Celery is definitely not one of the vegetables that people usually consume and it’s not one of the most popular vegetables for lunchboxes either, but it is one of the most beneficial for the nerves and the blood and recommended for people with digestive problems also.
The vegetable is a natural diuretic and has detoxifying properties, celery juice especially promoting amazing health benefits although the veggie can be consumed in multiple ways.
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Celery and ways to consume
Cultivated since the ancient times, celery represented at first and first and foremost a medicinal plant and it was only later that people started including it into their diet. The vegetable is quite versatile and can be consumed raw in salads and juices, dried or cooked in various dishes.
How to consume raw celery
Celery can be eaten raw and is best tasting when accompanied by a healthy dip that also boosts the nutritional power of the vegetable. It is often consumed like this by bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts as a way to gain as many nutrients as possible simultaneously. Find prices and specials in the latest grocery retailers catalogues.
Some ideas for celery dips: peanut butter, hummus, salsa, cheese dressings, Greek yoghurt dressing, cream cheese.
Celery juice is another fantastic way to consume the vegetable fresh and raw. The juice has important cleansing properties and it detoxifies the body, in some cases even helping treat kidney stones. Other ingredients such as fruits and other vegetables can be added to the juice, but it is important to maintain celery as the main ingredient to ripe the benefits.
How to use celery when cooking
Celery is one of the three ingredients that make up the mirepoix in French cuisine. Mirepoix is a mix of chopped vegetables used in soups and for sauces, the other two ingredients being onion and carrots.
Celery is also used as a condiment in meat dishes and various other courses, bringing a delightful flavor to food and a particular aroma. Celery seeds are in fact used in baking, mostly for bread but they can also be added to home baked salty snacks, fish dishes, sandwiches and pickles.
Celery benefits
Celery and celery juice consumption should be avoided in pregnancy and by people who suffer from high acidity in the body, varicose and allergies to plants.
But although celery can cause side effects when consumed by people with sensitivity to various components in the vegetable, it is generally one of the healthiest and nutritional foods to be consumed daily.
This ancient vegetable has been used as a medicinal plant for centuries and has played a prominent role in Ayurvedic medicine. Some of the health benefits associated with celery includes:
- Diuretic effect
- Cleanses the blood
- Detoxifies kidneys
- Dissolves kidney stones
- Helps with losing weight
- Reduces sugar levels in diabetes
- Treats septic wounds
- Provides cardiovascular support
- Protects the digestive tract
- Has the potential to prevent various cancer forms
Celery nutritional information
100 grams of raw, chopped celery contain the following nutrients:
Vitamin A 22.67 mcg representing 3% of the daily recommended intake
Vitamin K 29.59 mcg representing 33% of the daily recommended intake
Molybdenum 5.05 mcg representing 11% of the daily recommended intake
Folate 36.36 mcg representing 9% of the daily recommended intake
Potassium 262.60 mg representing 8% of the daily recommended intake
Fiber 1.40g representing 6% of the daily recommended intake
Manganese 0.10 mg representing 5% of the daily recommended intake
Pantothenic acid 0.25mg representing 5% of the daily recommended intake
Vitamin B2 0.06mg representing 5% of the daily recommended intake
Copper 0.04mg representing 4% of the daily recommended intake
Vitamin C 3.13mg representing 4% of the daily recommended intake
Vitamin B6 0.07mg representing 4% of the daily recommended intake
Calcium 40.40mg representing 4% of the daily recommended intake
Phosphorus 24.24mg representing 3% of the daily recommended intake
Magnesium 11.11mg representing 3% of the daily recommended intake