It makes sense to include celery, low in calories and high in fiber, in a diet aimed at improving your cholesterol levels.. But don't go on a celery-munching binge expecting miracles. Celery won't offset the saturated fat in a slab of ribs. And, adding a stalk of celery to a Bloody Mary won't stop the alcohol in the beverage from elevating your triglycerides.
Foods and Cholesterol
All three types of lipids in your system -- low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein and triglycerides -- prove sensitive to food and drink in your diet. Dietary cholesterol and saturated fat can elevate LDL -- "bad" cholesterol. Saturated fat sugar and alcohol can harm your triglyceride levels, and trans fat can both elevate triglyceride levels and lower protective HDL -- "good" cholesterol. If you weigh more than you should, the excess fat will make it harder to control your cholesterol levels.
Celery Study
In the early 1990s, celery gained attention as a possible treatment for high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Dr. William Elliott and other researchers at the University of Chicago Medical Center gave rats a celery extract called 3-n-butyl phthalide. The rats in the study realized a 12 percent to 14 percent drop in blood pressure and a 7 percent decrease in cholesterol, according to an article in "The New York Times." To get an equivalent amount of celery extract, you would need to eat four celery stalks a day.
Fiber
Any food that contains a lot of fiber and few calories -- including celery and most non-starchy vegetables -- can help you improve your cholesterol levels. Foods high in fiber prove helpful in reducing LDL cholesterol and helping you lose weight. High-fiber foods tend to fill you faster and keep you feeling full longer than foods low in fiber. Four medium stalks of celery provide 24 calories and 2.4 g of fiber. You're more likely to feel satisfied after eating four stalks of celery than after consuming 24 calories' worth of chocolate -- about 1/6 of a small chocolate bar.
Considerations
Too much sodium in your diet can elevate your blood pressure and, in turn, your cholesterol levels. Celery contains more sodium than most vegetables, but it also provides a lot of potassium. Since potassium offsets sodium in your diet, celery is unlikely to harm your heart health. Celery adds virtually no fat and few carbohydrates -- about 5 g in four stalks -- to your diet. Add it to salads for healthy crunch and to soups for flavor.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Healthy Diet: End the Guesswork With These Nutrition Guidelines; February 2011
- American Heart Association: Diet, Lifestyle Changes Can Significantly Reduce Triglyceride; April 18 2011
- "The New York Times"; A New Look at an Old Remedy; Jane Brody; June 8, 1992
- MayoClinic.com: Nutrition and Healthy Eating -- Dietary Fiber: Essential For A Healthy Diet, 2009
- United States Department of Agriculture Nutrient Database
