Celery sticks are bunched together around a tender centre and range in colour from white to dark green. The darker colour is an indication of stronger flavour. It may be consumed raw in salads or cooked. Uncooked celery is mildly bitter with a crisp texture. Its perfect balance of potassium and sodium promotes urine and aids in removal of excess water and uric acid form the body.
Celery is also one of the few foods that is known to bring on severe allergic reactions for people who are allergic to it. It may cause potentially fatal anaphylactic shock. The allergen responsible is not destroyed in cooking. The root of the vegetable, the part put into drinks, contains greater quantities of the allergen compared to the stalk itself.
Tropical Celery Tornado
Ingredients:
- ½ cup cubed papaya
- ½ cup cubed pineapple
- ½ cup cubed mango
- 4 stalks of celery
Directions: Juice all ingredients and drink immediately to attain maximum nutritional value.
Add-ons
- Kiwi
- Celery leaves
Nutritional Information
Celery stems are a great source of vitamin C, K, B1, B2 and B6. Additionally it is a good supplier of potassium, calcium, folate, iron, magnesium, molybdenum, phosphorus, sodium and loads of essential amino acids. Consuming celery raw also adds plenty of fibre.
Unlike table salt, which is harmful for individuals with high blood pressure, organic sodium in celery is safe even for people with high blood pressure or are otherwise sensitive to salt. Unlike a lot of foods which lose their nutritional value upon cooking, majority of the nutrients in celery maintain their strength.
Health Benefits of Celery
Two special compounds, luteolin and ployacetylenes present in celery in large quantities are beneficial for inflammation related diseases like osteoporosis, arthritis, gout as well as asthma. Luteolin has been shown in studies to be an inhibitor of some enzymes that promote inflammation while ployacetylenes lower levels of prostaglandins, another type of inflammation causing compound. The compound phthalide found in celery aids in relaxing muscles inside blood vessels thus aiding in lowering blood pressure. The excessive levels of coumarines in celery lower the effect of stress causing hormones cortisol in the body. Too much cortisol in the body tightens blood vessels and puts circulatory system under stress. While celery is loaded with potent antioxidants and flavonols that fight cancer, the flavonoids apigenin and luteolin have especially been linked with helping to stop cancer in scientific studies. Consumption of celery juice also helps to detoxify the body, benefit the skin, and provide vital electrolytes when the body is dehydrated.