BENEFIT OF CELERY:FOR YOUR HEALTH.

The nutrients in the celery plant and its seeds may provide a range of health benefits.

It is worth remembering, however, that these nutrients occur in relatively small amounts in celery. Eating celery alone is not likely to prevent or cure any disease.

Preventing inflammation and cancer

Celery contains a plant compound called apigenin, which plays a role in traditional Chinese medicine as an anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, and antioxidant agent.

It may also have properties that help combat cancer.

According to a 2016 review, lab tests have shown that apigenin may contribute to apoptosis, a kind of programmed cell death, which could make it useful as a cancer treatment.

Researchers behind a study in mice concluded that apigenin and apigenin-rich diets reduced the expression of certain inflammatory proteins. In this way, these substances may reduce inflammation and restore the balance of the immune system.

Celery contains a flavonoid called luteolin. The authors of an article published in 2009 suggested that luteolin may have anticancer properties — it may help prevent the spread of cancer cells and induce cell death. They proposed that luteolin may make cancer cells more susceptible to attack by chemicals in treatments.

Blood pressure

Some practitioners of Chinese medicine use celery and celery extracts to reduce blood pressure.

One study looked at the effect of celery seed extracts on blood pressure in rats that either had normal blood pressure and or artificially induced hypertension.

The authors concluded that the extracts reduced blood pressure and raised heart rate in the rats with high blood pressure but not in those with normal blood pressure. There is no strong evidence, however, that celery seeds help lower blood pressure in humans.

Celery is also a good source of fiber, and results of a 2016 Cochrane review suggested that people with a high fiber intake may have lower blood pressure than those on a low fiber diet.

The authors called for further research to confirm their findings and to identify the precise impacts of different types of fiber.

Which other foods can help reduce blood pressure?

Hyperlipidemia

Hyperlipidemia refers to an increase in fatty molecules in the blood. There are often no symptoms, but it raises the long-term risk of heart disease and stroke.

A 2014 study in rodents found that celery extract reduced levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or “bad” cholesterol, in rats that consumed a high-fat diet.

Meanwhile, the 2016 Cochrane review noted that people who follow a high-fiber diet appear to have lower total and LDL cholesterol levels than those who consume less fiber.

Which foods to eat or avoid when you have high cholesterol? Find out here.

Neurogenesis

Apigenin may also stimulate neurogenesis, the growth and development of nerve cells.

In a study, researchers gave rats apigenin and found that it stimulated nerve cell generation and improved the ability to learn and remember.

Confirming these effects in humans, however, will require further research.

Other benefits

Some researchers have suggested that extracts from celery may also help prevent:

liver disease and jaundice
urinary tract obstructiongout
rheumatic disorders
In addition, people use celery seeds to treat:
bronchitis
asthma
psoriasis and other skin disorders
vomiting
fever

However, confirming these potential benefits of celery and celery seeds will require further research.

Learn more about foods that contain antioxidants.

Nutritional contents

Celery is mainly made up of water, but it also provides dietary fiber. One 4-inch stalk of celery, weighing around 4 grams (g), provides about 0.1 g of fiber.

Beyond apigenin and luteolin, celery contains other plant compounds that have powerful antioxidant properties.

These include:

selinene
limonene

kaempferol
p-coumaric acid

Antioxidants of various kinds help prevent cellular damage caused by unstable molecules known as free radicals. The body produces these substances as a byproduct of natural processes, but if too many build up, they can be harmful.

Antioxidants help neutralize free radicals and prevent them from causing damage that may otherwise lead to disease development.

A stick of celery also provides small amounts of vitamin K, folate, vitamin A, potassium, and vitamin C.

Diet

People can eat celery raw or cooked.

Raw vegetables usually contain more nutrients than cooked ones. Steaming celery for 10 minutes may not affect the antioxidant contents significantly, but boiling celery may do so, according to one study.

Celery pairs well with: