I never drink green smoothies. If you drink green smoothies, it might be time to step away from the kale. Those green smoothies could be causing your hypothyroidism, kidney stones, acne, or migraine headaches. In this post I’ll explain why green smoothies are bad for you and explain how to make them the right way.

Note: There are affiliate links in this post. I get paid a small commission when you buy through my links. This helps me keep blogging. And I only recommend products I personally use and recommend.

Why I Never Drink Green Smoothies & What To Drink Instead

Seems like everyone these days is drinking green smoothies. My Facebook feed is always full of people posting their healthy green smoothie breakfast. They say it helps them lose weight and feel healthier.

Green smoothies made with raw green vegetables are actually not very good for you and I’ll explain why below. But read on… I still recommend green smoothies made the right way. I’ll tell you the easy, nutritious way to make a green smoothie.

What’s Wrong With Green Smoothies?

Green cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and kale are good for you, but they are not good for you when they are raw. They need to be cooked to release their nutrition. Why? One word: anti-nutrients. These anti-nutrients include goitrogens and oxalic acid.

Vegetables like are broccoli and cauliflower are goitrogenic. Goitrogens block absorption of iodine by the thyroid gland. This can cause thyroid disorders like hypothyroidism, weight gain, hair loss, and other hormonal problems.

Raw kale and spinach also contain a lot of oxalic acid, which binds with minerals such as calcium and magnesium in the body. Consuming too much oxalic acid can cause kidney stones and other forms of calcification in the body.

Raw Vegetables That Contain Goitrogens and Oxalic Acid

The following vegetables contains goitrogens and oxalic acid:

Arugula
Bok Choy
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Collard Greens
Kale
Kohlrabi
Mustard Greens
Radish
Spinach
Swiss Chard
Turnip Greens
Watercress

Don’t eat any of these foods raw! Oh, sure some raw broccoli every once in a while won’t hurt you, or a kale salad on occasion. But it’s a very bad idea to consume these foods daily in the form of green smoothies.

Another Problem with Raw Vegetables

Unless you are buying 100% organic, vegetables are sprayed with pesticides. One of the worst pesticides that is commonly sprayed on vegetables is the fluoride-based pesticide, cryolite. Fluoride is known to cause all kinds of health problems, from bone loss to tooth decay to hormonal disorders (it’s an endocrine disrupter) to migraine headaches, cellulite and acne.

This is why I now buy all of my produce 100% organic. I used to buy mostly organic, but if it wasn’t organic, I didn’t stress. Now, unless it’s organic, I don’t buy it.

To learn more about the dangers of fluoride and how to eliminate it from your diet, check out my new online class launching in May, The Fluoride Detox Diet.

You can also get a free copy of my Fluoride Detox Diet Quick Start Guide with a printable list of what foods to avoid and which foods are OK (you’ll be surprised! Toothpaste and tap water are the least of your concerns!).

There are many health benefits of eating fresh green vegetables. If you want to get the benefits of green smoothies without the anti-nutrients, I recommend adding wheatgrass powder to your morning smoothie.

Wheatgrass powder gives you all the health benefits of a green smoothie, without the anti-nutrients that cause hormonal problems and kidney stones.

You could also juice your own wheatgrass juice at home. You can even grow your own wheatgrass for pennies…

However, I really don’t recommend that, having done it before. It’s very time consuming and it’s messy. Not only that, but it’s very easy for pathogenic bacteria and mold to thrive on wheatgrass trays. If you’ve ever gotten nauseous from a store-bought wheatgrass shot, this is why. Yuck, right?

This is why I prefer buying wheatgrass powder. It’s SIX TIMES cheaper than buying wheatgrass shots — only .67 per serving of wheatgrass powder vs. $4 wheatgrass shots.

And none of the mess and constant clean up from making your own — and you don’t have to risk mold and pathogens. Just get the powder!

Where to Buy Wheatgrass Powder

Not all wheatgrass powder is the same. I recommend this wheatgrass powder — it’s organic and I actually know and trust the people who produce it. (They are awesome!)

They guarantee there is no mold or pathogenic bacteria in their processing, so no nausea!

My Healthy Green Smoothie Recipe

Makes 1 serving

Using a food processor , mix together the following ingredients.

1/2 cup or 4 ounces canned coconut milk or 1 cup organic whole milk, or homemade kefir or organic orange juice
1/2 cup (8 ounces) fresh or frozen blueberries or other fruit, organic
1 scoop organic wheatgrass powder
1/2 banana (optional)
1 raw egg yolk (pastured or organic) or 1 TBS coconut oil
1 tablespoons grass-fed collagen peptides (this is blendable gelatin, optional)
Honey or stevia to taste (optional)
Ice (optional)