If let's say its blocking light from getting to a chunk of the plant I would remove it. You don't want to go overboard and strip the plant which is easy to do when you get into the flow.

If they aren't getting light or are blocking a lot of light, then go ahead and cut them. Outdoors you should have very good light penetration though.

With all due respect to my partner, Mother Nature is wise and the perfect plant as it is, but in these human realms, tools were created and hands were born that every farmer understands, so some remove them with good experiences, and this is what I invite you to experiment with, to remove some and see the difference, cheers

Removing leaves just reduces your plants capacity to make energy, thereby slowing growth. Just remember - Maximum amount of healthy green leaves = maximum energy production = maximum growth. Besides, if your plant did not need those leaves, it would not have grown them in the first place! Let them grow wild and free, just like Mother Nature intended! Good luck and happy growing, Organoman.