Celery

Celery (Apium graveolens), a marshland plant in the family Apiaceae, has been cultivated as a vegetable since antiquity. Celery has a long hairy stalk. Depending on

location and cultivar, either its stalks, leaves, or hypocotyl are eaten and used in cooking.

The plants are raised from seed, sown either in a hot bed or in the open garden according to the season of the year, and, after one or two thinnings and transplantings, they are, on attaining a height of 15–20 cm (5.9–7.9 in), planted out in deep trenches for convenience of blanching, which is effected by earthing up to exclude light from the stems.

In the past, celery was grown as a vegetable for winter and early spring; it was perceived as a cleansing tonic, welcomed to counter the salt-sickness of a winter diet without greens based on salted meats. By the 19th century, the season for celery had been extended, to last from the beginning of September to late in April.

Now, celery is grown in Bangladesh. It is available in Vegetable market.

Celery is used in weight-loss diets, where it provides low-calorie dietary fibre bulk. Celery is often incorrectly thought to be a "negative-calorie food," the digestion of which burns more calories than the body can obtain. In fact, eating celery provides positive net calories, with digestion consuming only a small proportion of the calories taken in.

Celery is among a small group of foods (headed by peanuts) that appear to provoke the most severe allergic reactions; for people with celery allergy, exposure can cause potentially fatal anaphylactic shock.[22] The allergen does not appear to be destroyed at cooking temperatures. Celery root—commonly eaten as

celeriac, or put into drinks—is known to contain more allergen than the stalk. Seeds contain the highest levels of allergen content. Exercise-induced anaphylaxis may be exacerbated. An allergic reaction also may be triggered by eating foods that have been processed with machines that have previously processed celery, making avoiding such foods difficult. In contrast with peanut allergy being most prevalent in the US, celery allergy is most prevalent in Central Europe.[23] In the European Union, foods that contain or may contain celery, even in trace amounts, must be clearly marked as such.

Celery, which has the scientific name Apium graveolens, is a vegetable in the plant family called Apiaceae. The benefits of celery begin with it being an excellent source of antioxidants and beneficial enzymes, in addition to vitamins and minerals such as vitamin K, vitamin C, potassium, folate and vitamin B6.

Benefits of Celery, Plus Nutrition Facts and Recipes

Most people choose to eat celery stalks, but the leaves and seeds of celery are also edible and beneficial. For example, celery leaves make a great addition to stir-fries and soups.

Celery seeds — which can be found either in whole seed form, extract form or ground-up — have impressive health benefits on their own, as they help to lower inflammation and to fight bacterial infections. In some parts of the world, celery is grown primarily for its beneficial seeds, which are actually a very small type of fruit. Celery seeds are commonly used as a spice when crushed and contain a special oily compound called apiol that is used as a flavoring agent and for its many medicinal uses.

Celery Nutrition Facts

One cup of chopped celery has: (1)

(percentages based on the RDA for adult women)

16 calories

0 fat

1 gram of protein

5 grams of fiber

5 milligrams vitamin K (37%)

36 milligrams folate (9%)

22 milligrams vitamin A (9%)

263 milligrams potassium (8%)

1 milligrams vitamin C (5%)

40 milligrams calcium (4%)

0.08 milligrams vitamin B6 (4%)

1. Helps Lower High Cholesterol

Benefits of celery include its cholesterol-lowering power that make it useful for improving or maintaining heart health. Celery contains a unique compound called  3-n-butylphthalide (BuPh) that has previously been reported to have lipid-lowering action,

but researchers believe celery has many other other beneficial compounds that are still emerging in research.

In a study conducted by the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Singapore, when rats were fed a high-fat diet for eight weeks, rats that had been given celery extract showed significantly lower levels of lipids in their blood compared to the control group of rats that didn’t receive celery extract. (2)

The group supplementing with celery extract experienced a beneficial reduction in serum total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and triglyceride (TG) concentrations.

