Health Benefits of Celery

According to research, eating celery is a great way to add a nutritious and delicious snack to your day. Although celery is sometimes forgotten about when thinking of superfoods, this crunchy vegetable has lots of important vitamins and minerals that make it an absolutely perfect addition to your diet. From fiber and potassium to vitamins C and B6, celery is packed with many of the most important nutrients that you need to consume to stay healthy. Whether you snack on raw celery sticks or cook with it, you should make sure to add celery to your shopping cart so that you too can reap these exciting health benefits.

Anti-Inflammatory

Celery is packed with valuable antioxidants and other nutrients that are known to lower inflammation. Since inflammation can be a cause of many serious diseases, it is always a good idea to eat more foods that fight to prevent it. Celery has been shown to reduce the symptoms of inflammatory conditions like arthritis, gout, and irritable bowel syndrome, along with others. You don't want to miss out on this important benefit, so even if you don't like the taste of celery itself, try dipping it in peanut butter or low-fat yogurt to improve the flavor.

Weight Loss

Celery has been shown to promote weight loss, although this does come with a caveat. You may have heard the myth that celery has a negative-calorie intake because you burn more calories chewing it than you actually consume. Sadly, this isn't true, but that doesn't mean that celery isn't a good weight loss food. A cup of celery has about 15 calories compared to nearly five grams of fiber, so it will make you feel full without actually using up much of your daily caloric intake. This means it's a great food to fill up on when you get an afternoon craving and are considering snacking on chips instead.

Helps Liver Health

Some research has suggested that celery could be beneficial to liver health, too. That's because it's loaded with antioxidants and vitamins, including A, B6, C, and K. These key nutrients can help to cleanse the liver, reducing fatty buildup associated with high cholesterol and obesity. Many even believe it can eliminate the toxins that build up over time, although fresh, organic celery is more likely to do this. Although there is still more research being done, these connections between celery and liver health make it a good natural remedy for those concerned about liver disease and toxicity.

Digestive Aid

Celery has a diuretic quality, which means that it has been found to increase urination. This reduces salt absorption since much of it is expelled from the body during urination. This can work to detoxify the digestive system, making it easier to digest food and absorb nutrients from food. Your digestive system also works best when you eat natural, non-processed foods like fruits and vegetables, so eating celery instead of factory-made junk food is a good way to improve your health. Finally, celery is a good source of fiber, which makes it a helpful tool in having regular, healthy bowel movements.

Lowers Cholesterol

If you've recently begun to eat a lot of celery, you may find that your cholesterol levels have dropped since the last time that you checked them. That's because this healthy vegetable contains nutrients that have been shown to reduce lipid levels, especially low-density lipoprotein or LDL. LDL is the bad kind of cholesterol, which increases your risk of heart disease, stroke, and clogged arteries. These types of complications can result in expensive treatments and surgeries, so if you are at a high risk of developing cardiovascular issues, you should consider adding more celery to your diet to take advantage of this potentially life-saving benefit.

Fights Infections

Celery has been considered an infection-fighting herbal remedy since ancient times, with reports of people using its seeds centuries ago to treat patients. Celery seeds contain anti-microbial properties, which can help to detoxify the body and reduce the spread of bacteria. Many herbalists use celery seeds as a way to boost the immune system even while healthy, as well as to fight off bacterial infections. Remember that severe infections can often only be treated with antibiotics, under the care of a physician. Celery seeds can help to boost your body's natural defense mechanisms.

Clotting Aid

Another important benefit of celery is that it can help your body to improve blood clotting. This may sound far-fetched, but there is actually a very reasonable explanation. Celery contains a high amount of vitamin K, which is one of the primary nutrients that affect blood flow. Vitamin K primarily affects platelets, which are the cells responsible for clotting. This means that eating more celery can help to heal internal and external nicks and cuts. This allows the blood to clot faster and more efficiently. The same is true of all vegetables that contain vitamin K. Be sure that you have enough of this nutrient in your diet.

Reduces Blood Pressure

Among all of the other cardiovascular benefits of celery, it has also been shown to reduce blood pressure. According to researchers, celery contains a substance known as NPB, which has been shown to decrease blood pressure. It does this by decreasing tension in the walls of the arteries, allowing blood flow to increase. In addition to NPB, other nutrients like potassium and magnesium play an important role in making celery one of the best healthy snacks for your heart's health. NPB can also be found in celery extract. This is a good way to supplement your health if you don't want to eat celery itself.

Cancer-Fighting

If you have an increased risk for cancer, celery can help to fight against the development of the disease. In addition to antioxidants that fight free radical cells, celery contains polyacetylenes. These are compounds that have been shown to decrease cancer risk. These compounds can be found in many common vegetables, like carrots and parsley. They fight against tumors by boosting the immune system and preventing potential cancer cells from spreading as rapidly. You should always discuss your concerns about cancer with a trusted physician. Celery can be a beneficial way to decrease your risks naturally.

Prevents Heart Disease

Because of all the great cardiovascular benefits that it provides, celery has been proven to decrease the risk of heart disease and stroke. As mentioned earlier, celery lowers blood pressure, helps with weight loss, and decreases bad cholesterol levels. Since obesity, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol are all precursors to heart disease, that makes celery one of the best prevention techniques around. Because celery contains so many vitamins and nutrients, it can also give you an energy boost. This type of regular exercise will further improve your heart's health.