Like most other superfood trends, there is more than meets the eye. And although there is often a sliver of truth to many of the claims about celery juice, unfortunately, they’re blown way out of proportion and can quickly turn dangerous.
There is no question that celery is not harmful. It’s also a water-rich, nutrient-dense vegetable. All of that means it’s healthy. But so are a ton of other foods. Together, healthy foods have the potential to do wonders for your health.
A single item labeled a superfood? Not so much.
That’s not to discount the value of celery. It’s just a warning that you should not believe the hype.
Since we’re on the topic, let’s take a look at some of the valuable nutrients you’ll find in celery.
Antioxidants are abundant in this crispy vegetable. Celery contains kaempferol and quercetin that may help protect cells from free radicals. Quercetin may also fight back against various types of inflammation.
These nutrients, however, are not exclusive to celery.
Celery is also a good source of fiber and water, helping with hydration, nutrient absorption, and digestion.
In fact, there is so much water in celery that it doesn’t need to be juiced! The truth is that you might be eliminating some of its value by juicing it.
Juicing gets rid of valuable fiber that aids digestion, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels. It also concentrates natural sugars that occur in the vegetable. Celery, however, is very low-sugar, and juicing it won’t make it a high-sugar juice.
Many commercially available celery juices are mixed with other juices and have higher sugar levels to mask celery’s naturally bitter flavor, thereby making them less healthy than you might think.
At the end of the day, celery juice isn’t harmful. But it’s also not going to do many the things your social media feed is suggesting. If you want health benefits from foods, focus on eating a healthy diet rich in whole fruits and vegetables.