Dr. William Shaw Says Stop the Green Smoothies

What do you think of this? William Shaw, PhD warns that the popular trend of consuming daily smoothies with large amounts of fresh greens has a hidden danger due to high levels of oxylates.

Watch his lecture to get the story on the sources of oxylates and potential harm, and read his full explanation below.

Dr. Shaw writes:

Oxalate and its acid form oxalic acid are organic acids that come from three sources: the diet, fungus infections such as Aspergillus and Penicillium and possibly Candida (2-10), and also human metabolism (11).

Oxalic acid is the most acidic organic acid in body fluids and is used commercially to remove rust from car radiators. Antifreeze (ethylene glycol) is toxic primarily because it is converted to oxalate. Two different types of genetic diseases are known in which oxalates are high in the urine. The genetic types of hyperoxalurias (type I and type II) can be determined from the organic acid test done at The Great Plains Laboratory. Foods especially high in oxalates include spinach and similar leafy vegetables, beets, chocolate, soy, peanuts, wheat bran, tea, cashews, pecans, almonds, berries, and many others. Oxalates are not found in meat or fish at significant concentrations. Daily adult oxalate intake is usually 80-120 mg/d but it can range from 44-1000 mg/d in individuals who eat a typical Western diet. I estimate that the person who consumes a green smoothie with two cups (about 150 grams) of spinach leaves is consuming about 15 grams or 15,000 mg of oxalates or about 150 times the average daily oxalate intake.  View a complete list of high oxalate foods.

Dr. Shaw’s detailed explanation of the dangers of oxylates can be found here.