Health Benefits of Celery

Celery (Apium graveolens L) is a vegetable belonging to the apiaceae plant family, which also includes parsley and fennel.

Celery has a crunchy texture and slightly bitter taste and can be consumed both fresh and cooked in dishes like salads and soups. It's also popularly enjoyed as a juice.

Celery is nutritious and adding it to your diet may benefit health in several ways, such as improving your antioxidant intake and promoting healthy blood pressure levels.

Here's everything you need to know about celery, including its health benefits, nutrition, and how to incorporate this popular vegetable into your diet.

May Improve Heart Health

Celery contains several plant compounds and nutrients that benefit heart health. Some research shows that consuming celery and celery products may reduce heart disease risk factors like high blood pressure levels.

Celery is rich in chemical compounds called phthalides, which may help relax blood vessels and lower blood pressure levels. The flavonoids found in celery, including apigenin, may also help reduce blood vessel inflammation and promote the release of nitric oxide, a signaling molecule that dilates blood vessels and improves blood flow.

A 2021 study reported that a 74-year old man with newly diagnosed hypertension used celery juice to naturally reduce his blood pressure. After drinking juice made with one bunch of celery daily for six months, the man's systolic pressure decreased by approximately 32 mm Hg (millimeters of mercury). It's important to note that the man made no other dietary or lifestyle changes other than adding celery juice to his daily diet.

The researchers noted that, in addition to plant compounds that have blood pressure-lowering properties, celery juice is high in potassium, a mineral needed for blood pressure regulation. Depending on the size, a bunch of celery containing 12 stalks can provide between 11 to 42% of your daily needs for potassium.

Older research also shows that people who consume more cooked celery tend to have lower blood pressure levels than those who don't.

The phytochemicals found in celery may also reduce cardiovascular inflammation and prevent atherosclerosis, or the buildup of plaque in the arteries, which may protect against heart disease.

Additionally, research shows that increasing your intake of vegetables in general could help reduce heart disease risk and protect against heart disease-related death.

Provides Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Compounds

Celery contains a variety of substances that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in the body. Antioxidants help prevent cellular damage by neutralizing highly reactive compounds before they cause damage to lipids, DNA, and proteins.

Many antioxidant compounds also have anti-inflammatory properties, helping to regulate inflammation in the body, which can protect against cellular and tissue damage and lower the risk of inflammation-mediated diseases.

Caffeic acid, ferulic acid, apigenin, p-coumaric acid, luteolin, and kaempferol, are just a few examples of the powerful antioxidants found in celery.

Studies show that consuming an antioxidant-rich diet can protect against common health conditions such as heart disease and neurodegenerative disease. For example, a 2021 study that included data on over 76,000 US adults found that those with a higher intake of flavonoids had a lower risk of developing cognitive decline. When compared to people with the lowest intake of flavonoids, people with the highest intake had a 19% lower risk of cognitive decline.

What’s more, the flavonoids concentrated in celery may help reduce the risk of heart disease by protecting against the development of inflammation, atherosclerosis, and blood clots.

Nutritional Facts of Celery

Celery is a good source of several nutrients, including fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Additionally, celery is very low in carbohydrates, making it a popular vegetable amongst those following low-carb diets, like the keto diet.

Here's the nutrition information for a 128-gram serving, or two large stalks, of celery:

• Calories: 17.9
• Protein: 0.88 grams (g)
• Carbohydrates: 3.8 g
• Fiber: 2.04 g
• Fat: 0.2 g
• Potassium: 332 milligrams (mg) or 7% of the Daily Value (DV)
• Manganese: .132 mg or 6% of the DV
• Vitamin C: 3.96 mg or 4% of the DV
• Folate: 46 micrograms (mcg) or 12% of the DV
• Vitamin K: 37.6 mcg or 31% of the DV

Celery is very low in calories, with two large stalks containing under 20 calories. This is because water makes up 95% of celery's weight, making it a particularly hydrating food.

Though celery contains few calories, it's a good source of several vitamins and minerals. Two large celery stalks cover 12% of your daily needs for folate, a B vitamin needed for the maturation of red blood cells, DNA synthesis, and cellular division. Because folate plays a critical role in growth and development, it's intake is especially important during pregnancy.

Celery is also a good source of vitamin K, which is needed for the function of proteins involved in blood clotting and bone health maintenance. For example, vitamin K is necessary for the function of osteoblasts, or cells that build new bone.

In addition to folate and vitamin K, celery provides smaller amounts of potassium, manganese, vitamin C, and fiber, all of which play important roles in health. Consuming two large celery stalks per day will cover 7% of your daily needs for fiber, which supports the health of the heart and digestive system by promoting a healthy gut environment, preventing constipation, and reducing blood lipid levels.

Risks of Eating Celery

Celery is safe for most people to enjoy, but there are several health risks associated with eating celery.

Celery can cause allergic reactions in some people, which is usually related to cross reactions with pollen. People with Pollen Food Syndrome (PFS), also known as oral allergy syndrome, can experience typically mild symptoms such as swelling of the lips and throat, hives, and an itchy throat after consuming celery due to the cross reactivity between the major allergens in celery and pollens like birch pollen.

A true celery allergy is less common, but can cause more severe symptoms than PFS, such as anaphylaxis.

Consuming a large amount of celery or celery juice can also cause your skin to become more sensitive to sunlight. Celery contain furocoumarins, including psoralens, which are substances that accumulate near the skin's surface. When combined with sunlight or UV light exposure, these compounds can lead to the development of skin issues such as severe sunburns, vitiligo, age spots, and even skin cancer. There have been several reports of skin changes, such as vitiligo, an autoimmune condition that causes patches of skin to lose color, after drinking large amounts of celery juice.

Because consuming large amounts of celery juice or celery can cause oversensitivity to sunlight, you should avoid the overconsumption of celery products, especially if planning on spending time in the sunlight or exposing your skin to UV light.

Tips for Consuming Celery

Celery can be enjoyed raw or cooked and can add a burst of flavor to a number of dishes.

Here are a few ways to add celery to your diet:

• Make a classic French mirepoix by combining chopped celery, onions, and carrots and using it as a base for soups, casseroles, and sauces.
• Add fresh chopped celery to tuna salad, egg salad, and chicken salad.
• Spread peanut or almond butter on fresh celery for a simple snack.
• Add fresh celery to vegetable and cheese platters.
• Use celery to add crunch to salads and grain dishes.
• Serve sautéed celery as a simple side dish.

When shopping for celery, keep in mind that darker-colored celery, such as the kind you find at the farmer's market, will have a more intense celery taste than celery purchased from the supermarket. if you're looking for a mild-tasting celery, choose celery that has a light-green color.

To make fresh celery stalks last longer in the refrigerator, submerge them in water in a sealed container. This will help your celery maintain its flavor and crisp texture.

A Quick Review

Celery is a crunchy vegetable that's a good source of antioxidants and several vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin K and folate.

Eating celery and drinking celery juice may benefit heart health by promoting healthy blood pressure levels and reduce the risk of common health conditions, such as neurodegenerative disease, by providing antioxidant and anti-inflammatory substances that protect against cellular damage.

Celery can be enjoyed raw or cooked and can be incorporated into a variety of dishes, Just keep in mind that celery can trigger allergic reactions in some people and can make your skin more sensitive to UV light when consumed in large portions.