The long and slender stalks of celery are not just loaded in crunch, but also pack a punch. The vegetable is chock-full of vitamins and minerals that help guard against the disease and degeneration of the eyes, skin and organs that occur with age. To harness the full nutritional value of celery, blend a few medium-sized stalks with 8 oz. of bottled water. The resulting juice can be used as a savory snack or as an excellent addition to soups and stews.
Vitamin K
Blood flows freely through the body's veins and arteries, reaching the heart, lungs and brain because of the fat-soluble vitamin K, found in high doses in celery. Vitamin K also aids in preventing excessive blood loss by clotting the blood during body trauma. According to the Linus Pauling Institute, deficiencies in vitamin K have been linked to postmenopausal bone fractures associated with osteoporosis. While the blood thinner warfarin has been labeled a contributor to this disease, research linking the drug to fractures in men and women have had mixed results.
Vitamin A
Celery can aid in improving and protecting the overall quality of your vision and skin due to its vitamin A content. The retinol found in vitamin A is needed by the eyes to create the pigmentation in the retinas that allows for night vision. According to the National Institutes of Health, implementing dietary doses of vitamin A into your daily regime protects the body against infection via beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant that protects cells from the damage caused by environmental toxins.
Folate
According to the National Women's Health Information Center, folate taken before and during pregnancy offers vital support in the growth and development of embryonic cells. The folate found in celery aids in creating the genetic information of DNA and the building blocks for RNA, DNA's transportation system into cells. Because folate is required just before after pregnancy begins, the Office of Dietary Supplements states that women of childbearing age should consume at least 400 mcg of folate to prevent neural tube defects in their offspring.
Potassium
As a natural electricity conductor in the body, the work of potassium is relied on for stable heart rhythm. The potassium found in celery is also found in every cell, tissue and organ in the body and is required by the digestive system for the smooth muscle and skeletal contractions it provides. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, an overload of potassium can cause medical conditions to arise in older people due to a natural decline in the kidneys' abilities of eliminating potassium from the body.
Vitamin C
Also called ascorbic acid, the vitamin C found in celery works to prevent the cellular damage connected to coronary heart disease, stroke and cancer. Vitamin C also plays crucial roles in maintaining healthy skin, bones, muscles and blood vessels due to its role in collagen production. According to the Linus Pauling Institute, recent research has found daily increases in vitamin C to aid in the removal of uric acid, the major factor in the pain and inflammation prevalent in the arthritic condition gout.
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