2. Lowers Inflammation

Celery contains antioxidants and polysaccharides that are known to act as anti-inflammatories, especially flavonoid and polyphenol antioxidants. These support

overall health, especially as someone ages, by fighting free-radical damage (or oxidative stress) that can lead to inflammation. Inflammation is often a contributing cause of chronic diseases like cancer, heart disease, arthritis and many more.

Researchers have identified over a dozen different types of antioxidants that are responsible for the benefits of celery — these include such phenolic acids as caffeic acid and ferulic acid, plus flavaols like quecetin. This makes celery useful for treating a wide range of conditions that are made worse by inflammation: joint pain (such as from arthritis), gout, kidney and liver infections, skin disorders, irritable bowel syndrome and urinary tract infections, just to name a few.

 3. Helps Prevent or Treat High Blood Pressure

Celery seed extracts have anti-hypertensive properties that help reduce high blood

pressure, one of the important risk factors for coronary heart disease that is the largest cause of mortality in industrial countries.

Benefits of celery seeds include potentially helping to control chronic elevated blood pressure levels. (3) The blood pressure-lowering benefits of celery come from its seeds, which contain hexanic, methanolic, and aqueous-ethanolic extracts that improve circulation, lower inflammation and help control blood pressure.                                   

When rats were given celery seed extract over a seven-week period, they experienced significant improvements in blood pressure levels compared to rats being fed the same diet but not receiving celery extract. It’s believed that celery helps lower high blood pressure by acting as a smooth muscle relaxant and improving the flow of calcium and potassium into and out of cells. Celery extract helps blood vessels to expand and contract, improve blood flow, and aid in overall heart health.

4. Helps Prevent Ulcers

Here’s one of the benefits of celery you may not have known about: It can help prevent or reduce the formation of painful ulcers. A 2010 study published in the Journal of

Pharmaceutical Biology found that celery contains a special type of ethanol extract that is useful in protecting the lining of the digestive tract from ulcers. Celery extract has the ability to significantly replenish depleted levels of gastric mucus that is needed in the stomach lining to prevent tiny holes and openings from forming.

Researchers believe celery nourishes the stomach, colon and intestines due to the presence of chemical constituents such as flavonoids, tannins, volatile oils and alkaloids that control the level of gastric acid released while also improving the level of protective mucus.

5. Protects Liver Health

When researchers from the Department of Nutrition and Food Science at Helwan University in Egypt fed rats celery (along with chicory and barley), these rats experienced a reduction in the amount of dangerous fat buildup within the liver.

Precisely, when researchers supplemented the high-cholesterol diets of rats with celery, chicory and barley powder, they observed an improvement in liver enzyme function and blood lipid levels. The more celery, chicory and barley the rats were given, the more their liver health improved. This suggests that a diet high in celery, as well as chicory and barley, can be beneficial for people suffering from liver disease.

 6. Beneficial for Weight Loss

Celery is extremely low in calories and can be a valuable food to help you lose weight because of its ability to provide vital nutrients and to help regulate lipid (fat)

metabolism. One of the major benefits of celery is that it’s so nutrient-dense, meaning it provides antioxidants, electrolytes, vitamins and minerals like vitamin C, B vitamins and potassium – all with very little calories.

7. Boosts Digestion and Reduces Bloating

Celery seeds contain an odorless and oily compound known as NBP that has a diuretic effect and helps the body to detox. In studies involving rats, urine volume was significantly greater when rats were given celery extract compared to a control group.

The digestive benefits of celery are partly due to its diuretic effect. This could also be one of the possible anti-hypertensive mechanisms of celery seeds that helps to lower blood pressure. Because it improves circulation within the intestines, it’s also useful for improving digestion by helping to relieve bloating and puffiness from water retention.

8. Contains Anti-Microbial Properties That Fight Infections

Celery seeds have actually been used for centuries as an herbal medicine with reported

antibacterial effects. A 2009 report published in the Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology shows that celery contains special anti-microbial components found in the seeds of the celery plant.

