Celery is widely known as a bland green stalk and dieter's tool for weight loss. As a nutritious, low-calorie food, celery is a smart choice for the snacker with a hankering for a crunchy, diet-friendly food. But eating celery alone will not help you reach your dietary goals. Exercise and a balanced diet are still significant factors in any weight loss plan.
Celery as a Diet Food
Celery is a versatile vegetable. Because of its mild flavor, people often add it to soups, salads and casseroles for its texture alone. The almost tasteless quality of the vegetable also work well for the dieter who consumes large quantities of celery to keep him from reaching for high-calorie, diet-sabotaging snacks such as chips and chocolate bars. Like most vegetables, celery is a grab-and-go snack that is easy to pack in your purse or lunchbag -- one that needs no heating or refrigeration.
Nutrition and Calories
A single 8-inch celery stalk contains a mere 6 calories. A source of iron, potassium, zinc, calcium and vitamins B, C, and E, celery packs a host of nutrition in each short stalk. The fiber and water content in celery help promote healthy digestion. As a natural diuretic, celery helps dieters shed water weight through increased urination.
Negative Calorie Food
Negative calorie foods are thought to require more energy to consume and digest than they add in calories, thus creating a calorie deficit. Containing mostly water and cellulose, celery -- like broccoli, grapefruit and cabbage -- is classified as a negative calorie food. Because your body uses approximately 10 percent of your energy expenditure to digest and store nutrients, according to MayoClinic.com, feasting on these foods might help you increase your energy output while decreasing your caloric intake.
Considerations
Although celery is a nutritious food for most, some parts of the vegetable are potentially dangerous to pregnant women, such as celery seeds or seed extract, which may act as a uterine stimulant. Additionally, celery might cause food allergies in some people, which may lead to dangerous immune-system reactions such as anaphylactic shock. Talk to your doctor about using celery as a weight loss tool.
Member Comments