How Healthy is Celery?

Celery is a crunchy and refreshing vegetable that has long been popular as a healthy snack food. With its low-calorie content and high water content, celery is often touted as a weight-loss-friendly food, and it’s also known for its high fiber and antioxidant content. However, despite its reputation as a healthy food, some people may wonder just how healthy celery really is.

Although most people are aware that celery is low in calories, few know how powerfully this antioxidant-rich vegetable may improve both immediate and long-term health. Celery may not have the most exciting flavor, but what it lacks in flavor, it makes up for in nutrients. Furthermore, its mild flavor and aroma may be one of its most substantial assets since it works well as a dipping vehicle and in various soups and salads.

Celery

Celery is a member of the Umbelliferae family, including carrots and parsnips. According to historians, it is thought to have originated in the Mediterranean region, where it was esteemed for its medicinal powers. Most people today associate celery with the famous green stalks cultivated in California, Florida, and Michigan. Green stalk celery, often known as Pascal celery, comes in various local kinds, such as Tall Utah and Golden Boy. The stalks of other varieties, such as Safir and Par Cel, are thinner, and the leaves are more aromatic.

Celery Nutrition Facts

celery nutrition facts

What Is Exactly Celery?

Celery is a wetland plant related to carrots and parsley in the same family. It grows in bunches of eight to ten and has long, sturdy, pale green fibrous stalks. At the apex, the stalks taper into leaves. The leaves are edible, even though most people throw them away. Celery has a flavor that is mild, earthy, and slightly spicy. Celery is an excellent nutritional addition for most of us, but some may be allergic to it. Symptoms of a mild reaction include itching the mouth or tongue, sneezing, and a runny nose. It’s also worth noting that celery is high in oxalates, so it’s not recommended for people who have kidney stones or other kidney problems. If you are concerned about or have kidney-related health issues, consult your doctor.

How Healthy Is Celery?

Celery is an excellent source of fiber and is widely regarded as one of the healthiest foods available. Given the vegetable’s low-calorie count, its fiber level is awe-inspiring. This makes it an excellent choice for people looking to lose weight or maintain a healthy digestive system.

Celery also has the following advantages:

Cancer Prevention

Antioxidants abound in celery. Flavonoids and vitamin C, as well as lunular and bergapten, are among the most well-known. These and other antioxidants aid in preventing oxidative stress, which is linked to the development of cancer.

Blood Pressure Management

The phytochemical phthalides are abundant in celery. This chemical improves healthy blood flow by relaxing arterial wall tissues. Blood pressure may be reduced as a result of increased blood flow. Both systolic and diastolic blood pressure was reduced in participants in a well-known trial employing celery seed extract.

Alzheimer’s Disease Prevention And Treatment

According to studies, L-3-n-butylphthalide, a celery seed extract, increases cognition and memory. This extract may help treat Alzheimer’s disease and prevent it from occurring in the first place.

May Support Heart Health

Despite its high water content, celery contains various vitamins and minerals, including potassium and calcium, both of which are beneficial to heart health. It also contains folate and vitamin K, both necessary for red blood cell production and good blood coagulation. Celery also contains beneficial plant components known as flavonoids, anti-inflammatory, and cardiovascular-protective properties. High-fiber diets, such as celery, are linked to a lower risk of heart disease.

May Support Digestive Function

Celery is high in both soluble and insoluble fiber, beneficial to digestive health. Celery extract’s phytonutrient concentration was also found to be effective for maintaining digestive mucosa, which may protect against gastric ulcers, according to a 2010 animal study.

How Much Celery Can I Eat A Day?

It’s a good idea to consider the quantity and quality of the celery you select. Choose organic celery over conventional types whenever possible, as it is exposed to fewer toxic pesticides, and limit your quantities.
Side effects are rare if you consume celery as a daily snack or drink celery juice daily, but if you’re ingesting excessive amounts of the vegetable, it’s a good idea to cut back. A cardiologist from the Cleveland Clinic Foundation’s Family Health Center, Kenneth Shafer, MD, suggests eating four stalks of celery every day or one cup of chopped celery. Make sure you’re consuming enough other vegetables, as this will help you acquire enough nutrients.

What Are The Side Effects Of Celery?

Here are some side effects also of celery:

Allergies

People who are allergic to certain other plants and spices, such as wild carrot, mugwort, birch, and dandelion, may experience allergic reactions to celery. The “celery-carrot-mugwort-spice syndrome” has been coined to describe this phenomenon.

Bleeding Disorder

When used in medicinal doses, celery has been linked to an increased risk of bleeding. If you have a bleeding issue, avoid celery.

Kidney Problems

If you have kidney problems, don’t take celery in large doses. Celery has the potential to produce inflammation.

Low blood Pressure

Celery, in therapeutic doses, may help to decrease blood pressure. If your blood pressure is already low, celery may cause it to drop even further.

Surgery

Celery has a calming effect on the neurological system. When combined with anesthetic and other drugs used before and after surgery, Celery is thought to slow down the central nervous system too much. Celery should be avoided for at least two weeks before a scheduled surgery.

How To Use Celery?

Celery

Here are a lot of uses of celery:

Stock

When creating vegetable, meat, or fish stock, celery is a great addition. Because of its hardiness, it can be boiled for several hours and will not impart any color to the stock. Use the main stalks for flavor (cut them into large chunks to avoid disintegration) and the thin leafy end as the base for a bouquet garni, a bundle of herbs linked together to flavor stocks and sauces.

Celery Gratin

Use celery in a creamy baked gratin to give it a chance to shine. This version has a nutty topping and utilizes two heads of celery. However, you may scale the recipe down depending on the amount of celery you have on hand — be careful when modifying liquid levels.

Crudités

Crunchy crudités are always a crowd-pleaser at buffets. If your celery is still fresh, cut it up and serve it with creamy hummus. Combine celery, chilled grapes, and cheddar cubes for a healthful snack to stave off mid-afternoon hunger.

Waldorf Slaw

In the original Waldorf salad, celery is a significant ingredient. This homemade coleslaw adds a new dimension to the dish. It requires four celery sticks and keeps for three days in the fridge. Pack cold cuts or pies in your lunchbox, add to sandwiches or jacket potatoes or serve on a buffet.

Celery Soup

If you have a surplus of celery, blitzing it into a smooth soup with potatoes and garlic is the best to use it. This simple combination provides a super-satisfying veggie lunch with a bit of crusty bread.

Herby Celery & Bulgur Salad

This recipe uses a large amount of celery, but it would still work if you only had a few sticks left over. Celery leaves are also used, which are edible and can be used in salads or sandwiches. This vegan salad has a sensory thrill because of the combination of almonds, pomegranates, herbs, and wheat.

Caponata

A Sicilian vegetable stew with aubergines, tomatoes, capers, and raisins that goes great with garlicky crostini or as part of an antipasti platter. Cook until the vegetables are tender but not split up.

Italian Sausage & Pasta Pot

While many soups and sauces only call for one or two celery sticks, this hearty broth uses three in one go. Combine stock, sausages, and beans with the typical ingredients for’soffrito’ — the Italian word for slowly sweating celery, onions, and carrots.

Conclusion

Celery has a low glycemic index and is high in vitamins and minerals. When you eat celery, you’ll get vitamins A, K, and C and minerals like potassium and folate. It also has a low salt content. It also has a low glycemic index, which affects your blood sugar slowly and steadily. Celery has minerals like magnesium, iron, and sodium, which can help to neutralize acidic foods – not to mention that these elements are required for vital body activities.