Kale is the superfood of the 21st century. It has reached superstar status among health nuts and everyday folks. It has become a snackable chip and the darling of morning smoothies. Just when everything seemed to be on the up-and-up, someone had to pop a needle into the green balloon.
In an opinion piece in the New York Times, Jennifer Berman, a health food fanatic for over 25 years, learned that her thyroid problems may be the result of consuming too many cruciferous vegetables, including kale and broccoli.
How does one go about consuming too much kale?
By drinking it! Which is exactly what happens when you buy a $500 Vitamix and employ it daily to gulp down copious amounts of nutrients that you otherwise have to chew on for hours to ingest.
Kale, when consumed in very large quantities, may lead to hypothyroidism, according to experts cited in this NPR report. Other curciferous vegetables that share this similar trait include broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, turnips, and bok choy. Don’t worry, eating these veggies several times a week is perfectly fine, and recommended for healthy people. It’s the overdoing with smoothies that may cause problems. If you can, try to eat your veggies, not drink them.
Are you a kale junkie?