Celery health benefits
Celery has become a common household staple because it can be widely used in salads, soups, and main dishes. Its distinctive flavor may not be preferred by some, but many people love this virtually calorie-free vegetable. Not only does it provide a salty flavor to some foods, but it also has a surprisingly large number of health benefits, from relieving constipation to lowering blood pressure. This article will explore its nutritious qualities and these many beneficial properties.
Celery’s Breakdown
Celery contains many vitamins, minerals, and other important nutrients essential for the health of the human body. It is rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, many of the B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B5, and B6), amino acids, boron, calcium, chlorine, folate, essential fatty acids, inositol, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, potassium, selenium, sulfur, and zinc. Wow, what a list! It’s amazing what this crunchy vegetable can provide.
Health Benefits of Celery
Aside from the many vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients present in celery, celery also lends benefits to the health of the human body because of the abundance of these essential nutrients. Celery also contains 3 compounds that give their own beneficial properties: phtalides, coumarins, and acetylenics. We will look at the health benefits of celery and determine what these three compounds, and many of the other nutrients, does in the ways of aiding in nutrition.
Constipation Relief. Celery has a natural laxative effect, reducing the occurrence and severity of constipation.
Benefits of Vitamin C. Since celery is rich in Vitamin C, it helps to strengthen and support the immune system. Given this property, it can help fight off or prevent the symptoms associated with the common cold. Vitamin C also helps stop the domino effect of free radicals on the body’s cells by stopping their action, especially the type of damage that leads to inflammatory conditions. If free radicals are not withheld from doing their damage, they can oxidize cholesterol, which can lead to plaque build-up in the artery walls; if these plaques rupture, they can cause a heart attack or stroke. Preventing the oxidation of cholesterol in the first place, rather than hoping the plaques don’t rupture, is your best bet. Eating celery will help you do this.
Lowering Blood Pressure. Unfortunately, high blood pressure, or hypertension, affects millions of Americans. Fortunately, drinking one glass of celery juice for just one week can significantly lower an individual’s blood pressure number. The phtalides in celery are responsible for this blood-pressure-lowering mechanism. They help the muscles around arteries relax, dilating the blood vessels and allowing the blood to flow more freely through them.
Lowering Cholesterol Levels. Celery juice has been shown to effectively lower LDL cholesterol levels, which is good because these are the bad cholesterol levels. This is done because celery increases bile acid secretion.
Diuretic Properties. Diuretics are substances that increase the rate at which urination occurs. Potassium and sodium, which are both constituents of celery, help regulate the body’s fluid balances; they are important in increasing the frequency of urination, which helps the body get rid of excess fluids.
Promoting Kidney Function. Since celery has diuretic properties, helping the body rid itself of excess fluids, it also helps eliminate toxins from the body, helping the kidneys function more effectively and preventing kidney stones.
Preventing Cancer. The coumarins in celery also are important in regulating the action of free radicals. If free radicals are able to roam around freely, they can damage cells and cause mutations that can lead to cancerous cells. These coumarins also help increase the production of white blood cells, strengthening the immune system. Acetylenics, another compound in celery, can fight off tumor cells in certain cases.
Weight Loss Aid. This may be a little far-fetched, but some people say that celery helps wave off cravings for sweets and rich food, which in turn would lead to the consumption of fewer calories.
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