With any wellness trend, you should always have a healthy amount of skepticism. Is this something that is actually healthy? Or is it just a celebrity-endorsed scheme to get us to spend more money on things that our body doesn’t actually need. If you spend any time on the internet or browsing the juice section at your local health foods store, you’ve likely come across celery juice and wondered what all the hype was about. It’s time to unpack the truth about this trendy beverage and determine once and for all if it’s actually good for you.
Benefits of celery juice
Celery provides a potent, concentrated does of all of the beneficial vitamins and nutrients of raw celery, including vitamin A, vitamin K, folate, potassium, vitamin C and manganese. Plus, it is low in calories and natural sugar, which makes it a great way to get these essential minerals. Here are a few other reasons to drink celery juice today.
Antioxidant power
Celery juice is loaded with antioxidants that can fight cancer-causing, cell-damaging free-radicals in the body. The power of antioxidants can not be overstated! In fact, animal studies have shown that celery juice could help prevent oxidative stress from chemotherapy drugs.
Supports hydration
Though celery juice can’t replace water, it can certainly help with hydration and provide something a little more interesting to drink without the sugar and calories of other juices. Celery has an incredibly high water content, which makes it great for helping to regulate temperature, keep the digestive system running smoothly, and improve overall physical and mental performance.
Could reduce inflammation
Chronic inflammation is becoming more and more prevalent in America as the processed, refined sugar diet takes over the country. It has been linked to numerous issues such as rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, asthma, and even Alzheimer’s. Thankfully, there are many foods that help battle inflammation and keep the body healthy. Celery (and therefore celery juice) is one such vegetable.
One of the downsides of juicing, and celery juice, in particular, is that it eliminates the pulpy fiber, which is often considered the most beneficial part of many vegetables. Be sure that you consume whole veggies every day and don’t rely on juice to fill your daily vegetable quota.
Celery juice recipe
Instead of splurging for pricey, premade celery juice drinks in trendy, eco-friendly glass bottles, buy a few hearts of organic celery for just a couple bucks and make your own with this easy recipe. You can add health and flavor-enhancing ingredients as needed to make this juice a little more palatable. Plus, you can be sure that you are drinking pure juice with no nasty hidden additives. Whip up this simple recipe in minutes and enjoy at home or on the go!
Ingredients:
- 3-4 stalks of organic celery (yep, that’s it)
Instructions:
- Rinse celery stalks well and remove the leaves.
- Add to a juicer or pulse in a blender until liquified. If using a blender, you will need a fine strainer or cheesecloth to strain out the pulp.
- Pour into a glass and enjoy!
- Add a few ice cubes or place in the fridge for a few hours to make it even more refreshing.
- You can also make a bigger batch ahead of time and store in a mason jar in the fridge for a few days.
- Shake well before drinking.
Best celery juice additives:
No, we’re not talking about processed additives. These beneficial, natural ingredients will help you get even more out of your celery juice and make you look forward to your daily tonic. Simply add them to the juicer or blender along with the celery.
- Green apple
- Cucumber
- Pineapple
- Ginger
- Spinach
- Strawberry
For garnish:
Add these after you have juiced the other ingredients
- Freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice
- Crushed mint leaves
- Crushed basil
Enjoy first thing in the morning to help start your day off right and give you a hydration boost to help flush toxins from your system. You can also enjoy throughout the day as a delicious supplement to regular water or before meals to help support digestion.
Side effects
Are there any side effects of nutritious vegetables? No? Well, then you have nothing to worry about when it comes to drinking pure celery juice. Enjoy one or two glasses a day, as desired.
Keep in mind that celery juice is high in vitamin K, a nutrient critical to blood clotting. If you are on any anticoagulant prescription medication such as Warfarin or coumadin, consult with your doctor before consuming celery juice. You should also speak with your doctor if you are on any prescription medication that is used to lower blood pressure as large amounts of celery juice could react poorly with certain drugs used for hypertension.
Remember, no single food, supplement, or tonic can reverse a sedentary lifestyle and a diet filled with processed food. Eliminate toxins from your life, get out and exercise, and eat a well-balanced whole foods diet of fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, whole grains and lean sources of protein. Enjoy things like celery juice as a supplement to your efforts towards a healthier body and mind.