The Effects of Celery Juice

The Effects of Celery Juice
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Celery juice provides your body with an immediate supply of vitamins and minerals, but may also protect you from future cell damage and chronic disease. Herbalists have long used celery seed as a natural treatment for arthritis and inflammation. More recently, researchers have studied how celery affects blood pressure. Use fresh celery stalks if you juice at home. Fresh vegetable juice is loaded with nutrients that are easily absorbed by your body.

Provides Nutrients

A large celery stalk, 11 to 12 inches, contains 26 mg of calcium, 7 mg of magnesium, 166 mg of potassium, 2 mg of vitamin C, 23 mg of folate, a B vitamin, 19 mcg of vitamin K and 287 IU of vitamin A. One cup of celery juice contains the same amount of nutrients as 5 cups of chopped, fresh celery, according to the Stanford University Cancer Center.

Removes Excess Fluid

In the book "Leung's Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients: Used in Food, Drugs and Cosmetics," Ikhlas A. Khan reports that celery acts as a natural diuretic. Diuretics help your kidneys flush excess fluid from your body. This reduces stress on the walls of your arteries and may also contribute to a slight reduction in body weight since your body will retain less water. Both these things can help lower your blood pressure. Kahn is a member of the faculty at the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy. He also serves as assistant director for the National Center for Natural Products Research.

Deters Chronic Disease

Raw celery is low in fiber, just 1.7 g per cup, while a cup of celery juice provides five times that, or 8.5 g of fiber. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, eating a high-fiber diet may reduce your risk for heart disease, diverticular disease and diabetes. Metabolic syndrome is a group of conditions, including insulin resistance abdominal fat and high cholesterol, that together increase your likelihood of developing diabetes or heart disease. A high-fiber diet decreases your risk for metabolic syndrome.

Protects Cells

Celery juice contains bioflavonoids, antioxidants that grow naturally in plants. According to the National Institutes of Health, antioxidants may help protect the cells in your body from free radicals, disease-causing molecules. You are exposed to free radicals on a daily basis due to pollution, aging and the digestive process. The vitamin C in celery juice also acts as an antioxidant.

References

Article reviewed by Jenna Marie Last updated on: Nov 30, 2011

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