Celery juice has had quite the claim to fame. Celery juice is commonly listed as having the following benefits on many health platforms. Should celery be the most famous vegetable of all time?
Celery’s current claims to fame
- Lowers inflammation
- Supports weight loss
- Helps heal digestion
- Reduces bloating
- Helps eczema and psoriasis
- Fights infections
- Helps prevent UTI’s
- Healing for acne
- Prevents high blood pressure
- Helps lower high cholesterol
- Helps prevent ulcers
- Protects liver health
Can one simple vegetable really do all of these and how does it work? Why have we not used it before?
Celery juice is not a new thing
Celery also known by it’s latin name of Apium graveolens in botanical medicine has long been recognized and used by the Naturopathic medical community. It has been used in raw plant form, juice form, capsules of celery seed extract, and tincture form. Different parts of celery also have different properties ( fruit, leaf, root, seeds). Think you are getting all the amazing properties in your juice? Well, tinctures can do this with many plants even more powerfully. You can get that property in a highly concentrated form and only need a couple dropper fulls! Different forms of plants have different properties. Isolating different constituents allows for targeted effects in your health. Isolating and formulating these medicinal properties is the ancient art of botanical medicine. Naturopathic doctors complete 130 hours of botanical medicine education just in the classroom.
Some of the core medicinal conditions that celery has been used for are hypertension (high blood pressure), nutrition, diuretic properties, and detoxification. It is well known for its’ diuretic properties and as being a source for potassium.
The diuretic, lipid – lowering, and liver protective properties that are listed in regards to celery are actually best achieved when the properties of the seed are used!
You can have too much celery juice?!
Celery’s diuretic properties are why it has been said to help with kidney stones as well as high blood pressure. It is important to note here that when using celery for these purposes that it needs to be used according to other factors. For example, how high your blood pressure is and how consistent it is needs to be taken into account by your doctor so that the health of your organs and kidneys is protected.
As for kidney stones it can help flush things out due to its diuretic properties, but this is only if the stone has also been properly broken down. Be careful here! This is another case that needs to be carefully monitored. Too much diuretic activity with a kidney stone can actually cause an obstruction with the stone. In other words, a lot of PAIN!
That’s right you can have too much celery juice. Just like you can have too much of anything. It is always important to use medicine ( I believe food is medicine) and any health technique in accordance with your own personal health needs, medications, and history. What works for one person is not going to work for everyone.
The science behind the magic in celery juice
The magic ingredient in celery juice that can be beneficial for your health is p – coumaric acid. There are a mix of other wonderful compounds in celery juice as well, but this guy is the one getting attention. P – coumaric acid is from the polyphenol family. It has properties that help reduce intestinal absorbtion of carbohydrates, modulates enzymes involved in using glucose, and helps you process glucose better so that your pancreas does not have to work so hard. It also helps improve gut microbiota because your good gut bacteria get nutrients from celery – they like to eat it too. It has antioxidant properties as well as anti – inflammatory properties.
Essentially, p – coumaric acid gets absorbed in our gastrointestinal tract, boosts our flora there, helps us control our blood sugar, gets passed through our liver, where it helps us detoxify, then out through the kidneys, helping filter all the toxins out of our body! Many of us feel a lot better when we do simple detoxes like adding in celery juice to our day. We feel even better when we reduce processed foods. Celery juice helps our body better process all that we are exposed to. It is a great habit when used properly and in moderation.
Amazing! Right?
How else can I get p – coumaric acid?
Yes, it is amazing that p – coumaric acid can do this, but it can do this in other fruits and vegetables as well. Not just celery. P – coumaric acid is found in plants in general. Thus, celery juice, while extremely popular and an easy way to get p – coumaric acid is not the only food that can do this.
Detox, antioxidants, and the gut microbiota are all pieces of ancient medicine that Naturopathic doctors use regularly to restore health. Celery juice is an example of one of the many tools we have to accomplish these things. We have a whole arsenal of simple tools like celery juice to beat your health ailments and empower you to take your health back.
Want to have the effects of celery juice x 10?! Incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your daily routine, try eating the rainbow. You might be surprised what happens.
Still think celery is the hero?
Yes celery juice is amazing when used appropriately. However, there are other heroic vegetables out there, and celery’s properties are not just found in the juice!
References
Al-Asmari, Abdulrahman Khazim et al. “An Updated Phytopharmacological Review on Medicinal Plant of Arab Region: Apium graveolens Linn” Pharmacognosy reviews vol. 11,21 (2017): 13-18.
El‐Seedi HR, El‐Said AM, Khalifa SA, Göransson U, Bohlin L, Borg‐Karlson AK et al., Biosynthesis, natural sources, dietary intake, pharmacokinetic properties, and biological activities of hydroxycinnamic acids. J Agric Food Chem 60:10877–10895 (2012).
Kooti W, Daraei N, A Review of the Antioxidant Activity of Celery ( Apium graveolens L). J Evid Based Complementary Altern Med. 2017 Oct;22(4):1029-1034. doi: 10.1177/2156587217717415. Epub 2017 Jul 13.
Pragasam SJ, Venkatesan V and Rasool M, Immunomodulatory and anti‐inflammatory effect of p‐coumaric
acid, a common dietary polyphenol on experimental inflammation in rats. Inflammation
36:169–176 (2013).
Category: health and wellness, naturopathic medicine, celery juice, medical medium, epstein – barr virus, chronic fatigue, digestion
