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Celery is a plant widely used as ingredients in stews, soup, salad, as well as herbal medicine owing to its nutritional profile.
The health- prompting plant, is a member of the “Apiaceae family”. It flourishes in well watered soil, and ready for harvest between July – October.
Celery produces bunches from the root, each bunch has 7- 10 long; its slightly greenish with strong stalks.
It has a pungent flavor and salty taste. Both the stalks and leaves are used to flavor foods.
This delicious plant, is often crunched when eaten raw or during juicing.
Moreover, celery is said to have originated from the north African and in the Mediterranean region. Though, presently, it is found across the globe.
Celery health benefits include; Anti-inflammatory properties, help lower cholesterol levels, boost immune system, improve digestive system, help protect the liver, weight loss, protect against cancer, arthritis and pain, lower blood sugar, Good for heart health, among others.
12 Shocking Benefits Of Celery
1. Possesses Anti-inflammatory properties
One of the functions of inflammation in the body is it natural response to an injury which aimed at eliminating harmful stimuli. When inflammation turn out to chronic, it begins to attack it own body — leading to autoimmune, and other disease such as gastrointestinal track. Celery houses abundance of natural compounds including flavanoid, and polyphenol. These compounds work as Anti-inflammatory agent as well as scrapping out dangerous toxins that can cause inflammation thus decreasing symptoms like stiffness, swollen, pains, and joint pain. People also consume celery to prevent and treat liver problems and skin infections.
2. Reduce cholesterol levels
Over circulation of cholesterol, particularly, bad cholesterol in the blood causes heart attack; plaques, or fat deposits on the arteries are main causes of atherosclerosis, which triggers cardiovascular diseases. Scientific research has shown that fiber can effectively reduce cholesterol in the body (1). Moreover, getting rid of fat deposits or plaques is possible as a result of antioxidant like flavanoid, polyphenol in celery. When reducing cholesterol in the blood, opt for celery as integral part of your food ingredients, owing to the generous amount of fiber and antioxidant in it.
3. Boost immune system
Celery is an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin E, potassium, and vitamin A, these vitamins and minerals work directly to improve immune system. The presence of antioxidant increase body’s defence mechanism as oxidative stress is removed also. Obtaining these nutrients at required amount daily offers you chance of developing a healthy immune system, since it can smartly flush out toxins.
4. Improve Digestive system
Celery is a rich source of dietary fiber, making it very powerful in maintaining digestive system. Celery helps stimulate digestive enzymes, and enhance bowel movement. As an antimicrobial agent, it ensure that pathogenic growth in gastrointestinal track are inhibited as well as maintaining beneficial bacteria in the body.
5. Help For Weight Loss
Use of low calories diet has been a normal routine for weight reduction since foods of high calories leads to weight gain. Celery is one of such vegetable with very low calories and rich source of dietary fiber. It is believed that fiber helps reduce cholesterol levels, even making you feel full as it delay the return of hunger.
6. Help Protect The Liver
One of the problem affecting liver is the accumulation of fat -that impair hepatic functions. Regular consumption of celery assist in reduction of excessive fat deposit inside the liver and ensuring overall well-being. It is often added to salad dressing or juicing.
7. Maintain The Blood Pressure
Frequent use of celery in cooking or juicing has a promising effect on the blood pressure. Thanks to the antihypertensive properties found in celery, this indicate it potency in controlling and maintaining blood pressure. Celery plant also work as vasodilator which helps dilate the blood vessels and decrease abnormal circulation, because of potassium in celery. In addition, celery has a soothing and calming effect in the nerves, this increase tendency to sleep and relaxation of nerves cells.
8. Help Prevent Cancer
Celery is very valuable in terms of cancer prevention as it has potent to alleviate cancerous cells. This is attributed to the anti-inflammatory properties and antioxidant it has. Several searches have indicated it inhibitory effect on cancerous cells in the body. Hence, incorporating celery in your diet helps keep development of cancer, particularly breast cancer at bay.
9. Combat arthritis & pain
Celery possesses Anti-inflammatory properties which helps reduce inflammation and prevent disease. Arthritis is cause by inflammation – leaving you with various symptoms pains, swollen joint, pain to mention but a few. Consumption of celery can be very useful for mitigating inflammation, and symptoms linked to inflammation.
10. Help Manage Diabetes
Regulation of blood glucose levels, is a growing concerns for diabetics patients. Keeping it on a normal range so as to avoid complications, has been the best approach to prevent diabetes from affecting the neurons, eyes, and kidney. The vegetable, celery is an excellent source of fiber, and natural compounds such as flavanoid and quercetin. These compounds are known for preventing oxidative damage that are capable of affecting beta cells of the pancreas – which promote insulin secretion and regulate glucose levels. They also help increase glucose uptake in the liver, and muscle cells. In addition, celery do not only increase insulin sensitivity, but promote a healthy living.
11. Good For Heart Health
As stated previously, it helps reduce cholesterol levels and high blood pressure owing to it abundance of antioxidant, fiber, minerals and vitamins. Potassium is known as vasodilator, which ensure proper circulation of blood.
12. Good For Pregnant Woman
Folate is one of the vitamin required mostly during pregnancy. Deficiency of folate in pregnant woman is birth defects, congenital heart defects. Folate is recommended for all women of childbearing age to improve formation of new blood cells. Eating green leafy vegetable like celery helps minimize deficiency of folate and promote fetal development.
Conclusion
Celery is a delicious spice, packed with nutrients and natural compounds. Many people use it as herb while some apply celery as food ingredients. Celery has numbers of health benefits such as immune system, cancer prevention, digestive disorder, heart health, lower cholesterol, and
