Celery often gets overlooked. Yet, this humble stalk is a true superfood. It offers amazing celery nutrition. Celery is a low-calorie vegetable. It is packed with essential nutrients. You can stay hydrated with celery’s exceptional hydration. This versatile celery provides many health benefits. Discover the full spectrum of celery’s amazing benefits and practical uses for your well-being.
Key Takeaways
Celery is a low-calorie vegetable. It has many important vitamins and minerals. It also contains antioxidants.
Celery has a lot of water. This helps your body stay hydrated. It also helps your digestion.
Celery can help your heart. It may lower blood pressure. It can also help control blood sugar.
You can add celery to many meals. It is good in salads or stir-fries. You can also eat it as a snack.
Celery Nutrition Facts
You might wonder what makes celery so good for you. The nutritional value of celery is quite impressive for such a simple vegetable. Let’s look closely at the specific celery nutrition facts. You will see how many beneficial compounds this crunchy stalk offers.
Calories and Macronutrients
Celery is famous for being low in calories. This makes it a great choice if you want to manage your weight. A typical serving of celery is very low in calories. For example, two medium stalks of celery contain only about 15 calories. This means you can enjoy a good amount of celery without adding many calories to your meal.
Here is a quick look at the calorie count for a single stalk of celery:
Nutrient | Value |
|---|---|
Calories | 6 |
Celery also has a favorable macronutrient profile. It is very low in carbohydrates, fat, and sugar. Most of its calories come from carbohydrates, but these are mostly fiber. You get very little fat or protein from celery.
Here is how the macronutrients break down:
You can see that celery is an excellent food if you are looking for something low in calories and rich in water and fiber.
Key Vitamins and Minerals
Celery provides many essential nutrients your body needs. It is a good source of several important vitamins and minerals. These nutrients help your body function well every day.
You will find these key nutrients in celery:
Vitamin K: Celery contains about 30 micrograms of vitamin K. This is roughly 30% of your daily recommended value. Vitamin K is vital for blood clotting and bone health.
Potassium: This mineral helps maintain fluid balance and supports healthy blood pressure.
Folate: Folate is important for cell growth and function. It plays a role in making DNA.
Vitamin A: This vitamin supports good vision and immune function.
Vitamin C: A powerful antioxidant, vitamin C boosts your immune system.
Choline: Choline is important for brain health and metabolism.
Calcium: While not as high as dairy, celery offers some calcium. Calcium is essential for strong bones and teeth.
These nutrients work together to support your overall health.
Antioxidants and Phytonutrients
Beyond vitamins and minerals, celery is packed with special plant compounds. These are called antioxidants and phytonutrients. They offer powerful health benefits. These compounds protect your cells from damage.
Celery is rich in many of these protective compounds:
Flavonoids: These are strong antioxidants. They also have anti-inflammatory properties.
Phthalides: These compounds may help lower blood pressure.
Vitamin C, Beta carotene, and Phenolic acids: These are key antioxidants. They protect your cells, blood vessels, and organs from damage caused by free radicals.
Apigenin: This phytonutrient acts as an anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, and antioxidant agent. It may even have anti-cancer properties.
Luteolin: This flavonoid may help prevent the spread of cancer cells. It can also make cancer cells more sensitive to treatments.
Selinene, Limonene, Kaempferol, p-coumaric acid: These are other plant compounds. They have strong antioxidant properties. They help neutralize harmful free radicals in your body.
These powerful nutrients contribute to the impressive celery nutrition facts. They help reduce inflammation throughout your body. They also protect your cells from oxidative stress.
Hydration and Health Benefits of Celery
Celery offers much more than just a satisfying crunch. It provides significant hydration and many health benefits. This section explores how celery supports your body’s well-being.
High Water Content for Hydration
Celery is an excellent choice for staying hydrated. It contains a very high percentage of water. This makes it a great way to boost your daily hydration.
Look at how celery compares to other hydrating vegetables:
Vegetable | Water Content |
|---|---|
Cucumber | 96.7% |
Iceberg Lettuce | 95.6% |
Celery | 95.03% |
Radish | 95.3% |
Zucchini | 94.8% |
Celery is composed of approximately 95% water by weight. This makes it one of the most hydrating vegetables you can find. Specifically, raw celery contains 95.03% water by weight. This high water content helps your body function properly. It also makes celery a natural electrolyte drink.
Digestive Health Benefits
Celery is high in fiber. This fiber is crucial for a healthy digestive system. It helps keep your gut working smoothly.
