Celery juice, the hottest new instagram trend for solving all of your health problems, is probably ridiculous, right? That’s what I thought, until I looked at the published literature on the specific health benefits of celery.

celery juice

Let’s consider why some people are actually experiencing symptom reduction when starting their day with celery juice…

Benefits of Celery Juice and Eating Celery

1. Celery juice has significant antioxidant effect: Celery root water increases the total antioxidant capacity and glutathione content in the livers of experiemental rats. Juiced celery leaves were also found to increase glutathione. (Kooti, W. & Daraei, N., 2017)

2. Celery is high in polyphenols: Polyphenols are esponsible for collecting free radicals and the antioxidant activities of plants. Polyphenols neutralize free radicals and oxidative stress. When cellular mitochondria are no longer overwhelmed by oxidative stress, every cell functions better. (Kooti, W. & Daraei, N., 2017)

3. Celery Seed Extract (CSE) and has been found to be at least as effective as aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen in suppressing arthritis in an experimental model of arthritis. CSE can reduce existing inflammation in rats, reduce pain, and can protect against gastric irritation caused by (Non-Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs) NSAIDs, as well as act synergistically with them to reduce inflammation. (Powanda, et al., 2015)

4. Celery can prevent urinary tract obstruction. (Bhattacharjee, 2004)

5. In rat models, ethanol extracts of celery leaves increases spermatogenesis, and improves fertility. (Kooti, et al., 2014, Kooti, W. & Daraei, N., 2017)

6. And, according to survey data, celery is one of the least irritating foods to people with interstitial cystitis or painful bladder syndrome. (Friedlander et al, 2012)

Start your day with celery juice

If you’re busy, adding a glass of simple celery juice (using fresh celery and a juicer or just blending some celery and filtered water in a high speed blender and drinking) is a good idea.

If you have a little more time, enjoy my favorite fresh juice for liver support, easily absorbed antioxidants, and electrolytes. Introducing…

Glow Green Juice

celery juice

Ingredients:

2-3 celery stalks
1 knob of ginger (peeled) (skip if you have bladder pain)
1 lemon (peeled) (skip if you have bladder pain)
1/2 cucumber
1 small bunch dandelion greens
1 small bunch cilantro
1/2 green apple or pear
1-2 cups filtered water
1/2 avocado (optional, but adding healthy fats helps to absorb all of the vitamins and minerals in these delicious vegetables)

Blend in a high speed blender and enjoy!

If you work with patients with pelvic pain conditions, including endometriosis, vulvodynia or interstitial cystitis/ painful bladder syndrome, learn more about nutrition for pelvic pain relief… Click here to learn more.

References:

Bhattacharjee SK. Handbook of Medicinal Plants. 4th ed Jaipur, India: Pointer; 2004.

Friedlander, J. I., Shorter, B. and Moldwin, R. M. (2012), Diet and its role in interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) and comorbid conditions. BJU International, 109: 1584-1591. doi:10.1111/j.1464-410X.2011.10860.x

Kooti, W., & Daraei, N. (2017). A Review of the Antioxidant Activity of Celery ( Apium graveolens L). Journal of evidence-based complementary & alternative medicine, 22(4), 1029–1034. doi:10.1177/2156587217717415

Kooti W, Mansouri E, Ghasemiboroon M, Harizi M, Ashtary-Larky D, Afrisham R. The effects of hydroalcoholic extract of Apium graveolens leaf on the number of sexual cells and testicular structure in rat. Jundishapur J Nat Pharm Prod. 2014;9(4):e17532.

Powanda, MC, Whitehouse, MW & Rainsford, KD (2015) Celery Seed and Related Extracts with Antiarthritic, Antiulcer, and Antimicrobial Activities. Prog Drug Res, 70, 133-53.