Celery is a type of vegetable commonly used in cooking and salads. It is known for its crisp texture and mild, slightly peppery flavor. Celery stalks are long, slender, and usually light green in color, although there are also varieties with darker green stalks.
Celery can be eaten raw as a crunchy snack or added to salads for its refreshing taste and crunch. It’s also used as an ingredient in various recipes, including soups, stews, stir-fries, and stuffing. In addition to its culinary uses, celery is often used as a garnish for dishes and cocktails.
Nutritionally, celery is low in calories and a good source of dietary fiber, vitamins (such as vitamin K and vitamin C), and minerals (like potassium). It’s often touted for its potential health benefits, including promoting hydration due to its high water content and aiding in digestion because of its fiber content. Some people also claim that celery has anti-inflammatory properties, although more research is needed to confirm these potential health benefits.
In addition to its culinary and nutritional uses, celery has a long history of being used in traditional medicine for various purposes.. This vegetable, which is usually used as a natural flavoring, has various benefits for the body because of its fiber, vitamin, and mineral content.
Celery leaves are often used in various dishes as an aroma enhancer. However, it’s not just the leaves that can be used, you can also consume celery stalks, you know.
Both celery leaves and celery stems can be consumed directly or processed into juice. The difference is, the stem part of celery is not as popular as the leaves.
The following are various benefits of celery from both leaves and stems for body health:
1. Source of nutrients and vitamins
Celery stores various vitamins and minerals in it. A total of 100 grams of celery contains nutrients, such as:
- Protein: 1 gram
- Fat: 0.1 grams
- Carbohydrates: 4.6 grams
- Fiber: 2.0 grams
- Calcium: 50 mg
- Phosphorus: 40 mg
- Iron: 1.0 mg
- Sodium: 64 mg
- Potassium: 258.8 mg
- Copper: 0.08 mg
- Zinc: 0.4 mg
- Beta-Carotene: 63 mcg
- Thiamin (Vit. B1): 0.03 mg
- Riboflavin (Vit. B2): 0.07 mg
- Niacin (Vit. B3): 0.4 mg
- Vitamin C (Vit. C): 11 mg
2. Increase body immunity
The various antioxidants and vitamin C contained in celery stems and leaves provide benefits for increasing the body’s immunity. Eating foods rich in antioxidants and vitamins can help you recover more quickly from infections.
So, vitamin C is known to increase antibody production by white blood cells. These antibodies are what the body uses to fight infection.
3. Prevent Constipation
Eating celery stalks has digestive benefits because of the fiber content in them. Fiber will help facilitate bowel movements so that it is effective in preventing constipation.
Fiber keeps the texture of stool soft, making it easier for it to pass through the large intestine. That way, feces are more easily excreted from the body.
4. Good for heart health
Celery stalks contain the compound 3-N-butylphthalide which can reduce stress hormones, thereby lowering blood pressure. Apart from that, this compound can also reduce bad cholesterol by up to 7 percent.
However, the efficacy of celery leaves and stems in preventing heart disease has only been proven in mice. Therefore, further research is needed regarding its benefits in humans.
5. Healthy stomach
Not only that, celery stems also contain pectin. Well, pectin is good for repairing your stomach lining.
The stomach is the organ most susceptible to problems. Either because stomach acid levels are too high, or bacterial infections that can cause sores. The benefits of celery leaves can also be obtained by people with stomach problems.
6. Increases male fertility
Who would have thought that celery stems and leaves also have benefits and properties for male fertility? The antioxidant content in celery can overcome free radicals which can damage sperm quality.
Consuming foods high in antioxidants is usually a doctor’s recommendation for couples planning a pregnancy.
7. Prevent Diabetes and its Complications
The flavonoids in celery (apigenin, luteolin, and phenolics) protect against oxidative damage to pancreatic beta cells. These cells are responsible for producing insulin and regulating glucose levels.
Apigenin, in particular, may help slow the progression of diabetes by preventing cataracts, retinopathy (blindness), and neuropathy (decreased sensation in the hands and feet).
Celery is also high in quercetin, a powerful antioxidant that increases glucose absorption in the liver and stimulates insulin secretion.
All these benefits help you prevent diabetes. In fact, it helps manage symptoms and severity in diabetes.
8. Relieves Acne
While there is no research to support the notion that celery juice treats acne, it may relieve acne symptoms for other reasons.
Low-sugar celery juice can be useful for those of you who are trying to cut down on sugary drinks such as soda, specialty coffee, and energy drinks. Research links high-sugar diets to increased acne and low glycemic diets to decreased acne.
