Celery is mainly known for its negative calories and for being indispensable in natural medicine and for being the main ingredient of our juices! But it doesn't stop there: its composition is much better than it looks.
Do you want to know the properties, benefits and curiosities of celery? Once you know a little more about it, you will add it to all your dishes!
What is celery?
Celery, or Apium graveolens, is an apiaceous vegetable, or umbelliferous. It is native to the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, but centuries ago it spread across the globe.
Aspect: This food is light green in colour, its characteristic part being the stems: very striated and vetoed. These end in wedged leaves and form stalks, similar to a romaine lettuce.
Flavour: It is usually somewhat sweet, although this is an artificial characteristic, due to the bleaching of the stems during cultivation. Of the total, the edible part corresponds to 65%.
Cultivation: It needs very humid or marshy soils, which is why it can be cultivated in many countries. Its cultivation is biannual, so that it can be found all year round, although it is true that the autumn and winter pieces are of better quality.
How to cook it? You can eat it raw in salads or cook it with other vegetables to serve as a side dish, or even dress some cleaned stalks with lemon or blend them with more vegetables for an ultra-full juice!
Properties and benefits of celery; what does it give us?
Generally speaking, we can say that this is a food carminative, diuretic, tranquilliser y cleansingDon't you believe us? Below, we explain these benefits one by one.
Nutritional value
Attention because we are off to a strong start! Celery provides less than 15 calories per 100 grams of raw food. This is because the edible part is almost a 95% water. The other 5% corresponds to: protein (1.3g), fibre (1.8g), vitamins and minerals, among others. Carbohydrates are only 1.3g per 100 and lipids, a negligible 0.2g.
As for the vitamins and minerals present: lots of folate, vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin E and niacin, calcium, sodium, potassium, phosphorus and magnesium. In smaller quantities we find thiamine, riboflavin, vitamin B6, selenium, iron and zinc.
It's incredibly healthy, but!care! If you suffer from serious kidney problems, it is better not to consume it. It contains a high amount of oxalates, salts that are slow to be eliminated and are not very soluble, which makes the kidneys work harder.
A good tip for all of us to enjoy their properties is to reduce salts. cooking celery.
Blood pressure
Celery seeds contain phthalideswhich reduce stress in the blood, relaxing and expanding the arteries. If taken continuously and in small doses, they help to reduce hypertension.
We came across a compound, 3-n butyl phthalide, which reduces blood pressure through its ability to cause the muscles of the blood vessels to relax.
Methanolic, hexanoic and aqueous-ethanolic acids are also able to reduce inflammation in the blood system, improving fluid circulation and thus its pressure.
Cholesterol
The same compound 3-n butyl also reduces cholesterol by the same motive.
In addition, celery contains coumarins, which thin the blood.
Finally, we give omega, which also helps to regulate bad cholesterol.
Tissue renovator
In this respect, we find that flavonoids help us to renew our connective and joint tissue. Furthermore, celery is a powerful combatant against uric acid. It is therefore particularly recommended for gout and arthritis.
Moisturising and remineralising
Its very high water content and potassium content make this food a regular in drinks to replenish our energy in the gym.
Slimming
Again, its very high water content and very few calories make it an ideal slimming food. In fact, there is a myth that it is a negative value food because our digestive system is supposed to consume more calories digesting it than the product itself provides, although this is not true.
Its ability to aid digestion, to facilitate the release of gas and its diuretic properties accentuate its slimming effect.
Anti-inflammatory
The polysaccharides and antioxidants (more than a dozen) make it an excellent anti-inflammatory, although this is not one of its most outstanding properties.
In this way, we can see that it is a relief from problems such as arthritis, heart and coronary diseases, cancers...
Antibacterial
Its seeds are also used to combat certain malignant bacteria, being able to reduce the proliferation of these bacteria.
If we also apply the seed extract to wounds, we will find a very good option to prevent infection and help healing.
Medical product
Finally, we have to say that its use has been medical, as it is, for centuries.
Often a food is not only valued for being balanced and rich in nutrients, but also for its calorie content. However, you will be pleased to know that celery, despite having very few calories, has always been highly regarded and is, in fact, frequently used in traditional Chinese medicine, especially to treat intestinal parasitic infestations.
Interestingly, it also happens to be a protagonist in Ayurvedic medicine, being used to alleviate the symptoms of arthritis, menstrual pain and generally for the treatment of liver diseases.
In the West, more specifically in Greece, celery juice was considered an elixir to restore vitality and restore high-impact athletes.
Celery in BeboColdPress
As you can see, it is a super complete food. That's why we include it without hesitation, it meets all the requirements we want to defend! As you know, at BeboColdPress we have some of the best principles Are you also looking to be more aware of your sustainable y healthy?