Did you know that kale can worsen medical conditions like Hyperkalemia? Drinking kale juice is the easiest and most effective way to reap its benefits, and yet it also aggravates the side effects of juicing kale.
This green leafy veggie is a common ingredient for green juices nowadays. But as with anything else, too much of something is also harmful.
In this article, I will share with you very important facts that you should be aware of before you add kale as part of your green juice consistently. You will learn if its benefits outweigh the possibilities of side effects.
Most importantly, by the time you’re done reading this, you’ll have a clear idea of how to avoid these side effects altogether.
Side Effects of Juicing Kale
When you eat kale, you don’t consume as much. Since it’s particularly tough to eat on its own, besides the fact that it doesn’t really taste good, it is better to juice it. That is why juicing kale is where most of the side effects can happen.
The side effects are actually tied up to the kale’s nutritional benefits. I believe this is the best way to classify these, allowing us to be more aware of the risks.
Too Much Potassium
Kale is very rich in potassium. However, if you already have already been diagnosed with high potassium levels, or have a condition known as hyperkalemia, then the positive effects become harmful instead.
How do you know if you too much of this nutrient? Well, there’s no clear way of determining it on your own. However, symptoms of high potassium levels include a feeling of tiredness or weakness, chest pains, and irregular heartbeats.
Iron Overload
Having healthy amounts of iron is very good for our overall health. It is very important in the production of hemoglobin in our red blood cells. This substance helps distribute oxygen throughout the body. However, there are rare cases when people have too much iron in their system.
If you have excess iron, drinking kale juice will spike it up even more. This can cause organ poisoning, which leads to conditions like cancer. The best way to know if have this is to consult your doctor following these symptoms: irregular heart rhythm, arthritis, or darkening of the skin.
Large Amounts of Vitamin K
Kale is abundant in vitamin K, in fact, we might as well call it “vitamin Kale”. However, if you have issues with blood clotting, drinking kale juice may worsen the condition. This is especially true if you’re taking blood thinning medications or aspirins for your heart.
It may be a cliche, but you will need to consult your doctor first if you want to include kale in your diet. More so if you’re planning to add it to your juice.
Too Little Calories
It is true that kale contains very little calories. As a matter of fact, one cup of kale only has 36 calories. It might be an ideal item to have for your juice, but if you’re adding other low-calorie ingredients too, then you might end up having too little calories.
Everything should be in moderation. Consuming very small amounts of calories can cause problems with blood sugar levels and vitamin deficiencies. The best way to tell this is if you feel dizzy after drinking your juice.
Barring all the possible medical conditions above, the most common side effect that you’re going to experience with juicing too much kale is stomach discomfort. You may most likely experience some gas and bloating, stomach cramps, or even diarrhea.
If you’ve recently added kale to your juicing ingredients, you need to go easy on the amounts. Kale is high in raffinose, which is a type of sugar that cannot be digested by your small intestines.
Kale Juicing Benefits
Despite its possible side effects, kale continues to be a popular and effective juice ingredient. Once you have consulted with your doctor and ruled out all the medical conditions mentioned above, you should be adding kale to your juice.
Aside from having large amounts of vitamin K, iron, and potassium, and being low on calorie, Kale also gives the following benefits.
- Improves the immune system by detoxifying the body
- Fights inflammation, such as arthritis
- Lowers blood pressure and strengthens the heart muscles
- A boost in antioxidants, which helps protect the body from diseases
The key to reaping the benefits of kale, and in every other juicing ingredients for that matter, is to add them in moderation. Our body can only take too much and that includes all types of chemicals, whether nutritional or not.
How Much Kale Juice Should I Drink A Day?
The good thing about eating veggies is that there is far less possibility of over consuming it. On the other hand, if you juice your veggies, you are able to ingest more nutrients.
Unfortunately, you might end up consuming too much than your body can take. This is especially true if you already have too much of these nutrients in your system.
A cup of kale juice per day should be more than enough. One cup usually means about 1 1/2 bunches of dinosaur kale. The actual amount of kale needed will vary depending on the juicer you’re using.
If you want to regularly juice kale or create green juices, investing in a good masticating juicer will save you a lot on the cost of ingredients in the long run. Tribest Slowstar SW-2000-B is a great vertical juicer that can effectively juice greens with its double auger feature.
Wrapping It Up
Kale is a very popular green veggie to people who are following a healthy diet. It’s packed with amazing nutrients and best consumed as a juice. The side effects of juicing kale are nothing to worry about if you do not have the conditions mentioned earlier and if you consume it in moderate amounts.