Celery is a common vegetable that has a ton of health benefits. It’s low in calories, fat-free, and very rich in vitamins and minerals. The plant itself has been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years. Egyptians believed that it could cure skin disorders, while Ancient Romans used it to treat toothaches.

Today, celery has many uses as a natural remedy for conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, colic, and insomnia.

Table of Contents

Celery Benefits
Conclusion

Celery Benefits

Celery contains potassium, iron, and vitamin C as well as several B vitamins (1). It also contains antioxidants such as vitamin E, flavonoids, and phenolic acids that may help reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, and stroke.

1. Lowers blood sugar levels

Celery is rich in insoluble fiber and sodium nitrate, which help lower blood pressure by relaxing the walls of your arteries (2). If you’re taking medication for high blood pressure, talk to your doctor before eating celery daily.

The natural diuretic properties of celery help to flush out excess fluid from your body. This includes any excess insulin that may be present after eating a meal containing carbohydrates such as bread or pasta. This helps to lower blood sugar levels after eating starchy foods that cause a spike in blood glucose levels.

Research shows that eating celery before meals can help lower blood sugar levels after eating because it contains an amino acid called L-canavanine (3). This amino acid stimulates insulin production in the pancreas which helps control blood sugar levels after your meal.

Summary:Due to the fiber and compounds like sodium nitrate and L-canavanine in celery, it has been recommended as a food to eat to keep blood sugar levels stable.

2. Supports gut health

One of the most important health benefits of celery is that it supports gut health. The fiber in celery increases the number of good bacteria in your gut by preventing harmful microbes from sticking to the intestinal wall (4). This allows nutrients to pass through more easily and keeps your digestive tract running smoothly.

Celery has been shown to support gut health, particularly in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (5). The fiber content of celery helps bulk up stool and prevent constipation which may be associated with irritable bowel syndrome. Celery also contains compounds called phthalides, which have been found to protect against bacterial overgrowth in the gut (6).

Summary:Celery is a great food to support gut health by increasing the number of healthy gut bacteria and preventing constipation.

3. Prevents heartburn

When you experience heartburn, it can feel like you’ve swallowed an entire bottle of hot sauce. Heartburn occurs when stomach acid flows back up into your esophagus. This can be painful and cause damage to the lining of your throat and upper digestive tract.

Celery can help prevent heartburn because it contains an amino acid called apiole that reduces stomach acid secretion (7). Apiole works by inhibiting the secretion of gastric acid in the stomach. This can help to reduce heartburn and stomach pain. By reducing gastric acid secretion, apiole also helps maintain healthy levels of stomach enzymes needed for proper digestion.

The best time to eat celery maybe during lunchtime because it keeps you hydrated throughout the afternoon hours. This vegetable also helps reduce bloating due to its high water content.

Summary:Celery contains something called apiole, which has been shown to reduce stomach acid secretion, therefore lowering the possibility of getting heartburn.

4. Supports weight loss

Celery is a great addition to any weight loss diet. It’s low in calories, high in fiber, and extremely filling. Additionally, it contains many nutrients that can help support your body’s metabolism.

Celery contains a compound called 3-n-butylphthalide, which has been shown to stimulate brown fat, which is the fat that burns calories (8). Researchers found that3-n-butylphthalide in celery stimulates brown fat cells to possibly burn more energy.

In addition, celery contains vitamins A, B6, C, and K (9). These nutrients are important in helping the body process carbohydrates or sugars into energy. They also provide energy for other bodily functions like brain activity or immune system function.

Summary:Because celery is low in calories and high in fiber, it can help keep you feeling full and prevent overeating of other foods, which can help aid in weight loss.

5. Keeps you hydrated

Another benefit of celery is that it helps prevent dehydration. This is because it contains high amounts of water content.

Dehydration can occur due to a lack of fluids or excessive perspiration from exercising or just being outside during hot weather conditions. So, consuming that extra water from celery will help keep your body hydrated for longer periods.

In addition to this, celery also contains sodium which helps you to retain fluids in the body by increasing blood volume (10). This can help you deal with headaches, dry mouth, or constipation caused by dehydration.

Summary:Due to the high amount of water in celery, eating it can help prevent dehydration.

6. Reduces inflammation

Celery contains a compound called apigenin, which reduces inflammation in the body (11). Inflammation is the body’s immune response to an injury or infection that causes swelling and irritation of tissue. Chronic inflammation can lead to disease and some types of cancer.

