Health and nutritional benefits of celery

by Fenazi on March 21, 2019
Celery is a vegetable of theApiaceae family. It is well known for its crunchy stalks, which people often consume as a low-calorie snack.
However, not only is celery low in calories, but there other reasons for adding it to the diet.
It is thought to benefit the digestive tract and the cardiovascular system, and the seeds of the plant are used in medicine to help relieve pain.
Celery is also known as Apium graveolens(A. graveolens). Other members of the flowering Apiaceae, or carrot, family, include parsnips, parsley, and the root vegetable, celeriac.
This article is part of a series on the health benefits of popular foods.

Health benefits

[celery]Celery provides fiber and nutrients.
The possible health benefits of celery and its seeds include:

Inflammation

Celery contains apigenin, a molecule that is currently being studied for its anti-cancer properties.
A study published in Molecular Nutrition and Food Research investigated whether this chemical might help modify or reduce damage caused by inflammation.
The authors conclude that apigenin and apigenin-rich diets reduced the expression of certain inflammatory proteins in mice. In this way, they can reduce inflammation and restore immune balance.

Blood pressure

There is no strong evidence that celery seeds help to lower blood pressure in humans, but a study published in theJournal of Medicinal Food showed that it had this effect on rats.
The research looked at the effect of celery seed extracts on blood pressure in rats with normal blood pressure and with rats with artificially induced hypertension.
The authors conclude that:
"Celery seed extracts have antihypertensive properties, which appears to be attributable to the actions of its active hydrophobic constitutes such as NBP (n-butylphthalide) and can be considered as an antihypertensive agent in chronic treatment of elevated BP."
The results suggest that celery may have similar effects on humans.

Preventing cancer

Celery contains a flavanoid called luteolin. Researchers believe that luteolin may possess anti-cancer properties.
A study published in Current Cancer Drug Targets said that "Recent epidemiological studies have attributed a cancer prevention property to luteolin."
The authors believe this happens because luteolin makes cancer cells more susceptible to attack by chemicals used in therapy.

Hyperlipidemia

Hyperlipidemia happens when there is an increase in fatty molecules in the blood. There are often no symptoms, but it raises the long-term risk of heart disease andstroke.
A study published in Advances in Environmental Biology examined whether celery extract might be able to reduce hyperlipidemia in rats that consumed a high-fat diet.
Results indicated that the extract did indeed reduce the amount of LDL, or "bad,"cholesterol in the blood.
Although this is an animal study, if it is replicated in humans it could provide another good reason to consume celery.

Neurogenesis

Apigenin is also believed to stimulate neurogenesis, the growth and development of nerve cells.
Research published in 2009 investigated the effects of apigenin in mice. Findings showed that, when injected or taken orally, apigenin improved learning and memory.
Further studies are needed to confirm these findings in humans.

Other possible benefits

Celery may also be useful in treating joint pain and soothing the nervous system, but there is not enough scientific evidence to fully support the claims at this stage.
[celery seeds]Celery seeds may have medicinal properties.
The University of Maryland Medical Center (UMM) say that celery seeds have long been used in medicine to treat, among others:
However, they note that these uses have not been confirmed by research.

Nutritional breakdown of celery

Antioxidants: Celery is a rich source ofantioxidants.
It contains the following phytonutrients:
  • phenolic acids
  • flavonols
  • dihydrostilbenoids
  • flavones
  • furanocoumarins
  • phytosterols
Vitamins and minerals: Celery is rich invitamin K, and it also contains folate, vitamin A, potassium, and vitamin C.
Dietary fiber: Celery is mainly water, but it is also a good source of dietary fiber. One cup of chopped celery, or 100 grams of celery, equivalent to about two and a half medium stalks, contains 1.6 grams of fiber.

Diet

Celery can be eaten raw or cooked. Studies show that it loses very little of its nutrients when steamed.
[celery smoothie]Celery makes a healthy addition to smoothies.
In 2011, scientists published research that examined the loss of total phenolic antioxidant nutrients from celery when blanched for 3 minutes, steamed for 10 minutes, and boiled for 10 minutes.
Boiling and blanching resulted in significant antioxidant losses, between 38 percent and 41 percent. After steaming, however, celery retained 83 percent to 99 percent of its antioxidants.
Celery can be eaten with cheese, with dips, in salads, or as a crunchy addition to a peanut butter sandwich.

It also adds flavor to soups and risottos. Follow the links for some recipes recommended by dietitians:

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