Amazing to Know: What Organ Do Green Vegetables Affect According to the Rambam?

Those who delve into various health articles, including the writings of the Rambam, find numerous intersections between the teachings of the greatest physician of all time and ancient Chinese medicine.

For instance, the Rambam claims that it is good to consume cruciferous vegetables like steamed broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts at least twice a week. He explains that eating green vegetables extraordinarily benefits the health of the liver and kidneys. Ancient Chinese medicine also shares this view, as "a diet rich in leafy vegetables contributes to the proper functioning of the kidneys," according to an article originally written by Chinese researchers and translated into English.

As is known, the kidneys require good substances to do their job properly, filtering waste and urea from the blood. One of the best contributors to strengthening them and ensuring their correct function is a proper diet that includes vegetables like parsley, cilantro, spinach, broccoli, celery, dill, and more.

Being packed with minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants, sprouts such as sunflower, broccoli, alfalfa, and fenugreek are excellent for maintaining the health of the kidneys and liver, according to not only ancient Chinese medicine.

The Fine Print

Nevertheless, it is important to know that although they are green, spinach and beet greens are not recommended for people who are prone to developing kidney stones.

And why?

Remember this word: oxalate.

Oxalate is a type of acid that, when it comes into contact with other substances, forms a soluble salt that creates kidney stones. You might be surprised to learn that oxalate is responsible for more than 80 percent of cases where kidney stones are discovered, which is 20 times more than calcium, which also, at high levels in urine, can lead to kidney stones.

Leafy vegetables such as parsley, spinach, cilantro, celery, and others are rich in oxalate, so even with leafy vegetables, one should not overdo it and should consume them in suitable amounts.

These 'greens' are good for treating kidney stones—the Rambam opines that drinking tea from sage or basil leaves is excellent for this purpose.