The Green Clean Myth:

We’ve been conditioned to associate health with rawness. Cold, green, and pristine—this is the image we’re sold. The greener the juice, the cleaner the body. Or so the story goes.

But not all bodies agree. Not all guts can handle the trends that don’t quite align with our biology.

Plants aren’t passive. They carry their own intelligence, and part of that intelligence is defence. In the wild, they can’t run, so they produce compounds—natural antinutrients—to deter predators.

Some of the most well-known include:

• Oxalates – found in spinach, beet greens, chard, almonds, and more
• Lectins – common in legumes and nightshades
• Phytates – found in grains, nuts, and seeds

These aren’t necessarily “bad”. But in large amounts—especially raw—they can irritate the gut lining, interfere with nutrient absorption, and silently add stress to the system.

We often receive praise for doing all the “right” things: swapping milk for almond lattes, sprinkling cacao nibs on smoothie bowls, juicing raw spinach and beet greens, baking with almond flour, or snacking on handfuls of cashews. But many of these modern health habits—though well-intentioned—can quietly flood the body with oxalates. Without the buffers of traditional preparation or a strong digestive foundation, even wellness routines can become a hidden source of stress.

It’s not about blame—it’s about recognising when something nourishing in theory might be overwhelming in practice.

Some foods, like beets and carrots, are too rich in nutrients to remove completely.

In these cases, traditional preparation—cooking, pairing with calcium-rich foods, and enjoying in moderation—can make all the difference.

Oxalate overload doesn’t always scream; it whispers—quiet, persistent symptoms that are often misunderstood or brushed off. Some common signs include:

• Achy joints without injury
• Urgency or irritation when urinating
• Sudden skin flares, rashes, or hive
• “Wired but tired” fatigue
• Burning, tingling, or numb hands & feet
• A metallic taste in the mouth
• Recurring UTIs or bladder pain
• Gritty or cloudy urine
• Pain that migrates or feels sharp/stabbing
• Expanding food sensitivities
• Brain fog or mood swings after “healthy” meals

These symptoms aren’t diagnostic on their own

—but they may be your body trying to tell you that something isn’t being handled well.

Oxalates are often overlooked in mainstream nutrition—but they can have a real impact on sensitive individuals.

These needle-like molecules, found in many “superfoods,” don’t just pass harmlessly through the body. They can accumulate in tissues over time—especially in people with gut issues, mineral depletion, or sluggish detoxification.

For many people, having a handful of raw spinach or a few almonds now and then isn’t a big deal. The body is usually equipped to handle small amounts of oxalates when digestion is strong and mineral stores are solid.

But not everyone starts from the same place.

If the gut lining is compromised…

If the kidneys are stressed…

If there’s a backlog of stored oxalates from years of “clean eating”…

If detox pathways are sluggish…

bile flow is slow…

or minerals are depleted…

Then even a little can tip the balance.

This is why one person can drink a green smoothie daily with no issue—while another ends up with rashes, fatigue, or brain fog after just a few sips.

It’s not about fear. It’s about context.

The better question isn’t “Is it healthy?” But rather, “Is it right for me, right now?”

Oxalates aren’t poison—but for a body already weighed down, they can be the straw that breaks the camel’s back.

Think of oxalates like sand in a shoe. One grain is nothing. But a pile? That will change how you walk.

When someone cuts down on high-oxalate foods after years of overexposure, stored oxalates may start to move. This can trigger a temporary return of symptoms—aches, fatigue, rashes, brain fog, and yes—loose stools or diarrhoea are among the most commonly reported effects.

It’s not a detox trend. It’s a real shift—one your body makes when it finally has the margin to clear what’s been building.

We are not dirty machines in need of a purge.

Juicing raw greens is like flooding a fragile garden with a firehose—it may be ‘pure,’ but it can still do damage.

Cold green juices may seem like a shortcut to detox, but they can shock the digestive system—especially if it’s already sluggish or inflamed. True healing is rarely dramatic. It’s quiet. Gentle. Slow.

You don’t have to panic over every beet or almond—but it’s worth remembering traditions.

How people used to handle these foods before the age of juicers and nut flour everything.

Our ancestors didn’t juice kale. They cooked their greens, simmered them with fat, or softened them in soup. Bitter plants were honoured—but tamed.

In traditional Mediterranean homes, spinach was rarely served raw. It was wilted into stews, paired with olive oil and lemon, or folded into cooked dishes like spanakopita—never drunk in a glass. Importantly, oxalate-rich foods were often served alongside dairy, such as yoghurt or cheese. This isn’t just a flavour pairing—it’s functional. Calcium binds to oxalates in the gut, helping to prevent their absorption and support their safe removal from the body.

Fermentation, soaking, and long cooking weren’t trends. They were survival skills, passed down to protect the gut and extract the most nourishment possible.

If you’ve been loading up on almond milk and leafy greens thinking you were protecting your bones—you’re not alone. It’s one of the great wellness ironies. Many of the foods marketed as “high in calcium” also come bundled with compounds that bind that calcium before your body ever gets a chance to use it.

Plant calcium is often locked up—tied to oxalates or phytates, and mostly unavailable.

As Mary Ruddick puts it plainly: “Vegetable calcium is… problematic.”

What your body may actually need is calcium in a form it can recognise and use—like the kind found in dairy. Yoghurt, cheese, cream, even kefir—these are rich in bioavailable calcium and naturally low in oxalates. When eaten alongside high-oxalate foods, they can bind to free oxalates in the gut and help carry them safely out through the stool.

Not a dairy person?

You still have options. Tinned sardines with bones are an excellent source of bioavailable calcium, along with vitamin D, selenium, and healthy fats. Just a few bites offer real support without overcomplicating things.

This is what true nourishment often looks like—adding back in the foods that quietly support balance, rather than constantly chasing the next thing to eliminate.

And for context: our ancestors may have tolerated higher oxalate foods, but they weren’t dealing with everything we are today—antibiotics, chemical residues, depleted soils, disrupted microbiomes, chronic stress and chronic inflammation. Their systems were resilient. Ours need rebuilding.

So yes, preparation still matters—but only after your foundation is strong. Until then, hydration, mineral-rich foods, digestive support, calm nourishment and focusing on gut health are the quiet medicine that matter most.