What's with the Celery Juice??

Recently popularized by multiple celebrities like Tony Robbins, Pharrell Williams, Sylvester Stallone and Gwyneth Paltrow along with the "Medical Medium" recently giving his stamp of approval there is a great deal of buzz about drinking celery juice. (I know I can't believe

Potential Issues with Celery Juicing:

So before we join in with the crowd let's examine things a bit further and check to be sure we are entering into the "celery zone" with the proper perspective. There are a few risks to juicing celery the first being that many people are actually allergic to celery! (I too was a bit surprised to hear of this as it doesn't seem to be widespread among my friends and family, but apparently it's a thing.) Secondly, eating vast amounts of celery can actually increase your sensitivity to the sun. So, if you are fair skinned just be aware and you can adjust your intake accordingly. And a final warning is that drinking hefty amounts of celery juice regularly can place a strain on your kidneys, as it acts as a diuretic.

So what's so great about it?

First let's begin by managing our expectations, as the hype would have us to believe that this is the cure for what ails us most (no matter what that may be). All vegetables in decent amounts have some very beneficial properties and a diet more rich in those will never be a negative thing for anyone. Celery in particular contains: vitamins A, K, and C; potassium, magnesium, iron, folate, high levels of water, and fiber. Celery reportedly also contains 8 compounds that assist in cancer prevention--most namely: Luteolin which has been shown to inhibit tumor growth, reduce tumor size and has an anti-inflammatory effect in the body; and Apigenin which causes cancer cells to self destruct. (These results are from minimal studies and not performed on humans as of yet and we certainly can NOT make the jump that celery alone will cure us or save us from getting cancer--remember managed expectations please.)

So, some of the other things that celery may assist us with are:

Better Digestion: if you puree your celery rather than juicing it you can increase your fiber intake (one cup of celery is equal to two grams of fiber). Fiber acts like a scouring pad through your intestines reducing sugar absorption into your bloodstream and helping to improve bowel movements. The diuretic effect of celery also helps to decrease bloating.

Anti-inflammatory: celery reduces inflammation by the aforementioned reduction in sugar absorption into your bloodstream, Luteolin actions in the body, added water intake to flush out potential toxins and waste products in the body and the slight diuretic effect it has when you consume it. Advocates of celery report reductions in gout, heart disease, cancer, Alzheimers, and autoimmune diseases.

Weight Loss: celery juice is filling believe it or not because you are able to consume so much more of the plant when it is juiced vs. if you were just eating it stalk by stalk. It is low in calories and usually because it provides you with feelings of satiety you will use it to replace another food that may have a higher caloric count (example: celery juice for breakfast (68 calories per cup) replacing a usual donut or your full proper English breakfast of many calories).

Strengthens Bones: celery is rich in vitamin K which promotes bone metabolism and is protective against osteoporosis.

Healthier Complexion: with the vitamins and extra water intake that you have consuming celery juice many have reported positive changes in their complexion as a whole. Specifically people are reporting eczema, acne, rosacea, age spots, wrinkles and blemishes all reducing. (Many of these benefits are also experienced when water intake is increased as well.)

Insomnia Prevention: celery juice may help you to fall asleep, this is due in part to the magnesium content which helps you to relax.

And More: the celery juice masses also make claims that they have clearer thought processes, reduced cravings for sweets, decreased amounts of migraines, reduced anxiety levels, fewer panic attacks, and reduced blood pressure numbers.

How Do We Get On Board?

Okay, so it is pretty great stuff, but remember that most veggies are! And this is not the panacea cure-all (if only life were that simple, right???) but there are few drawbacks to including this into your own daily routine. It is recommended to not consume more than 5 cups per day total.

Celery can be a bit bitter so I recommend (especially when first starting out) to try organic celery hearts (not the leaves). Chop them finely with some added water you can use any blender, even a hand blender to make it drinkable. If you prefer to juice, you certainly can, but you will be compromising the fiber content a bit more. I'm also not a purist...you can add all kinds of other things if it still is too bitter for your standards add things like: apples, pineapple, cilantro, pretty much whatever your heart desires.

For those of you that like to meal prep or don't have much time in the mornings celery does just fine chopped up into a baggie and stored in the freezer (although again, purists may argue with me about certain nutrients being lost...but better to eat it from frozen then not at all).

Decision time!

For now the celery trend seems here to stay and while it is imperative to remember that celery alone can not save us...we have most likely eaten many foods that are much worse for us! I would absolutely recommend giving it a try in your daily routine! I have been consuming a glass each morning for the past two months myself. I can attest to losing a few pounds and having clearer skin as a result.