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Wellness

9 health benefits of celery

This crunchy stalk can help reduce inflammation, improve cholesterol, and more
By | Jan. 9, 2024 Medically reviewed by Leslie Greenberg, MD
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When so many foods have been named superfoods, it’s hard to distinguish which ones truly stand out. Take celery, for example. It’s been hailed as a solution to many gut and skin woes as well as a game changer for those with autoimmune disorders. While snacking on celery sticks and adding the crunchy vegetable in soups or stews certainly help you reap its benefits, celery enthusiasts particularly recommend drinking celery juice to extract its vitamins and minerals.

If you’ve heard of the celery juice trend, you may wonder—what are the health benefits of celery, and does chugging the salty elixir actually support your health? It turns out, those green stalks have quite a bit to offer. Eating celery regularly can help reduce inflammation, support heart health, provide beneficial nutrients, and more. You can enjoy it raw, cooked, and even juiced. Here’s why you should consider adding celery to your weekly grocery list.

9 celery benefits

Celery is a low-calorie food—even though it’s not a significant source of protein, fat, or carbohydrates, per the U.S. Department of Agriculture. One serving (one cup or roughly four stalks of raw celery, and one cup of celery juice) contains 1.62 grams of fiber and plenty of antioxidants like vitamins C, A, and K. It’s also a source of folate, potassium, manganese, and some B vitamins. 

With all those nutrients, it’s no wonder why celery juice cleanses have gone mega-viral. A handful of books are dedicated solely to the benefits of celery, so it’s got a strong backing. 

“Celery juice has gained mainstream attention due to all the anecdotal claims related to improvements surrounding gut issues, autoimmune disorders, and skin breakouts,” explains Jenna Volpe, RDN, a registered dietitian in Austin, Texas. “While there isn’t much formal direct research to confirm whether these claims are legit, one thing we can say for sure about celery is that it’s naturally anti-inflammatory and high in antioxidants.” 

The taste of celery is often polarizing, but there are many delicious ways to prepare it both raw and cooked: Dice it into tuna salad, pair it with peanut butter or hummus, mix it into a soup, or pickle it for extra tang. And, of course, juicing is always an option to quickly take in more nutrients. Volpe recommends adding one cup of fresh or juiced celery to your daily meal plan—however, juicing celery removes some of the beneficial dietary fiber. Then, get ready to enjoy these health benefits.

1. Reduce inflammation

Celery contains phytonutrients that help reduce inflammation, Volpe says. Specifically, they work by decreasing the activity of a class of inflammatory mediators called cytokines, she explains. Issues related to skin and gut health as well as autoimmune diseases are often linked to increased levels of inflammation.

Inflammation is a risk factor for chronic health diseases like cardiovascular disease, stroke, and cancer as well. “Chronic inflammation can lead to a number of health concerns so consuming foods that are anti-inflammatory like celery can help protect you,” adds Laura Purdy, MD, a board-certified family medicine physician based in Miami, Florida.

2. Minimize oxidative stress

Rich in antioxidants, celery can help fend off oxidative stress that can lead to disease-causing cellular damage. “Antioxidants are important because they protect your body from free radicals, which can lead to health risks,” Dr. Purdy says. When left unchecked, these free radicals can contribute to diseases like heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and cancer.

Some of the powerful antioxidants in celery include caffeic acid, ferulic acid, and others, which can have healing effects, research shows. The antioxidants in celery can also help reduce inflammation, further reducing the risk of disease, notes Volpe.

3. Reduce the risk of chronic health conditions

Chronic health conditions like heart disease, cancer, and stroke are among the leading causes of death in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Prevention is multi-pronged, but eating a healthy diet rich in fruits and veggies like celery may help reduce the risks.

Celery may have cardioprotective properties thanks to its abundance of bioactive compounds, some research suggests. The disease-fighting effects of celery may be linked to its ability to reduce inflammation. “Since inflammation is a risk factor of heart disease, this may explain why celery has been proven to help prevent cardiovascular disease as well as improve high cholesterol and high blood pressure,” Volpe says. 

