Celery (Apium graveolens) is an extremely old vegetable, with records showing that parts of the plant were found in the tomb of the pharaoh “King Tutankhamun,” who died in 1323 B.C.
In the past, celery was grown as a vegetable mostly during the winter and in the early spring months. People mostly liked to eat it to help with “cleansing” and believed that it acted as a natural detox tonic that could prevent sickness. Celery may be eaten raw in salads or alone by juicing, or boiled with sauces and as a condiment for soups, stews, etc. It can also be used as an aromatic ingredient and besides the stalks, the leaves and seeds of the plant are also used.
CELERY JUICE- A medicinal remedy
The concept of celery juice as a cure-all in the modern age came from medical medium Anthony William, who's been preaching this health hack for the past 20 years.
He also advises that, “If you drink your celery juice empty stomach without adding salt or lemon, first thing in the morning, it will also strengthen your digestion of foods you eat for the rest of the day.
There is research that says that the antioxidant compounds in celery can help remove free radicals, says functional medicine doctor Jill Baron, M.D., However, she adds that "we don't have the research in humans at this time to verify all the claims."
What makes Celery so beneficial?
Apparently celery is able to starve pathogens, plus it contains a multitude of undiscovered mineral salts that act together as an antiseptic. When these powerful mineral salts make contact with viruses and bacteria such as Epstein-Barr, HHV-6, Shingles, Streptococcus; and other pathogens (which are troublemakers, responsible for chronic illness) the salts begin to break down the pathogens’ cell membranes, eventually killing and destroying them.
Celery’s naturally occurring sodium actually helps stabilize blood pressure, bringing it down when it’s too high and up when it’s too low. Further, it won’t dehydrate your organs—instead, it clings to toxic, dangerous salts from poor-quality foods and helps draw them out of your body while replacing them with undiscovered cluster salts.
Benefits of Celery Juice
- Rich in several nutrients:
Celery juice is very nutrient-dense. It is also low in calories but high in several vitamins and minerals. In particular, the celery juice nutrition profile offers a good amount of vitamin A, vitamin K and folate. It also contains an array of other key micronutrients as well, including potassium, vitamin C and manganese.
- High in antioxidants:
Antioxidants are compounds that help fight disease-causing free radicals to protect cells against damage.
One of the top health benefits of celery juice is its antioxidant content. In fact, a review in Iran actually found that celery is a good source of several powerful antioxidants, including kaempferol, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, luteolin and saponin. According to an animal study published in the journal Molecules, celery juice was also able to prevent oxidative stress in rats treated with Doxorubicin, a type of chemotherapy drug.
- May Help Reduce Inflammation:
Studies show that celery may contain several key compounds that can help decrease inflammation in the body. Not only can this potentially decrease symptoms of inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn’s disease, but it could also help protect against chronic diseases as well.
- Supports Hydration:
Celery has a high water content and is actually composed of about 95 percent water by weight. Thanks to its water content, celery juice can help promote proper hydration, which is essential to overall health.
- Can decrease Blood Pressure:
Some studies suggest that celery juice benefits heart health and could potentially help lower blood pressure. One 2015 animal model published in the Avicenna Journal of Phytomedicine showed that celery leaf extract was effective at decreasing systolic blood pressure in mice. Not only that, but it was also able to improve other aspects of heart health and helped lower levels of triglycerides and “bad” LDL and VLDL cholesterol.
How do you know whether celery juice is working for you or not?
Consume it for 15 days to 1 month & then stop. You'll know if it's working for you or not.
Are there any downsides for consuming celery juice?
Phototoxic psoralens or furocoumarins, compounds present in celery, which are activated by ultraviolet sunlight and can cause dermatitis and sunburn and increase the risk of skin cancer. Celery might increase your sensitivity to sunlight.
Just like grapefruit juice, celery juice contains natural chemicals called furanocoumarins that have been known to interact with certain medications (causing concentration levels to rise) within your body.
Also Celery is high in oxalates. Oxalates are compounds that are found in many plant foods, including celery. In some individuals, consuming a high-oxalate diet can increase the risk of kidney stones. One stalk of celery contains 3 mg of oxalates & when consumed in juice form the oxalate levels can go to 1 gm. If you have sensitivity to oxalates, then celery juice might impact your health negatively
iThrive’s take on Celery juice:
We often recommended celery juice to our patients who come to us with chronic health issues. The ones who benefit the most are the ones with gut health issues especially the ones with acid reflux, hyperacidity or H.pylori infections. We’ve also seen it work really well in people who have high blood pressure. However, given that it is high in oxalates, we really tread with caution with celery juice. Some of our patients have instantly seen negative reactions to celery juice.
As always, if you want to figure out which foods should fit into your personalized nutrition plan, reach out to us and we’d be happy to help.
References:
- https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-882/celery
- https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/science-behind-celery-juice-trend
- https://www.frutas-hortalizas.com/Vegetables/About-Celery.html
- https://www.stjoes.ca/patients-visitors/patient-education/patient-education-k-o/pd-9447-oxalate-in-food.pdf
