After medical psychic Anthony William stated that celery juice could cure the gut and prevent chronic sickness, it became an Instagram craze. These advantages were greatly exaggerated and have since been debunked. So, is there any reason to drink celery juice?
At the end of the day, eating celery in its whole-food form is the greatest way to reap its health advantages. But if juicing is your thing, we won’t judge you for it.
Here are a few potential health benefits of celery juice, as well as some cooking strategies to enhance nutrition and reduce kitchen waste.
Celery juice has the following advantages:
Proven advantages:
1. It hydrates.
If you have trouble drinking enough water during the day, celery juice can be a good alternative to ensure you get enough fluids. “Celery juice is a simple approach to fulfilling your hydration goals without adding a lot of sugar to your diet,” explains Amanda Sauceda, RDN. “Because celery juice is over 95% water!” According to Abby Cannon, R.D., the high water content is exactly why it’s so beneficial for juicing.
2. It is vitamin-rich.
“Whole celery includes vital vitamins and minerals such as A, K, C, and B vitamins (folate), beta-carotene (a precursor to vitamin A), calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, manganese, phosphorus, phytonutrients, and fiber,” Cannon explains.
“Some of those key minerals and phytonutrients remain in the juice and provide health advantages when juicing celery,” Sauceda adds. (However, not all: juicing celery removes a lot of its fiber.)
Unproven advantages:
3. It may have anti-inflammatory qualities.
According to one study, the antioxidant levels in celery are high enough to help the body remove free radicals and inflammation. However, it should be noted that this study, like most others, focused on whole celery rather than celery juice. According to Cannon, many of the characteristics that make up the whole vegetable may be transferred when juiced, but this is not guaranteed.
4. It may aid in the reduction of blood pressure.
According to Cannon, “whole celery functions as a natural diuretic, which means it helps reduce water retention and may lower blood pressure.”
Researchers looked at the effect of celery seed extract on rats’ blood pressure in a preclinical trial and discovered that it dropped blood pressure while increasing heart rate in hypertensive rats.
Further investigation discovered that a six-month treatment of celery juice given to a 74-year-old man with high blood pressure reduced his blood pressure from 150/80 mm Hg to 118/82 mm Hg with no other lifestyle changes. This could be due to celery’s high potassium content, which Sauceda claims help regulate blood pressure.
Making Celery Juice at Home
Making celery juice at home is as easy as loading celery stalks into your juicer and pushing the start button. To enhance the flavor, add ingredients such as ginger, berries, and citrus.
“Invest in a high-quality juicer that produces the most juice with the least amount of byproduct or waste,” suggests Cannon. “This guarantees that you get the maximum nourishment from the juicing procedure. "Avoid juicers manufactured mostly of plastic, especially those that come into contact with the vegetables.”
If you don’t have a juicer, Sauceda recommends using a blender instead. “This can help preserve greater fiber content, which is good for gut health,” she says.
Drink the juice right away or refrigerate it for up to three days.
Celery juice has a high nutritional value.
Are you curious about the nutritional value of celery juice? One cup of celery juice contains the following ingredients:
1. 33 kilocalories
2. Carbohydrates: 7 g
3. 0.4 gram of fat
4. 1.6-gram protein
5. 3-gram sugar
6.85 mcg (21% of the daily value) Folate
7. Potassium: 614 mg (13% of the RDA)
8. Vitamin K: 69 mcg (58% of the RDA)
Celery juice side effects
“Those with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may find celery juice uncomfortable because it is high in FODMAPs, carbohydrate types that can occasionally lead to digestive discomfort,” Sauceda explains.
Cannon adds that if you are on sedatives, thyroid drugs, blood clotting medications, or blood pressure medications, you should avoid drinking celery juice. If you’re watching your sodium intake, 1 cup of celery juice has 189 mg of sodium, so it might not be your healthiest drink.
Celery juice sustainability and waste reduction
When possible, use organic celery in your juicing. “Celery is on the Environmental Working Group's "Dirty Dozen" list, which means it contains a lot of pesticides,” explains Cannon. “Pesticides are most likely present in celery juice made from conventionally produced celery.”
You can also discover ways to use up the entire celery, even the part you’re not drinking, to make your juicing practice more sustainable. “Make crackers, muffins, and bread with the pulp." "You can even give it to your pets!” Cannon suggests. “If you don’t plan on using the pulp, compost it.”
The main point.
Is celery juice a safe and healthy beverage for most people? Sure thing. Will it help you lose weight and perform other miracles? Most likely not. “It’s not a miraculous drink that will heal you of everything,” Cannon explains. “However, if you prefer it, eat it as part of a nutritious diet that includes a variety of vegetables, fruits, protein, fiber, and whole grains.”
If celery juice isn’t your style, here are some more green juices that are just as, if not more, helpful to your health.
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