Celery contains different types of dietary fiber:
Celery soluble dietary fiber (CSDF): This fiber is mainly pectin-based. It contains high amounts of uronic acid, galactose, and arabinose.
Celery insoluble dietary fiber (CIDF): This fiber mostly consists of amorphous cellulose. Glucose makes up a large part of its composition.
Both soluble and insoluble fibers from celery support your digestion. Insoluble fiber promotes intestinal movement. It increases stool volume. It also helps your body remove toxic substances like fats and heavy metals. Both types of fiber can reduce how much starch your body digests. They also increase resistant starch, which benefits your gut health. This combination of fiber and hydration makes celery a powerful digestive aid.
Anti-Inflammatory Properties
Celery contains powerful compounds that fight inflammation in your body. These compounds help protect your cells from damage.
Polyphenols are key anti-inflammatory compounds in celery. These include flavonoids, phenolic acids, and tansipropanoids. They work by acting as antioxidants. They collect free radicals and stop harmful oxidation. These compounds react with hydrogen donors to neutralize free radicals. This helps reduce inflammation.
Other compounds in celery also show anti-inflammatory effects:
Apiuman: This compound improves survival in mice by reducing harmful substances and increasing beneficial ones.
DL-3-n-butylphthalide: This compound reduces inflammation. It stops pro-inflammatory substances and blocks a pathway that causes inflammation.
Sedanolide and (3S)-3-hydroxy-megastigma-5,8-dien-7-one: These compounds stop inflammation in certain cells.
Apiin: This compound also stops inflammation in specific cells.
Apigenin and Bergapten: These are important compounds in celery leaves and stems. They help reduce inflammation.
Cardiovascular Support
Celery offers great support for your cardiovascular system. It helps maintain healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Bioactive compounds in celery, like 3-n-butylphthalide (NBP) and apigenin, improve blood pressure. These compounds act as vasodilators, which relax blood vessels. They also work as diuretics, helping your body remove excess fluid. They can also block calcium channels, which helps regulate blood pressure. Unlike some medicines, NBP and apigenin do not upset your body’s sodium and potassium balance.
Celery’s active components can also lower cholesterol levels. They reduce the formation of plaque in your arteries. This protects you against cardiovascular disease. A review of studies confirmed that celery and its extracts can lower high blood pressure. Animal studies showed a significant decrease in blood pressure in models with high blood pressure. Celery extract also relaxes blood vessels.
One case report showed a 74-year-old man with high blood pressure. He drank celery juice daily for six months. He saw good results. Animal studies suggest NBP can lower blood cholesterol and reduce arterial plaque. This may protect against atherosclerosis.
Blood Sugar Regulation
Celery can also play a role in regulating your blood sugar. This is another one of the many health benefits of celery.
Flavonoids like apigenin and luteolin in celery have anti-diabetic properties:
They make existing pancreatic beta cells release insulin.
They help produce new beta cells and repair them.
They stop proteins that cause inflammation.
Celery prevents pathways that store fat from activating.
It helps form new blood vessels.
It activates a pathway involved in breaking down fat, sugar, and protein for energy.
Celery increases insulin production by stimulating proteins that control insulin gene expression.
Celery seeds also have anti-diabetic properties. They increase insulin release from pancreatic beta cells. They also decrease sugar production in the liver. Flavonoids in celery act as antioxidants. They protect pancreatic beta cells from damage. They also control sugar absorption in your gut. They improve sugar uptake in muscle cells. Celery contains other compounds like essential oils, phenolics, and triterpenes. These also have anti-diabetic activity.
Overall Wellness Benefits
Celery contributes to your overall wellness in several ways. It supports various body systems.
Celery nutrients help keep your bones strong.
Celery nutrients support your immune system. Celery is rich in vitamin C. This vitamin is essential for immune function. It may help reduce how severe colds and flu are.
Celery juice’s antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds may help reduce stress and inflammation in your liver. This supports overall liver health.
The vitamin A in celery supports good vision and eye health.
The hydration and antioxidants also contribute to healthy skin.
These diverse benefits highlight the importance of including celery in your diet. It truly offers comprehensive nutrition for your body.
Celery Uses and Tips
You can easily make celery a regular part of your meals. This versatile vegetable adds crunch and nutrients to many dishes.
