Most people choose to eat celery stalks, but the celery leaves and seeds are also edible and beneficial .
For example, celery leaves are a great addition to stir-fries and soups.
Celery seeds, which can be found in whole seed form, in extract form, or ground, have impressive health benefits on their own as they help reduce inflammation and fight bacterial infections.
In some places, celery is grown for its beneficial seeds, which are actually a very small type of fruit.
Celery seeds are commonly used as a spice when crushed and contain a special oily compound called apiol that is used as a flavoring agent and for many medicinal uses.
Taking this into account, we are going to know precisely the health benefits of celery which are the following:
The benefits of celery include its cholesterol-lowering power which makes it useful for improving or maintaining heart health.
Celery contains a unique compound called 3-n-butylphthalide (BuPh) that has previously been reported to have lipid-lowering action, but researchers believe that celery has many other beneficial compounds that are still emerging in research.
In a study conducted by the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Singapore, when rats were fed a high-fat diet for eight weeks, rats given celery extract showed significantly lower levels of lipids in their blood compared to the control group rats that did not receive celery extract.
The group that supplemented with celery extract experienced a beneficial reduction in the concentrations of total serum cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and triglycerides (TG).
2.- Decreases inflammation
Celery contains antioxidants and polysaccharides that are known to act as anti-inflammatories, especially flavonoid and polyphenolic antioxidants.
These support general health , especially as we age, fighting free radical damage (or oxidative stress) that can lead to inflammation.
Inflammation often contributes to chronic diseases like cancer, heart disease, arthritis, and many more.
Researchers have recognized more than a dozen different types of antioxidants that are cited as largely responsible for the benefits of celery;
These include phenolic acids like caffeic acid and ferulic acid , as well as flavonoids like quecetin.
This makes celery useful for treating a wide range of conditions aggravated by inflammation: joint pain (such as arthritis), gout, kidney and liver infections, skin disorders, irritable bowel syndrome, and urinary tract infections, to name a few.
3.- Benefits of celery for high blood pressure
Celery seed extracts have antihypertensive properties that help reduce high blood pressure , one of the major risk factors for coronary heart disease that is the leading cause of death in industrialized countries.
The health benefits of celery seeds include helping to control chronic high blood pressure levels.
Celery’s benefits for lowering blood pressure come from its seeds, which contain aqueous hexanic, methanolic, and ethanolic extracts that improve circulation, decrease inflammation, and help control blood pressure.
When rats received celery seed extract for a period of seven weeks, they experienced significant improvement in the levels of blood pressure as compared to rats fed the same diet but without receiving celery extract.
Celery is believed to help lower high blood pressure by acting as a smooth muscle relaxant and improving the flow of calcium and potassium to and from cells.
Celery extract helps improve blood flow and support overall heart health.
4.- Helps prevent ulcers
Here’s one of the benefits of celery that you may not know about: it can help prevent or reduce painful ulcers.
A 2010 study published in the Journal of Pharmaceutical Biology found that celery possesses a special type of ethanol compound that is helpful in protecting the lining of the digestive tract from ulcers.
Celery extract has the ability to significantly replenish depleted gastric mucus levels that are needed in the stomach lining to prevent the formation of small holes and openings.
Researchers believe that celery nourishes the stomach, colon, and intestines due to the presence of chemical components such as flavonoids, tannins, volatile oils, and alkaloids that control the level of gastric acid released while improving the level of protective mucus.
5.- Benefits of celery for liver
When researchers from the Department of Nutrition and Food Science at Helwan University in Egypt fed celery to rats (along with chicory and barley), these rats experienced a reduction in the amount of dangerous fat accumulation within the liver .
Precisely, when the researchers supplemented the high-cholesterol diets of rats with celery, chicory and barley powder, they observed an improvement in liver enzyme function and blood lipid levels.
The more celery, chicory, and barley the rats received, the better their liver health.
This suggests that a diet rich in celery, as well as chicory and barley, may be beneficial for people suffering from liver disease.
6.- Benefits of celery for weight loss
Celery is extremely low in calories and can be a valuable food in helping you lose weight due to its ability to provide vital nutrients and to help regulate lipid (fat) metabolism.
One of the main health benefits of celery is that it is very rich in nutrients, which means that it provides antioxidants, electrolytes, vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C, B vitamins and potassium, all with very few calories.
7.- Increases digestion and reduces bloating
Celery seeds contain a compound that has a diuretic effect and helps the body detoxify.
In rat studies, urine volume was significantly higher when rats received celery extract compared to a control group.
The digestive benefits of celery are due in part to its diuretic effect .
This could also be one of the possible antihypertensive mechanisms in celery seeds that helps lower blood pressure.
Because it improves circulation within the intestines, it is also helpful in improving digestion by helping to relieve bloating and bloating due to water retention.
8.- Contains antimicrobial properties
Celery seeds have been used for centuries as an herbal medicine with reported antibacterial effects .
