-in-autism-and-chronic-disorders/
2. See #5 here: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/5-health-foods-that-can-t_b_5852998
3. https://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/vegetarianism-and-plant-foods/bearers-of-the-cross-crucifers-in-the-context-of-traditional-diets-and-modern-science/#goitrogens
Lisa Green says
I was all aboard until I got to the “green smoothies can cause autism”-part. I find that extremely hard to believe. Do you have any sources to support this statement?
Megan says
Hi Lisa, sure, here are several to look over: https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffab&q=oxalates+autism&ia=web
Jeanette says
It doesn’t matter if you are eating them raw, juiced or cooked, oxalates can’t be fermented, soaked, cooked or pressure cooked out. Vitamin C degrades into oxalates in the body and people on a low oxalate diet shouldn’t be taking more than 250 mg per day. A low-oxalate diets is less than 50 mg of oxalate per day. Almond milk is not low oxalate. Spinach, kale, chard, and dandelion are not low oxalate. A cup of raw spinach contains 656mg of oxalate. Carrots are not a low oxalate food and definitely not in the quantities we ingest them when they are juiced. The ladies at the Vulvodynia Foundation have done a lot of good work re oxalates. Sally K Norton and Ethan Owen have some very informative videos on YT. I’ve had IC for 25 years and have only found relief this past year when I got serious about going low oxalate. Susan Owens has done the research on the oxalate autism connection. She’s on the Trying Low Oxalates Facebook group.
Megan says
Thanks for your additions, Jeanette! I also appreciate the work of Susan Owens. 🙂 The data does support oxalate reduction through fermentation and boiling, when the water is discarded.
Austin says
This was an incredible article thank you so much. I found it very informative as I have been making big changes with my diet from plant based to animal based over the last 5 months. I am feeling so much better and now I have a better understanding of oxalates!
Megan says
That’s great to hear, Austin. I’m so glad the article is helpful, thank you for sharing; and I’m glad to hear about your helpful dietary changes and how much better you’re feeling!! 🙂
HAPHILLIPS says
Do green powders have high oxilates? Does dehydration help?
Megan says
Green powders are the same as their fresh counterparts, so no, dehydration does not reduce oxalates in any significant way. Good question.
Hannah says
Thanks for sharing your research. I have lupus and am looking to decrease oxalates in my food. I’ve been drinking an almond milk cocoa flavored green drink for breakfast for a few years. I’m sad that those ingredients are so high in oxalates!
I’m interested in trying soaked porridges (maybe with a soft fried egg), or soups and stews for breakfast instead. I don’t have time to cook in the mornings and prefer leftovers for breakfast over typical breakfast foods.
I was happy to see your link to a soaked porridge recipe, but it’s a buckwheat recipe which is on your high oxalates list so that seems counterproductive for a link from the low oxalates article. I’d love to see a few recipes for soaked porridges using different “grains” that have low-medium oxalates.
Also- I love black beans, but don’t see them on your list?
If I always soak beans for 12-24 hours that seems that it would help lower oxalates?
Where did you source your data for oxalate levels?
Megan says
Hi Hannah, you make a great point about the Buckwheat Porridge; I’ll change that. I’m sorry to hear about your health challenges and glad you’ve figured out some triggering foods. I use Susan Owens’ list and cross reference with several others, for oxalate levels. For black beans, I wouldn’t trust soaking alone to help much, no. What I’d do is: soak for 30 minutes, then pulse in blender several times until the black hull detaches, then swirl in a bowl and pour off water repeatedly until the hulls are removed. You could also pressure cook them and even ferment them by making black bean hummus. What I’ve ended up doing with grains is to focus on smaller amounts and already treated grains like hominy and masa, with a small amount of white rice as well. Not as nutrient-dense, but I’m getting my nutrition from other sources like pastured meats while I reduce oxalates in my body. I hope some of those ideas help! 🙂
Jay says
Sharing my 2 cents. My wife and I thought it might be nice and easy to increase our greens by consuming one of the popular green powders out on the market. I’ve been taking the green powder daily for somewhere around 4 to 6 months, I can’t remember exactly when we started. Out of the blue last week, a kidney stone…….like an agony, in the ER and admitted, kidney stone. I’m 47 years old with no prior history of stones or family history with stones. That was for sure my last drink of green powder/smoothies.
Megan says
Sorry to hear this, Jay, and thanks for sharing. A great eye opener and warning to others. I hope you have a quick recovery!