by Matt Weik, BS, CSCS, CPT, CSN
Juicing is a trend that seems to be sticking around in the health and nutrition industry, and it could be due to its ability to help detoxify the body and help prevent or even reverse chronic illnesses. That being said, celery juice consumption is on the rise as more people are purchasing pre-made beverages as well as making celery juice at home.
Taking care of your body is one of the easiest and most important things you can do in this life. Maintaining a healthy diet is an integral part of that process. Celery juice is just one thing to add to your list of superfoods that can improve your health and prolong your life.
Celery is often used in salads or eaten as a standalone vegetable (for what it’s worth, celery with natural peanut butter is the bee’s knees), but you can also blend celery stems and leaves into a drink to get its benefits.
Celery juice contains powerful antioxidants, potassium, essential vitamins like A, C, K, folate, and dietary fiber.
In this article, we are going to take a deeper dive into celery juice to help you better understand all the health benefits you can achieve.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not meant to treat or diagnose any condition. It is recommended that you speak with your doctor before implementing celery juice into your nutrition plan or utilizing juicing.
The Nutritional Value of Celery Juice
Fun Fact: Since most of its plant fiber has been separated, celery juice is packed with more nutrients per serving than celery as a vegetable.
One cup of celery juice provides the following nutritional value:
- Calories: 42.5
- Carbs: 9.5g
- Protein: 2g
- Sugar: 5g
- Calcium: 8% of the Daily Value
- Phosphorus: 5% of the Daily Value
- Magnesium: 7% of the Daily Value
- Sodium: 9% of the Daily Value
- Potassium: 14% of the Daily Value
- Vitamin C: 16% of the Daily Value
- Vitamin A: 7% of the Daily Value
- Vitamin K: 74% of the Daily Value
Celery juice is also rich in many other nutrients, such as copper, folate, zinc, biotin, some B vitamins, and a bunch of antioxidants.
7 Health Benefits of Celery Juice
Celery is one of the most beneficial foods you can juice for your health. Here are seven health benefits of celery juice:
1. Support hydration
Celery juice contains 95% water, which makes it an ideal beverage for keeping your body hydrated. The high water content in celery juice helps flush out toxins from the body and can prevent constipation by lubricating the intestines.
2. Reduce inflammation
Inflammation is one of the leading causes of chronic pain and discomfort). Inflammation has also been linked to illnesses such as asthma, arthritis, osteoarthritis, and gout. All these illnesses can drastically affect mobility and the quality of your life.
The antioxidants in celery juice help fight free radicals that can cause inflammation. Celery contains a good amount of vitamin A, which is needed for healthy skin. In addition, celery juice has vitamin C, which helps fight infections and boost immunity. Celery juice is also high in a plant compound known as phytonutrients, which may reduce inflammation.
3. May benefit cardiovascular health
Much evidence shows that there is a strong link between oxidative stress and hypertension. Getting rid of free radicals that lead to oxidative stress can reduce blood pressure. Vegetable juices such as kale, cucumbers, apples, lemon, ginger, and celery juice might be beneficial for this purpose.
Celery leaves also contain flavonoids, such as apigenin, that are potent antioxidants. These phenolic compounds can affect lipid accumulation and metabolism. Low serum cholesterol helps to avoid hypertension, atherosclerosis, and other cardiovascular illnesses.
4. Support skin health
Celery juice helps boost collagen production in the body and therefore supports healthy skin. Collagen keeps your skin hydrated and supple. This can make you look younger as it reduces signs of aging like wrinkles and sagging skin by boosting collagen production in the body.
Also, celery juice is packed with vitamin A, folate, and vitamin C, all of which help in avoiding inflammation and infections. In addition to that, celery juice has antioxidant properties that may keep pimples, acne, and blemishes at bay.
5. May help prevent cancer
Since antioxidants may help protect your cells against free radicals, they can help prevent heart disease, cancer, and even aging. Celery contains phytonutrients called glucosinolates that help fight cancer by reducing oxidative stress on cells and increasing cell survival rates.
Celery also contains vitamins C and K, both of which have been shown to prevent certain cancers, such as cervical cancer or bladder cancer, when consumed in large amounts daily over an extended period.
6. It can help to stabilize mood
Celery contains tryptophan, an amino acid that helps produce serotonin in the brain. Serotonin helps regulate mood and sleep cycles. Therefore, drinking celery juice may help to stabilize your mood and improve your sleep quality. Celery also contains the nutrient folate, which helps support mental performance.
7. It may prevent liver disease
Liver disease is a condition where your liver cannot perform its normal functions properly for several reasons, such as alcohol abuse, hepatitis B or hepatitis C infection, fatty liver, and even cirrhosis (scarring).
Celery stalks and leaves have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that can positively impact the liver. The polyphenols help remove the accumulated free radicals and toxins in our body. In our system, they increase the activity of antioxidant enzymes such as glutathione reductase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase.
