I've just been reading on one of the other lists that greens such as the above and broccoli, collards, spinach etc aren't greens and are not very good for us partly because of oxalic acid and partly because they are so tough that we can't really break down the cells and digest them very well.

Greens - it states are all the different types of lettuce - and that this is really the best for us.

This seems to be at odds with much that I have read and thought I understood to be true.

Opinions please.

thanks Philippa

I don't consider cabbage a green, but broccoli, kale, collards, and spinach, yes, regardless if they have some oxalic acid or not.

Kale seems to be functioning well enough for me as a green: It is my main green, I eat it almost every day in my smoothies, and I am not anemic, have no problem digesting it, and feel very satisfied.

Lettuce is my main ally. I only occasionally eat kale any more. Sometimes I feel like I should because I know it is so nutrient dense. I prefer it juiced when I do consume it. It is harder for me to digest. I don't enjoy broccoli unless it is lightly steamed so I don't eat it ... asparagus too.

flipperjan Wrote:
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> I've just been reading on one of the other lists
> that greens such as the above and broccoli,
> collards, spinach etc aren't greens and are not
> very good for us partly because of oxalic acid and
> partly because they are so tough that we can't
> really break down the cells and digest them very
> well.
>
> Greens - it states are all the different types of
> lettuce - and that this is really the best for
> us.
>
> This seems to be at odds with much that I have
> read and thought I understood to be true.
>
> Opinions please.
>
> thanks Philippa

consider turning off your brain and turn on your senses.

we can be nutritionally satisfied by eating foods:

-that taste good
(this may include greens and veggies at times depending on the person )

-can be properly chewed and digested

question the cultural notion that things should taste bad to be nutritious

wow fresh - you're a bit sharp aren't you

I believe you may have read one of my posts; I read the information on a site ( [www.raw-food-health.net] ) and it is information from a raw foodist about the food. I think the author of the site had mentioned that he had the most success with the 80/10/10 diet, and I can believe that, considering Dr. Doug Graham wrote the book on it, and continued to give advice about vegetables and fruits that are best digested (which I'm guessing he learned from the book). But it seems like he has a lot of information, and i trust that cruciferous vegetables (kale, broccoli, etc.) are not extremely great because of their oxalic acid AND tough cell walls which our pH levels in our stomach are not even strong enough to digest without the aid of a blender or by steaming/cooking etc. So raw is not great with them, plus, they are pretty bitter, and pretty gross if you ask me (plain). Though, right now I'm reading green for life, and the writer had made green smoothies with kale, and other cruciferous vegetables (but also lettuce) and craved the leaves more over time. So it's really whatever you want to believe, but right now I'm pretty sure cruciferous vegetables are not NEEDED for human consumption but can be eaten with the right technique. It's whatever you are comfortable with, or whatever else you decide to learn about the veggies.

plus, anything raw is going to be packed with vitamins and minerals - but they can also do more harm then good.

flipperjan Wrote:
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> wow fresh - you're a bit sharp aren't you


if by that you mean harsh, i don't mean to be.

i'm just saying trust in your senses instead of intellectually analyzing and depending on other peoples opinions.

I have always considered cruciferous vegetables to be VERY healthy to eat. Here is a link to a list of cruciferous vegetables:
[en.wikipedia.org]

I was craving cauliflower for some time, so I considered it to be very healthy for my body at that given time. Had I been eating it when I wasn't drawn to eat it, however, it might not have been so good for my body.

My feelings about greens are the same...if I'm drawn to eat them (and I am, most times), then they are good for my body. However, if they don't taste good to me then my body probably doesn't need what's in them at that moment.

I didn't know kale wasn't considered a green. I think of it as a green.

Lots of love to you,

Wendi
XOXOXO

Phillipa, they are all greens, but there is some truth to what you have read.

Some of them are high in oxalic acids--that doesn't mean you can't get the minerals, only that your body won't use as much of what is available because they will bind tightly to the oxalic acid. Some of them are tough and hard to eat raw. But you still can benefit from their protein, their phytochemicals, their vitamin E, etc.

Generally the baby versions are easier to digest and lower in oxalates. Baby chard, baby spinach, etc. Also you can throw the tougher ones in the blender or shred them.

Also I agree with gorillawar, my main green has been romaine lettuce for years now. I use only handfuls of the others in a day, but maybe 1 lb or more of romaine each day.

Opinion:

Who exactly gets to label something as a 'green' anyway? LOL. Don't lose sight of the REAL process: Asking YOURSELF (after doing the research) what YOU think are the highest foods....and then instituting a program to reach YOUR goals. This process never ends....and our skill at that PROCESS ensures health - not any individual food we eat...as our tastes change over time.

-David Z. Mason

WWW.RawFoodFarm.com

Oxalic acid is neutralized by Vitamin C; juice your cruciferous veg with lemon, y'all. By the way, iLIVE, they are bitter because of metabolic sulfurs, which kill cancer cells. Worth the "taste sensation" to me

I like it as a slaw with garlicky, nutty dressing.