When extract was taken from celery seeds and combined with harmful bacteria compounds that cause infection in humans, the celery extract was able to significantly purify and reduce the bacteria’s growth, suggesting celery can be used to naturally boost immunity and fight bacterial infections.

9. Helps Prevent Urinary Tract Infections

Because celery helps to reduce uric acid and stimulates urine production, it’s beneficial for fighting bacterial infections within the digestive tract and reproductive organs.

Similarly to cranberries that are known for fighting urinary tract infections (UTIs), celery can help prevent such UTIs, as well as bladder disorders, kidney problems and possibly even cysts on reproductive organs.

10. May Help Protect from Cancer

Another one of the important benefits of celery? It’s in the same plant family as cancer-protective vegetables like carrots, celery, fennel, parsley and parsnips, which all contain chemo-protective compounds called polyacetylenes. Early studies have shown

that polyacetylenes help reduce toxicity and fight against cancer formation, specifically breast cancer, intestinal cancer and leukemia.

Polyacetlynes have many immune-boosting effects, including tumor-fighting abilities that stop mutated cells from proliferating. According to faculty of the Department of Agricultural Sciences at the Aarhus University of Denmark, “polyacetylenes have shown many interesting bioactivities including anti-inflammatory, antiplatelet-aggregatory, cytotoxic, antitumor activity, as well as activity against bacteria and mycoplasma.”

Celery Recipes

Compared to boiling, roasting or blanching celery, steaming celery keeps more antioxidants intact. Celery’s compounds, including its flavonoids and polyphenols, are delicate nutrients that can be lost when you overcook celery. So it’s best to eat celery raw or to lightly cook it, such as steaming celery for a few minutes to soften it.

Not sure what to do with celery once you’ve bought some? Try adding some to a salad, tuna/salmon/egg salad, a big pot of soup, stir-fry, smoothie or juice, or just have some as a healthy, low-calorie snack. Many people like to eat celery raw with some nut butter and raisins as “ants on a log.”

Ants on a Log Recipe

Total Time: 5 minutes

Serves: 2–4

INGREDIENTS:

1 bunch celery, chopped

4 tablespoons sprouted cashew butter

1–2 tablespoons raisins

DIRECTIONS:

Cut celery into four-inch lengths.

Spread cashew butter in celery.

Place raisins on cashew butter and serve.

Angs on a Log

Super Hydrator Juice Recipe

Total Time: 5 minutes

Serves: 2

INGREDIENTS:

4 ounces coconut water

4 celery stalks

1 cucumber

1 lime

DIRECTIONS:

Using a vegetable juicer, juice the celery, cucumber and lime. Pour in the coconut water and gently stir juice to blend. Consume immediately.

Hydrator-Helper-Juice

Chicken Vegetable Soup Recipe

Total Time: 45 minutes

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS:

5 cups chicken broth

3–4 carrots, peeled

1 onion, chopped

3–4 celery stalks, chopped

1 zucchini, thinly sliced

3 organic chicken breasts

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

2 ounces raw cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Put the chicken, carrots, celery, zucchini and onion in a large soup pot and cover with cold water. Heat and simmer, uncovered, until chicken is throughly cooked.

Pour out the water and strain the chicken. Chop the carrots, celery and onion and add to pot with broth and chicken. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Continue to cook until vegetables are soft. Top with cheese and serve.

Watercress Celery Cucumber and Pineapple Smoothie Recipe

Ingredients

½ cup watercress, shredded

1 medium celery stalk, diced

½ medium cucumber, sliced

½ cup pineapple chunks

water to max line

Method

1.     Place the watercress, celery, cucumber, pineapple, and water in the tall glass. Process in the jucer for 10-12 seconds or until mixture becomes smooth.

2.     Pour in a serving glass. Garnish with a slice of cucumber or pineapple, if desired.

Serve and enjoy!