Adding Celery to Meals
Adding celery to your diet is simple. You can chop it into salads or soups. Consider a delicious Beef and Celery Stir Fry. First, you sear marinated beef. Then, you sauté garlic. Next, cook sliced onion and celery until they are crisp-tender. Add the beef back to the pan with a mixed sauce. You can even stir in some celery leaves for extra flavor. This dish shows how well celery fits into main courses.
Celery Snack Ideas
Celery makes a fantastic snack. It is crunchy, fresh, and satisfying. You can stuff celery sticks with various fillings. Try mascarpone cheese mixed with herbs, garlic, and lemon for a vegetarian option. Other popular choices include natural peanut butter or deviled ham spread. You can also use celery as a dipper. It pairs well with roasted red pepper dip, homemade ranch, or perfect guacamole. For a fun snack, try hummus on celery sticks or even whipped feta.
Juicing and Smoothies
Celery juice and smoothies offer a quick way to get your daily nutrients. A simple 3-Ingredient Celery Smoothie combines celery, dill, lemon juice, and water. This refreshing drink provides anti-inflammatory benefits, fiber, and vitamins. Another great option is a celery smoothie with ginger, spinach, green apple, and orange juice. This blend gives you vitamins C and A, potassium, and iron. These nutrients boost energy and support heart health. You can add celery to your diet this way for quick hydration and a vitamin boost.
Storing Celery for Freshness
Keep your celery fresh for longer. Wrap the stalks tightly in aluminum foil before placing them in the refrigerator. This method helps retain moisture. It prevents the celery from drying out and becoming limp. Proper storage ensures you always have crisp celery ready for your next meal or snack.
Celery Considerations
While celery offers many health benefits, you should know about some potential considerations. These include possible allergic reactions, pesticide exposure, and interactions with certain medications.
Allergic Reactions
Some people experience allergic reactions to celery. These reactions can range from mild to severe. You might notice symptoms like abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. Skin reactions can include hives, itching, or eczema. Some people experience wheezing, nasal congestion, or shortness of breath. More severe reactions, like anaphylaxis, can cause circulatory collapse or a tight, hoarse throat. Oral Allergy Syndrome (OAS) symptoms might include an itchy mouth, scratchy throat, or swelling of the lips and tongue.
Celery allergy is more common in some regions. For example, in Switzerland, about 40% of food allergy patients react to celery root. Overall, sensitization to celery allergens increased from 3.5% to 6.3% in the general population between 2010 and 2014.
Pesticides and Organic Celery
Conventionally grown celery often appears on the ‘Dirty Dozen’ list. This means it frequently has high levels of pesticide residues. Reports from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture found up to 57 different types of pesticides on celery. Common pesticides include imidacloprid, acetamiprid, thiamethoxam, and difenoconazole.
You can reduce your pesticide intake by choosing organic celery. Organic farming uses natural pesticides instead of synthetic ones. This helps protect the environment and your health.
Drug Interactions
Celery can interact with certain medications. You should be aware of these potential interactions. For example, if you take venlafaxine, celery might elevate its levels in your body. Celery can also increase plasma captopril levels.
If you take medications that slow blood clotting, like aspirin or warfarin, celery might increase your risk of bleeding. This is because celery has antiplatelet properties. Sedative medications, such as clonazepam or zolpidem, might cause increased sleepiness and drowsiness when combined with celery. Also, if you take medications that increase sensitivity to sunlight, like certain antibiotics, celery might increase your chances of sunburn or rashes. Always talk to your doctor if you have concerns about celery interacting with your medications.
Celery is a truly valuable vegetable. It offers great celery nutrition. This hydrating and versatile food provides many health benefits. You learned how celery supports your digestion, heart, and overall well-being. Make celery a regular part of your diet. You will improve your health. Simple food choices like celery make a big difference in your daily life.
FAQ
Is celery good for weight loss?
Yes, celery is excellent for weight loss. It has very few calories. It also contains a lot of water and fiber. This helps you feel full. You can enjoy it without adding many calories to your diet.
Can you eat celery leaves?
Absolutely! Celery leaves are edible. They are full of nutrients. You can add them to salads. You can also use them in stir-fries. They provide extra flavor and health benefits.
How much celery should you eat daily?
There is no strict daily limit. You can eat a few stalks each day. This helps you get enough fiber and hydration. Listen to your body. Enjoy celery as part of a balanced diet.
Does celery help you sleep?
Celery contains magnesium. Magnesium can help you relax. It may promote better sleep. However, celery is not a direct sleep aid. It supports overall well-being, which can indirectly help with sleep.