What's All the Hype about Drinking Celery Juice?

Wellness

What's All the Hype about Drinking Celery Juice?

By Mark Zuleger-Thyss

Celery juice has been trending over the last few years because it really is THE superfood to drink. Wondering what the hype is all about? Acid reflux, chronic pain, digestive issues, and Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) can all be helped by drinking celery juice. Here’s what makes this green juice so healthy and what effects it has on your body.

Celery juice can be a real game-changer for your health. It detoxifies the body, gets digestion going, and supports weight loss. It is a mega blast of vitamins and minerals. Celery juice is also very nourishing. It consists of 90 to 95 percent water and is one of the lowest-calorie vegetables you can find. It contains essential oils and bitter substances, too. The assortment of essential oils found within is what gives celery its distinct taste. And it does not contain any fats.

Eating celery helps to keep necessary fluid levels up. Due to its high-water content, celery makes a great snack to have on hand in hot weather. Celery juice contains 18 kilocalories per 100 grams. Raw and unprocessed celery juice retains healthy ingredients which your body will absorb efficiently.

Celery Juice: Vitamin and Mineral Content

• Iron
• Potassium
• Calcium
• Magnesium
• Sodium
• Vitamins B1, B2 & B6
• Vitamins C & E
• Vitamins K, D & A

(K, D & A: These are fat-soluble vitamins. Your body can only process them properly if you consume fat at the same time. A few drops of linseed oil or a handful of nuts are enough.)

Celery Juice and Your Body

Celery juice will not cure every disease – it is not a miracle remedy. But its store of vitamins and minerals is super healthy and will support your body and metabolism in many ways.

Antioxidant-rich vitamin C, together with essential oils, produce antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects. Celery juice can relieve the symptoms of acne, joint issues, and rheumatism.

The bitter substances found in celery juice will jump-start your digestion - ideal for beginning your day. They also protect your stomach and relieve stomach pain. Celery regulates blood pressure, and vitamin K will strengthen the heart and bones.

Celery helps your body better absorb and process certain food elements like vitamin B12 and zinc. It has very few calories and is full of fiber.

Words of Caution

Essential oils can be dangerous, especially for pregnant women. They contain an active ingredient called apiol which is an irritant. It can cause liver and kidney damage, and death due to attempted abortion has been reported. Plants containing apiol were used by women in the Middle Ages to terminate pregnancies. Apiol irritates the muscles of the uterus, and expectant mothers should therefore avoid celery.

Celery juice is safe to drink while pregnant if it is pasteurized or juiced fresh with thoroughly washed celery. The benefits are different depending on whether you drink celery juice or eat whole celery.

Celery juice is an alkaline beverage. It has a calming and soothing effect. It can stabilize mood, remove irritability, and release stress. This is helpful when you are pregnant.

There is also concern about eating lots of celery. It may interfere with blood-thinning medications taken to prevent clots. It is also possible to be allergic to celery, although this is rare.

Celery has a strong diuretic effect and, not everyone can tolerate it. Kidney patients and pregnant women should consume celery with caution and consult their doctor beforehand.

Preparing Celery Juice

Look for celery with sturdy, upright stalks that are crisp and green. After purchase, eat it within five to seven days. The most tender variety of celery is Tango. It is the sweetest one. Your grocer might also sell the Samba, Merengo, or Conga varieties of celery.

You can make celery juice using a juicer, blender, or hand blender. Chopped and stored celery will lose its nutrients quickly, so wait to chop it until you are ready to juice it.

Make sure to wash the celery thoroughly, remove its stem, and cut it into small pieces. Put them in your juicer one by one.

If you do not have a juicer, puree the pieces using a stand or hand blender. Strain the pureed celery mash through a clean kitchen towel, and you will have pure celery juice.

Due to the bitter taste of celery, you can modify your juice with lemon or apple juice for a sweeter taste. The juice of carrots or green herbs will enhance your enjoyment of celery juice. For additional power, add barley grass powder or turmeric. The minerals and trace elements found in these extra ingredients will give your body energy.

Consuming Celery Juice

Drink celery juice regularly. Your body will benefit from its effects if you consume it daily. Drink a large glass of juice every morning. Set your sights on a minimum of 16 ounces.

Start out with 4 to 8 ounces. If you are sensitive to it, go slowly and increase the amount each day as you get used to it. Once accustomed to celery juice, it is best to commit to that 16-ounce minimum. If it is difficult to drink so much at once, put it in the refrigerator and take small portions throughout the day.

Celery juice is healing when consumed regularly. Use it to transform your health. The water-rich, crisp celery is perfect as a raw food snack, so juicing is not the only way to enjoy it.

© 1996 - 2021 Mark Zuleger-Thyss, Garden of Healing. All rights reserved.