Moreover, celery contains a flavonoid called apigenin, which may suppress the progression of cancer. The existing research has linked apigenin to the prevention of certain types of cancer, including colorectal, oral, and pancreatic cancers.

4. Lower blood pressure

Celery may also reduce the risk of stroke by helping to lower blood pressure, which is one of the risk factors for stroke. There are a few ways that celery can help those with hypertension. For starters, celery helps support healthy blood vessels by reducing inflammation in people with atherosclerosis, Volpe explains. This can, in turn, reduce high blood pressure.

Some studies have also shown celery juice to help decrease hypertension. In one study, one male with hypertension had improvements in his blood pressure after drinking celery juice for six months. Since hypertension medications may have unwanted side effects, celery may be a more tolerable alternative for some people.

Celery also provides nutrients with blood pressure-lowering effects, such as fiber, magnesium, and potassium, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

5. Improve skin hydration

With roughly 95% water content, celery is a good source of hydration. That’s right—drinking eight cups of water isn’t the only way to hydrate. Being well-hydrated has many benefits, including skin benefits. 

“Keeping the body and skin well hydrated is key to maintaining skin health,” says Anthony Nikko, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Houston, Texas. “It also contains vitamin A, which may help improve acne.”

6. Increase regularity

Some refer to celery as “nature’s broom” because of its gut-friendly properties. Its high water content certainly helps, but it’s also a good source of the roughage known as dietary fiber which may help to combat bloating.

“Both the water and fiber content in celery can help move things along in the bathroom,” Dr. Purdy says.

7. Improve cholesterol

In addition to lowering blood pressure, celery supports healthy heart function by improving cholesterol levels, Volpe says. High cholesterol is common and can be chronic, and though it’s not something you can see, it’s dangerous. It affects tens of millions of Americans and contributes to an increased risk of heart disease and stroke, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

Limiting foods high in saturated fat and increasing high-fiber foods can help maintain healthy cholesterol levels, notes the Mayo Clinic. Incorporating celery may be especially helpful since it’s been shown to lower elevated blood lipids like cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

8. Support bone and blood health

Celery provides many nutritional benefits, but it’s especially potent in vitamin K. “Vitamin K is vital for bone health,” Dr. Purdy says. Like calcium, vitamin K helps maintain strong bones. Without it, you may be at risk of bone fractures, especially hip fractures, research suggests.

Vitamin K is also an important nutrient for blood health. For this reason, it’s known as the clotting vitamin. “Celery is high in vitamin K, which allows for better blood coagulation and adds an additional benefit of lowering blood pressure,” says Rosa Becerra-Soberon, RDN, a nutrition coach based in Durham, North Carolina. 

9. Fight bacteria and fungus

A lesser-known celery benefit is that it’s naturally antibacterial, antimicrobial, and antifungal, Volpe says. Studies have shown that celery can inhibit different types of bacteria and fungi. One of its additional skin benefits is the ability to fend off the bacteria associated with staph (Staphylococcus aureus) and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) infections, animal research suggests. More research is needed to determine if this effect extends to humans with MRSA.

Tips for buying and storing celery

Celery wrapped in plastic will wilt faster because it gives off a gas called ethylene, which makes it ripen faster. Because celery is often packaged in plastic, the gas becomes trapped and accelerates this process.

To ensure you’re buying the freshest celery, look for the following:

  • Bright green stalks; yellow celery is a sign the vegetable is turning
  • Firm ribs; limp, bending stalks of celery with drooping celery leaves aren’t fresh
  • Tight bunches without breakage; you’ll want to avoid spread-out bunches or broken celery

Fresh celery can last for several weeks in your refrigerator if stored correctly. When you get home, unwrap the celery, give it a wash, wrap it loosely in foil, and stow it in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator. This will allow those gasses to circulate so it doesn’t go bad quickly. To keep it crunchy for longer, avoid cutting into it. Once you cut it, it’s best to store the pieces wet, though this drastically shortens the life-span of your celery. 

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