Dangerous or beneficial: Juicing cruciferous vegetables

(NaturalHealth365) We have been hearing about the negative impact juicing kale, spinach, broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables may have on the body such as the goitrogenic effects.  Some research is saying the effects are not a problem unless we are eating them in their raw state.  Steaming or boiling them is suggested, and the longer the better.  But, is there more to this issue?

This kind of recent research makes me pause a bit because, based on our past experiences with helping others to stay health, including 30 plus years for me and 63 years for my husband Jay Kordich.  It does not make sense to say that cruciferous greens or goitrogenic foods (goiter inducing) need to be cooked in order for them to not provoke the thyroid in negative ways.

What cruciferous vegetables can really do for the human body

Dr. Garnet Chaney provided a powerfully extensive study on cabbage juice and how it literally cured stomach ulcers. He and Jay participated in this study back in the 1960′s with prisoners who were suffering from stomach ulcers; (duodenal and peptic) and found that almost 90% of these ulcers were healed with 60 to 90 days after consuming fresh cabbage juices on a daily basis. Even the British Journal, Lancet showed these powerfully enlightening studies.

Further, Dr. Walker, (Jay’s mentor and master teacher on juicing from the 1930′s through to the mid 1980′s), has said in his book, Raw Vegetable Juices – where he speaks very highly of fresh green juices, including cruciferous vegetables – that they are better digested and consumed in juice form.

My personal (health) experience with juicing

That being said, Jay and I eat and juice a lot of cruciferous vegetables, either in our salads or through juice form. However, we also realize that eating cabbage or broccoli is harder to eat than juicing it.

From our experience: we feel that drinking liquid broccoli juice is by far more concentrated and digestible in juice form than to eat three or four cups!  Yet, we like to mix up juicing them with other vegetables such as carrots, celery, cucumber, beets.

We have been juicing spinach and other cruciferous veggies for many decades, with no goiter abnormalities with our thyroid whatsoever.  We also have not been eating salt like Morton salt – which is inflused with extra iodine.  We use highly mineralized salts like Himalayan or Celtic salts.  And, we eat lots of seaweed on a weekly basis, particularly, I do because of post menopausal symptoms feel better when I eat seaweed.

Remember, these types of salts have a natural balance of all the minerals we need – including iodine.

A word of caution about green juices

On the other hand, we have never suggested drinking pure kale juice, or broccoli juice straight.  We always recommend that greens be combined with other greens or other veggies for better absorption and for concentrated benefits specifically designed for a particular part of the body.  Malic acid, for example, that come from apples, helps draw out the calcium in other vegetables.

This is why Dr. Max Gerson, (Jay’s cancer doctor) used apples in their healing tonics.

We may be old fashioned, but all of our great Master Teachers from the past; Dr. Norman Walker, Dr. Max Gerson and John Lust never spoke about the dangers of consuming kale juice or broccoli or cauliflower juices. On the contrary, they speak highly of the healing benefits to the breast area of our bodies, whether we are men or women.

The danger surrounding a few isolated juicing reports

We like to imagine all these dedicated doctors from the past, including our combined 100 years of studying, observing and teaching by far outweighs a few articles that say that goitrogens may cause thyroid distress. That does not mean we are dead set against some of this research coming out about the juices inhibiting the thyroid’s ability to do its job.

We are just trying to show another side to the benefits of these foods. Sometimes when we read negative studies on foods, we will drop them but we are asking you to think before you eliminate. There are many benefits to eating and juicing these foods!

We may want to observe the research, and then find out for ourselves what feels comfortable, based on our own experiences with these foods.  Bottom line: don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater until more research is found, and always check to see ‘who’ is conducting the research.

Saving the best for last

Here’s a ‘super juice combination’ that is designed to help us combat breast cancer, as well as helping to stave off all potential cancer cells within the body.  Rich in phytochemicals, fiber, super nutrients too, these foods have it all!

Keep in mind, you cannot blend this – it just will not work.  This is a healing juice therapy tonic, so please use your juicer with this particular recipe.

2 cups Broccoli
1 cup or 3 leaves Kale
1 cup Cauliflower
1 inch fresh Ginger Root
2 Apples
8 Carrots

The result?  24-32 ounces of delicious juice. (enjoy!)

About the author: Linda Kordich has been married for 33 years to Jay Kordich, world renown health educator and the “Father of Juicing”. She is the co-author of their new book, Live Foods Live Bodies and teaches throughout the world on the ‘Powers of the Gentle Art of Foods and Juices’. For more information about Jay and Linda Kordich – visit: JayKordich.comJayKordich.com