Apigenin has been found to have anti-inflammatory properties in multiple studies (12). This effect may be due to its ability to inhibit the production of cytokines. Cytokines are proteins produced by white blood cells that signal inflammation. Inhibition of these cytokines may help treat conditions such as Crohn’s disease or even ulcerative colitis.

The average diet contains about 5 mg of apigenin per day which is not enough to have a significant effect on inflammation. However, if you eat 3-4 stalks of celery every day, you can increase your daily intake to around 10mg.

Celery also contains a compound called 2-naphthol. This phytonutrient has been shown to inhibit inflammation in several studies on animals and humans. It may also help to lower blood pressure and keep blood vessels healthy by preventing damage from oxidative stress.

Summary:Celery contains apigenin and 2-naphthol, both of which are potent compounds that have been found to help decrease inflammation in the body.

7. May improve vision

Celery is rich in vitamin C, which helps keep your eyes healthy. Vitamin C plays an important role in maintaining the structure and function of the connective tissue that supports several parts of your body including your eyes (13).

Because it helps maintain collagen production, vitamin C keeps the eye tissue healthy and prevents age-related vision problems like cataracts and macular degeneration (14).

Cataracts are cloudy patches on your lenses that cause blurry vision or total loss of vision (15). They’re usually caused by aging but can also be caused by injury or oxidative stress from exposure to sunlight or cigarette smoke.

Summary:Celery is high in vitamin C which can help boost collagen production and keep your eyes healthy.

8. Boosts fertility in men

In recent years, celery has been linked with improving male fertility by enhancing semen quality and quantity. Celery is an incredibly rich source of vitamin K. Vitamin K has been shown to help prevent many conditions that can be a result of poor fertility in men.

A study published in the journal Fertility and Sterility showed that consuming celery daily can increase sperm count in men by up to 79% over 90 days.

The study included 96 men who were randomly assigned to receive either placebo or celery for 90 days. The results showed that the group receiving celery had significantly higher sperm counts than those who received a placebo.

Summary:Celery may help to improve male fertility by increasing sperm count and enhancing semen quality.

9. Helps ease urinary tract infections

Celery has long been considered a natural remedy for many ailments and diseases. One of these is urinary tract infections (16). Celery juice may be helpful for people with UTIs who have had difficulty clearing up their infection with antibiotics (17). It can also be taken in conjunction with antibiotics as a preventive measure against re-infection.

However, it’s important not to take more than one cup of celery juice per day without consulting your doctor first. This is because it can interfere with some medications like digoxin, which is used to treat heart conditions (18).

The celery seed oil also contains chemicals that are thought to help fight UTIs by boosting the immune system. Antibacterial properties in the oil may also help prevent bacteria from adhering to the bladder walls and causing an infection.

Studies have shown that the use of celery seed extract may reduce the risk of UTIs in women who have recurrent infections (19). Celery seeds can even help relieve pain associated with UTIs by relaxing bladder muscles.

Summary:Celery juice and celery seed oil has been found to help clear up urinary tract infections (UTIs) and reduce the risk of getting them in the future.

10. May prevent cancer

The National Cancer Institute reports that celery contains chemicals with anticancer properties. They have been shown to inhibit the growth of many types of tumor cells, including breast cancer cells (20). These chemicals may also prevent the spread of these tumors by stopping them from growing new blood vessels.

One study found that men who ate one cup of raw celery per day had lower levels of prostate-specific antigen, which is a marker for prostate cancer risk.

Another study conducted at Ohio State University found that men who consumed five or more servings per week were 75 percent less likely to develop advanced prostate cancer. This was compared with men who consumed less than two servings per week.

Celery may also help reduce your risk for lung cancer. Researchers found that celery extract helped to prevent lung cancer in mice. The researchers believe that this is due to the apigenin found in celery (21). Apigenin works by inhibiting certain enzymes that promote inflammation and cell growth. Celery extract also reduced the number of lung tumors in mice exposed to tobacco smoke which is known to cause lung cancer.

Summary:Apigenin is a compound in celery, along with others, that has been found to stop the growth of cancerous cells and slow tumor growth in its tracks.

Conclusion

All in all, celery is a worthwhile food to consider adding to your diet. It comprises several essential nutrients, including Vitamins A and C, iron, folic acid, potassium, and manganese. In addition to nutrients, celery boasts phytochemicals that promote heart health and cancer prevention.

How much of these benefits you’ll see in your everyday intake will depend on how frequently you enjoy celery as part of your meals. Hopefully, this article has inspired you to start adding more celery to your diet and reap the health benefits it has to offer. If you enjoy the taste, why not add celery to your plate as well?

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