The Truth About Celery Juice: The Science Behind the Trend
Originally published on Annmarie Gianni All Natural Skincare Blog.
Is celery juice really worth all the hype it’s been receiving on social media? It’s easy to believe all the Instagram models claiming it’s the answer to our prayers with a celery juice in hand telling us just one glass a day will give us a tiny waist and anything else you were scrolling your feed looking for.
The trend right now is to drink 16 ounces of celery juice on an empty stomach every morning. People are claiming it cures everything from chronic pain, to skin conditions, to IBS – and the list goes on and on.
Celery Juice Benefits
We did the research, pulling from scientific studies and medical professionals, and found that while celery juice is not the magic elixir it is being touted as, it does contain some health benefits that may be worth your while.
Loaded With Antioxidants
Antioxidants are quickly becoming synonymous with the anti-aging and fighting cancer. We know that antioxidants fight free radicals that damage cells in our body. This prevents fine-lines and wrinkles on the surface and can help reduce damage to internal cells that plays a role in cancer.
Celery is high in powerful antioxidants that help your body fight free radicals. It contains caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, apigenin, luteolin, tannin, saponin, and kaempferol all known for their antioxidant properties.
Anti-Everything Bad
Some experimental studies have shown that celery contains anti fungal, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties. The anti fungal and antibacterial properties will help protect you by boosting your immune system. The anti-inflammatory properties can help with everything from skin inflammation to joint pain.
Nutrient-Packed
Celery has lots of vitamins and minerals that are vital to our health.
Vitamin K: helps with blood clotting, bone health, and helps prevent heart disease
Vitamin C: helps with our immune system, growth and development and is crucial to many bodily functions
Potassium: helps with nervous system, muscle contractions and fluid balance
Folate: helps make DNA and genetic material, as well as helps cells to divide
Manganese: crucial to the metabolic process
Calcium: helps the blood clot, strengthens bones and muscles to contract
Riboflavin: helps body break down carbs, proteins and fats to produce energy
Magnesium: helps regulate muscle and nerve function, blood sugar and blood pressure helps create bone, protein, and DNA
Vitamin B6: helps with metabolic process, create red blood cells and neurotransmitters
Helpful With Hydration
Since celery has a high percentage of water it can help (on a small scale) with overall hydration. It also contains electrolytes that help replenish your body and stay hydrated.
Make your own celery juice
Here are some easy ways to make your own celery juice at home.
Make celery juice in a Juicer
The simplest way is to put your celery through a juicer. It’s quick and easy.
Cut off the leafy green top of the celery. Some people choose to also cut off the whiter or lighter green portion of the stalk as well. Then cut your stalks in half.
Rinse your vegetables gently in a colander and lightly pat dry.
Feed your celery stalks into the feeding tube of the juicer with a glass under the spout to catch all that delicious juice.
Drink immediately, or store in an airtight jar in the fridge. If it’s stored for too long the juice will separate.
While celery is filled with beneficial nutrients, its biggest benefit is its fiber. Celery is incredibly high in fiber which is important for keeping our digestive systems healthy.
However, when you juice the nutrients out of celery you remove its fiber and lose its benefits. Medical professionals recommend increasing your fiber intake if you are relying on any juice as part of your nutritional profile.
You can retain more of the fibrous benefits of celery by making celery juice in a blender.
Make celery juice in a blender
Cut off the leafy green top of the celery. Some people choose to also cut off the whiter or lighter green portion of the stalk as well. Then cut your stalks into thirds.
Rinse your vegetables gently in a colander and lightly pat dry.
Place your celery into a high-speed blender and add ¼ cup of water.
Put the lid on and begin blending on medium, using the tamper to push the celery stalks down towards the blades.
When your celery juice is smooth you have two options. You can drink as is, and keep some of the celery fibers in your juice. Or you can place a cheesecloth or nut milk bag over the spout of the blend and pour your juice through it to strain out any celery fibers and get a pulp-free juice.
Drink immediately, or store in an airtight jar in the fridge. If it’s stored for too long the juice will separate.
Enjoy the benefits of your celery juice and drink responsibly, keeping in mind where this juice may fall short in nutritional value.