A low glycemic diet emphasizes foods that do not raise your blood sugar levels quickly. This includes fiber-rich foods such as vegetables, whole grains, lentils, beans, and certain fruits such as berries, apples, and pears.
If you replace sugary drinks with celery juice, the severity of acne can be reduced.
In addition, celery juice is rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants which can help reduce inflammation.
Considering acne is an inflammatory condition, consuming anti-inflammatory foods can reduce oxidative stress and levels of hormones such as insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) that contribute to acne.
9. Protects Eye Health
The vitamin C and vitamin E in celery are powerful antioxidants that help prevent age-related macular degeneration, a common cause of vision loss.
In addition, lutein and zeaxanthin in celery also protect the retina from damage. It can be concluded that regularly consuming celery can provide abundant benefits for eye health.
10. Maintains Kidney Health
The results of the study showed that celery extract could destroy kidney stones in mice. The benefits of celery for kidney health come from an antioxidant compound called apigenin.
Even though its efficacy has been observed, you need to consult a doctor if you want to include celery juice or celery extract as a treatment for kidney stones.
11. Prevent birth defects in babies
Celery is a good source of folate. This nutrient is very important for pregnant women during the early stages of fetal development.
To minimize the risk of neural tube defects and premature birth, folate supplements are recommended for all women of childbearing age. Eating green vegetables, such as celery, can also help provide the folate needed for a healthy pregnancy.
12. Hydrates Skin
Celery juice consists mostly of water and can help hydrate your skin.
Drinking enough fluids throughout the day helps maintain hydration levels so that your skin cells stay well maintained. When you’re dehydrated, your skin may start to look dull, which increases fine lines and wrinkles.
Constantly hydrating is important for overall health and helps your skin look fresh.
13. Reduces the risk of degenerative diseases
Degenerative diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, osteoporosis, and cancer. The risk of this disease will increase as you get older.
One of the benefits you can get from eating celery is normal blood pressure. Several studies state that consuming celery has good benefits for people who have high blood pressure.
The reason is that celery contains antioxidants, minerals and vitamins that keep cells healthy, is low in calories, and has anti-inflammatory activity.
14. Maintain Brain Health
Decreased brain function can be caused by inflammation caused by free radicals. For this reason, you can maintain your health by consuming foods rich in antioxidants, such as celery.
Apart from antioxidants, celery also has anti-inflammatory properties which provide good benefits for brain health.
15. Stimulates Hair Growth
Hair loss is a common complaint in many people. In severe cases, hair loss can cause baldness.
Research conducted by Nahdlatul Ulama University student Sunan Giri stated that celery provides benefits for stimulating hair growth.
In other words, celery nutrition can prevent baldness. Because of these benefits, celery is often used as a natural treatment for baby hair and is used as a basic ingredient for hair products.
16. Prevents Dehydration
Please note that the water content in celery reaches up to 95 percent. Therefore, consuming celery can help prevent dehydration.
Having adequate fluid needs can help the body’s cells work optimally. This supports you to stay active throughout the day.
17. Lose Weight
If you want to lose weight, you can try drinking celery juice to get the benefits.
Celery stem juice is a low-calorie drink. In 475 milliliters of celery juice, there are only around 85 calories. Therefore, this drink is believed to be able to reduce weight.
Diet success is not just about consuming celery. You need to reduce your total calories per day and balance it with appropriate physical activity.
18. Optimize Nerve Function
The nervous system functions to receive and channel impulses so that the body can respond. Without a nervous system, the body cannot function as it should.
In order for the nervous system to work well, the body needs vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B3, and various other minerals. So, to meet these needs, you can consume celery.
19. Fights free radicals
There are around 12 types of antioxidants in celery stalks, including beta-carotene and flavonoids.
Antioxidants play a role in fighting free radicals which can cause oxidative stress which leads to cell damage. Free radicals are found in pollution, cigarette smoke, the body’s metabolic processes, and ultraviolet light.
With the free radicals from celery, your body’s cells will be protected from damage.
20. According to the risk of cancer
It has been explained that free radicals can cause cell damage. Well, cell damage can trigger abnormal cell function.
Damaged cells continue to divide and do not die. This causes a buildup of cells and can form a mass that you know as a tumor. Well, tumors can be a sign of the presence of cancer cells in the body.
Judging from the antioxidant function of celery, it can be concluded that celery has the potential to reduce the risk of cancer.
There are many benefits of eating celery for body health, right? For this reason, don’t miss this vegetable in your diet.