A 2009 report published in the Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology shows that celery contains special antimicrobial components found in the seeds of the celery plant.
When the extract was extracted from celery seeds and combined with harmful bacterial compounds that cause infection in humans, the celery extract was able to significantly purify and reduce the growth of bacteria , suggesting that celery can be used to boost immunity and fight bacterial infections.
9.- Helps prevent urinary tract infections
Because celery helps reduce uric acid and stimulates urine production, celery benefits are good for fighting bacterial infections in the digestive tract and reproductive organs.
Similar to lingonberries that are known to fight urinary tract infections (UTIs), celery can help prevent such UTIs, as well as bladder disorders, kidney problems, and possibly even cysts in the reproductive organs.
10.- Benefits of celery for cancer
Another one of the important health benefits of celery?
It is in the same plant family as cancer-protective vegetables , such as carrots, celery, fennel, parsley, and parsnip, which contain chemoprotective compounds called polyacetylenes.
Early studies have shown that polyacetylenes help reduce toxicity and fight cancer formation, specifically breast cancer, intestinal cancer, and leukemia.
Polyacetylanes have many immune-boosting effects, including tumor-fighting abilities that prevent mutated cells from proliferating.
According to the faculty of the Department of Agricultural Sciences at the University of Aarhus in Denmark, “Polyacetylenes have shown many interesting bioactivities, including anti-inflammatory, antiplatelet, cytotoxic, antitumor activity, as well as activity against bacteria and mycoplasmas.”
Celery history
Celery is a very old vegetable, with records showing that celery leaves were part of the remains found in the tomb of the pharaoh ” King Tutankhamun “, who died in 1323 BC.
In ancient Greece, celery leaves were used as garlands for the dead and to make crowns or crowns that were given to the winners of battles.
Celery is even mentioned in Homer’s The Iliad and The Odyssey; Horses were said to grow on wild celery that grew in Troy.
In the past, celery was grown as a vegetable primarily during the winter and early spring months .
People liked to eat celery to help with “cleanse” and believed that celery acted as a natural detox tonic that could prevent disease.
Celery seeds were also used to help relieve pain.
How to buy and store celery
Today, in North America, the most widely cultivated and consumed type of celery is called “celery pascal”, while in Europe the celery “celeriac” is more popular.
Celery is considered a long-season crop and somewhat difficult to grow as it needs constant moisture and cannot withstand heat very well.
It grows best in cool, humid climates and can be found most times of the year, especially during the fall and winter months.
Knowing that celery is one of the most chemically sprayed vegetables out there, always look for organic celery whenever possible to get the best benefits from celery without consuming toxins and chemicals.
The 2014 Environmental Working Group report shows that celery is generally sprayed with various types of pesticides and is on the list of the “Dirty Dozen” fruits and vegetables that contain the most pesticide residues.
When choosing celery, make sure the stalks appear firm and not too flexible.
If the stems still have their leaves attached, look for brightly colored leaves that won’t wilt.
Don’t wash the celery right away after bringing it home, as this can cause it to go faster.
Store dried celery , wrapped in a paper towel if desired, in the refrigerator for about 5-7 days maximum.
After this time, the celery tends to weaken and its nutrient content begins to decrease.
Freezing celery is also not recommended because it wilts easily and will turn mushy once thawed.
To clean and cut the celery, discard the base which is usually firm and white.
You can save the leaves and use them in recipes, such as soups or stir-fries.
Celery leaves are a good source of vitamins and minerals just like the stalks, so don’t waste them!
Rinse the celery stalks and leaves well to remove stubborn pesticide spray dirt and then cut the stalks into pieces.
Nutrition facts of celery
Celery contains minerals such as calcium, sodium, copper, magnesium, iron, zinc, and potassium.
It contains fatty acids and vitamins including vitamin A, K, C, E, D, and the B vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, folate, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12). It also contains fiber.
How to use celery
It is readily available in markets around the world.
Choose the one that is green, has no discoloration, has crisp, fresh leaves; store in refrigerator and use in 5-7 days; make sure not to freeze it.
•Salad : Add chopped celery leaves to vegetables or meat of your choice. Add salt and crushed pepper to the salad. For the dressing, drizzle with lime juice and olive oil.
•Fruit Salad : Mix apple slices, walnuts, such as peanuts, raisins, etc., with the chopped celery leaves in a bowl. Mix the orange juice with mayonnaise and pour over the mixture.
•Soups : Add celery stalks and leaves to soups, sauces, etc. according to your choice.
The seeds of this vegetable contain volatile oils, flavonoids, coumarins and linoleic acid , and therefore are not good for pregnant women because they can cause contractions in the uterus.
Other than that, eat as many healthy, green, crisp stems as you can!
Side effects of celery
Unreasonable amounts of celery could induce nutrient deficiencies, lack of energy, decreased brain function, gastrointestinal problems, and gallstones.