In recent years, drinking celery juice has become a popular trend in the healthcare world. Many people believe that this miraculous juice has the ability to prevent cancer, cure acne, and lose weight. But unfortunately, not all of these word-of-mouth uses are true.
Celery juice offers many health benefits, but it is not a panacea.
Celery juice is not a miracle cure either. Remember that our body has an integrated organ that eliminates toxins: the liver. You shouldn’t detox your body by simply drinking celery juice, but stick to a healthy diet with a variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to support liver function and optimal health.
So what are the scientifically proven health benefits of celery juice?
1. Celery juice is very nutritious
“Celery is very rich in vitamins and minerals,” says Marissa Epstein, RDN, MBA, director of the University of Texas at the Austin Nutrition Institute. Just drink a cup of celery juice, your body will be supplemented with a series of essential nutrients such as calcium, magnesium and potassium.
List of nutrients found in celery juice:
Calcium: 94.4 mg (7% recommended daily value)
Magnesium: 26 mg (6% Daily Value)
Phosphorus: 56.6 mg (5% daily value)
Potassium: 614 mg (13% Daily Value)
Sodium: 189 mg (8% Daily Value)
Vitamin A: 51.9 mcg (6% Daily Value)
Vitamin B-6: 0.175 mg (10% of the daily value)
Vitamin C: 7.32 mg (8% Daily Value)
Vitamin K: 69.1 mcg (58% Daily Value)
A glass of celery juice isn’t enough to meet all of your daily vitamin and mineral needs, but it’s still very healthy, says Julia Zumpano, RD, dietitian at the Cleveland Clinic. You need to squeeze the entire celery stalk and leaves to maximize the nutrients.
2. Celery juice has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties
A 2017 review concluded that the compounds in celery (such as caffeic acid, apigenin, luteolin) act as powerful antioxidants that help fight disease. Antioxidants help prevent oxidative stress – a condition that occurs when there are too many free radicals in the body. Free radicals are formed due to external factors such as pollution and also natural bodily processes such as digestion. Having too many free radicals in the body leads to chronic inflammatory diseases that damage healthy cells, tissues and organs and increase the risk of diseases like heart attack, cancer, arthritis, and diabetes.
A 2008 study found that the anti-inflammatory properties of luteolin (in celery) may help retard the growth of cancer cells. However, this study was performed in laboratory cells, so the results may not be relevant to humans.
In addition, a 2007 study in rats found that taking 2 mg / kg of luteolin daily reduced the growth of lung cancer cells by 40%. A dose of 10 mg / kg per day reduced the rate of disease growth by 60%. However, research on the anti-inflammatory effects of celery in humans is still limited. You should not use celery juice as a remedy for chronic illnesses such as cancer.
3. Celery juice helps hydrate
Celery contains around 95% water and electrolytes, so drinking celery juice is a great way to help keep you hydrated. Drinking enough water every day will help your body stay healthy, sleep better, be in a good mood, and have better memory.
Additionally, electrolytes such as sodium, calcium, and potassium work to regulate the amount of fluid in the body. They also stimulate muscle contractions to keep your heart moving and functioning properly.
4. Celery juice contains less sugar
Celery juice is low in sugar, making it a healthy alternative to traditional juices like orange or apple juice. For example, a cup of celery juice contains 3.16 g of natural sugar compared to 24 g in orange juice and 28 g in apple juice.
Consuming too much sugar can lead to weight gain, diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. Celery juice is a low sugar drink that keeps your body healthy.
