Discover the Benefits of Adding Celery and 10 Reasons Why Celery Should Be a Staple in Your Diet. Boost your diet with this nutritious superfood.Many of us are familiar with celery as the last remaining vegetable on the crudités platter after the cherry tomatoes, carrots, and red peppers have all been eaten, or as the crunch in a cold-weather soup that boosts the immune system.
Still, you might be surprised to learn that crisp, crunchy celery has a lot of advantages for your health. If you’re not already eating celery as a staple in your diet, here are ten good reasons to start.
10 Reasons Why Celery Should Be a Staple in Your Diet
1. It’s Highly Nutritious
Celery has a reputation for being a healthy, nutrient-rich, low-calorie snack. There are 1.8 g of fiber in a single serving (110 g) of this crunchy vegetable. It contains a wide array of minerals and vitamins and has only 15 calories. A serving of celery contains the following key nutrients:
- Calcium: 44 mg
- Folate: 40 mcg
- Potassium: 286 mg
- Vitamin B2: 0.063 mg
- Vitamin B6: 0.081 mg
- Vitamin K: 32.2 mcg
2. Aids Digestion
The chemical apiuman found in celery has been shown to strengthen the stomach lining, decreasing the likelihood of developing stomach ulcers and modulating stomach secretions. This is in addition to the water and fiber content that celery is already known for. When combined, the components in this healthy veggie promote regular bowel movements and a strong digestive system.
3. Helps Manage Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is a major health problem in the United States, affecting one in three people. It is a leading cause of stroke, heart failure, cardiovascular disease, and renal disease. A diuretic chemical found in celery called 3-n-butyl phthalide (NBP) has been shown to reduce blood pressure by 12-14% in animal studies. The smooth muscles that line the blood arteries may be relieved of their tension and therefore benefit. This study was conducted on animals, but extrapolating the results to people would require eating about four stalks of celery.
4. Prevents Cancer
The high antioxidant content of celery helps in the elimination of cancer-causing free radicals in the body’s cells. Both apigenin and luteolin, found in celery extract, have shown promise as anticancer agents. Apigenin neutralizes free radicals and has been shown to hasten the death of cancer cells. To further aid in disease prevention, it appears to promote autophagy, the body’s process for eliminating defective cells or components. On the other hand, animal studies revealed that supplementing with luteolin halted tumor growth and reduced tumor rates by about half.
5. Supports Weight Loss
Including celery in your meals is a good idea if you want to lose weight or keep it under control. It’s low in calories yet still manages to keep you full thanks to its high water and fiber content and crunchy texture. While it’s true that celery has few calories, the idea that it’s a “negative calorie meal” is more myth than reality. Despite popular belief, you won’t expend more calories eating celery than it provides.
6. Control Your Glucose Levels
Diabetes affects around 9.4% of the American population and has been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, kidney failure, nerve damage, and vision loss. Celery is useful for treating this condition. In one study, pre- and post-meal glucose levels were shown to be lowered by 9.8 and 19.5%, respectively, in patients with prediabetes who took a celery leaf extract 30 minutes before each meal for 12 days.
7. Lessen Inflammation Due To Long-term Illness
Extracts from celery seeds have been used and studied for years due to their anti-inflammatory effects. There’s evidence that celery seed extract can alleviate the pain and inflammation of arthritis just as effectively as conventional medications like ibuprofen, aspirin, and naproxen. Additionally, it may alleviate pain and protect the stomach from the corrosive effects of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
8. Benefits Heart Health
Celery is mostly water, but it still packs a nutritional punch because of its abundance of vitamins and minerals like calcium and potassium. It also has vitamin K and folate, two nutrients vital to healthy blood production and clotting. A lower risk of cardiovascular disease has been linked to diets rich in fibrous vegetables like celery.
9. Boosts Memory
In a 2017 study on animals, celery extract was found to mitigate the effects of aging and depression on memory and learning. Similarly, people with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease showed improvement in a study testing the neuroprotective effects of celery extract.
10. Improves Sperm Quality and Quantity
According to research, celery may help prevent the effects of a chemical that can reduce sperm count. An extract from celery has been shown to increase sperm count and boost sexual function. Its antioxidant qualities may play a role, as free radicals can have a negative influence on fertility.
The Bottom Line
Many of us can benefit from eating more veggies like celery, and we can do so in a variety of ways. In and of itself, celery is a highly nutritious food that has almost no negative health effects. You should strongly consider making it a permanent fixture in your diet because of how versatile it is.
