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Celery is one of the foods most of us don’t spend a lot of time thinking about. Other than chopping it up and putting it into a salad or casserole or maybe dipping it into some peanut butter, that’s pretty much the only energy we give it. However, humor us for a second while we take a couple of minutes to break down, just some of the reasons why celery is the kind of vegetable that should constantly stay in your refrigerator.
As a member of the parsley family, celery is loaded with water while still being full of vitamins. Some that top the list include vitamins A, C and K, folate and phytonutrients (a plant substance that fights disease). Although celery doesn’t have much of a taste to it (more like an aftertaste if you ever pay close attention), as you’re about to see, it provides so many health benefits that it’s a wonder that it does get praised via more articles like this one (aren’t you glad that you’re reading this?).
Just make sure that you buy the kind that is really green, super crisp and that you keep it in a plastic bag once you purchase it. If you do that, you’ll be able to get the most out of your celery; plus, it will keep for around three weeks or so.
Are you ready to see why we’re such huge fans of this particular food? Oh, and also check out Farm Fresh to You if you’re looking for groceries, fresh fruits and vegetables!
7 Health Benefits of Celery
It’s low in calories.
Due to the fact that celery contains mostly of water, you probably already assumed that it’s a low-calorie food, you might just be surprised by how low. A stalk is roughly three calories and a cup of chopped celery is around 16! Not only does this mean that it’s a great weight loss food, but if you want to dip a few sticks into peanut butter, cream cheese or ranch dressing, you don’t have to feel the least bit guilty for doing so.
It fights inflammation.
If bodily inflammation is something that you struggle with, that’s just one more reason to add more celery into your life. It contains a molecule known as apigenin, celery can help to reduce inflammation. There are even studies that state apigenin (and polyacetylenes which are also in celery) can help to fight precancerous cells from occurring too.
It reduces bloating.
If one of the main reasons why you hate “that time of the month” is because it causes unsightly bloating, this is just one more reason to chomp down on a celery stick. Since it’s considered to be a food that is a diuretic, celery is able to effectively treat water retention (and lower your blood pressure too).
It also fights infections.
Here’s something that just might surprise you. Did you know that celery seeds also contain antimicrobial components? The reason why this is so important is because those are what help to significantly reduce infections in our system by strengthening our immunity and getting rid of the bacteria that may be causing the infection in the first place. (By the way, celery is also able to reduce uric acid and stimulate urine production, making it a great way to prevent urinary tract infections as well.)
It beautifies skin.
Since it is an anti-inflammatory food, celery is the kind of food that also helps to treat acne. And again, since it’s so high in water content, it’s also able to flush out body toxins. Celery even helps to remove fat from your liver, making it easier for your liver to get rid of toxins too. All of this works together to keep your skin clear and blemish-free.
It’s an amazing sleep agent.
On the nights when you have a hard time sleeping, no problem; just eat some celery. Another nutrient that’s in it is magnesium and that is one of the best vitamins when it comes to relaxing your muscles and nerves so that you can fall asleep and stay asleep.
It’s a great pheromone.
One more. Did you know that men who eat celery on a regular basis end up having the kind of sweat that’s really appealing to women? Word on the street is that it improves the taste of their, umm, other bodily fluids as well, making it just one more reason to pick up some celery from your local grocery store (or Farmer’s Market) just as soon as you possibly can!
Four Celery Recipes
Celery Smoothie
Mix ¼ cup of ginger, two apples, two stalks of celery, one cucumber, two tablespoons of honey and a cup of ice. Grate the ginger, cut the apples, celery and cucumber into small slices and put it all into your blender. Blend into smooth and then add the honey and ice cubes. Blend again and drink immediately. It will soon become one of your favorite morning time or post-workout go-tos.
Braised Celery
This is a super tasty appetizer. Take as many stalks of celery as you want to serve and put them in a baking dish. Then pour some chicken broth into the dish, making sure to also add some butter, thyme, olive oil and oregano. Bake at 200-250 degrees for around 15-20 minutes and serve immediately.
Celery Soup
If you’d prefer to use celery as a comfort food, how about a hot bowl of celery soup? Out of all the ways to eat celery, this recipe is a bit more complicated, so feel free to click here for one of our favorite recipes.
Celery Bites
Take a stalk of celery and cut it in half. Then smear some cream cheese, minced garlic cloves, pine nuts and shredded Italian cheese on each one. Delicious!
Celery Ice Cubes
Got some leftover leaves from your celery stalks? Awesome! Put them into your water filled ice trays. It’s another cool way to snack on some celery, plus it looks amazing with your drinks!
See—we told you that you’d fall in love with celery, didn’t we?
Still not a fan of celery? What about avocados? Oh yes, said it! AVOCADOS!
