Celery is associated with the “rabbit food diet”, the “catabolic diet” and several other diets. It is a vegetable in the parsley family that is best known for being low calorie and high fiber. One serving provides 2 grams of fiber and just 18 calories!
But what few people realize is that it has a number of other health and nutrition benefits, including:
- Consumption of celery has been found to be associated with lower blood pressure.
- Celery is thought to help clear uric acid from the joints, so it is often consumed as part of a health diet for arthritis and rheumatic problems.
- Drinking celery juice before meals may suppress appetite.
- Celery is a good source of vitamin C and thus, strengthens the immune system.
- It has natural anti-inflammatory properties and is a great source of antioxidants.
Researchers have taken notice of the antioxidant properties of celery and one antioxidant in particular. A new study from Harvard found that increased intake of the flavanoid apigenin, found in celery, parsely and tomato sauce, may reduce the risk of ovarian cancer by 20%! The study was published in the International Journal of Cancer.
The researchers believe that apigenin and other flavonoids may reduce the risk of ovarian cancer by affecting estrogen activity and/or estrogen levels. These flavonoids appear to inhibit (block) estrogen activity, may reduce circulating estrogen levels by binding to estrogen receptors, and may suppress estrogen synthesis (production).
Regardless of what the mechanism is or whether you understand how it works, the take home message from this research is to include a variety of flavonoid rich foods in your diet to promote healthy blood pressure, reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer, and ensure overall good health.
Next time you’re looking for a healthy, low calorie snack, consider celery and know that it’s more than just fiber and water! Try it with a little hummus dip. It’s also great in stews and soups and is one vegetable that does not loose its nutritional value when cooked.
Eating 1 cup of cooked or uncooked celery will provide you with 15%DV for vitamin C, 12%DV for potassium and 6%DV for calcium. Even the seeds are beneficial. A tablespoon of celery seeds packs 17%DV for iron. And don’t forget the leaves are especially rich in antioxidants. Make small adjustments in your recipes to include a little bit of celery seed or a sprinkling of celery leaves on your sauces and soups to improve the nutritional value and reap the fantastic health benefits of celery.
To view the full Harvard study, click here:
To learn how to grow your own celery, contact GetGoinGreen.
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