Yes, yes, celery. A vegetable that is never taken into account, but that is very nutritious and holds a secret that resonates in the head like an urban legend. Celery helps us with digestion to the point where it prevents abdominal bloating, just with that, it already deserves our respects. And it even has sedative effects and helps us lose weight. It is quite a discovery.
Celery is one of the healthiest vegetables, it also helps us lose weight, and we will explain later how it achieves it and what negative calories are. But first we will take a look at the nutritional values of celery and we will know what is the maximum amount that can be eaten in a day, finally, knowing what celery gives us and whether or not it has contraindications.
We always emphasize having a varied diet where there is a great variety of fruits, vegetables, legumes, seeds, dairy products, and we are reducing the intake of meats, industrial ultra-processed, juice based on concentrates, sugars, refined flours, low-quality oils, etc. And we say it precisely so that we do not lack any nutrient, that is why today our protagonist is a celery, just like the one that the Farfecht’d Pokémon held.
Nutritional values of celery
Celery is surrounded by several urban legends and there is one that says that more energy is spent chewing and digesting than what this food provides. That is due to the negative calories , it is not that the figure is negative, it really has 16 kilocalories per 100 grams of celery, what happens is that its caloric index is so low that in the end we spend more than what it gives us.
We also have 3 grams of carbohydrates, 1.34 grams of sugars, no protein or fat, 1.6 grams of fiber and almost 96% of a celery is water.
Apart from these nutritional values, we have other essential nutrients such as vitamins and minerals. Specifically, for every 100 grams of celery we have 449 IU of vitamin A, 3.1 mg of vitamin C, 29.3 mg of vitamin K, 36 mg of vitamin B9 (folic acid).
With regard to minerals, we have 40 mg of calcium, 260 mg of potassium, 11 mg of magnesium, 24 mg of phosphorus and 80 mg of sodium, all for every 100 grams of celery.
How to add it to our diet?
It may be that, a priori, it is difficult for us to add celery to our daily diet, but it really is not. Celery goes beyond being a strange vegetable in the pot or being one of the vegetables that we use for veggies.
Celery is very cheap and when we get fond of it, we will want to eat it daily, and more when we know all the benefits it has for the body, apart from having negative calories.
For example, we can create soups, creams with celery, salads, healthy smoothies, sautéed vegetables, sauces for meat or fish, gratin in the oven, base for vegan lasagna, stir-fry, celery vichissoise, filling for empanadillas, celery breaded with cheese, etc.
Everything is delicious and our mouths are already watering… But there is something that we seldom take into account, especially when it is a food that we like a lot and “we cannot stop eating”.
We know that all foods have a series of nutrients, well, an excess of vitamins and / or minerals can cause certain adverse effects, that is why it is not good to abuse the quantities and with celery it is the same. That is why it is not recommended to eat more than 3 celery a day.
Main benefits of celery in our day to day
We already know many things about celery that 5 minutes ago we were completely unaware. Now we only need to know why it is so good to eat celery and how each branch of this vegetable benefits our body. Surely from now on we are going to look at celery with different eyes.
Diuretic and cadioshealthy effect
Before we have seen that this vegetable has sodium, potassium content and also an essential oil called apiol. This trio achieves an excellent diuretic power by stimulating the elimination of uric acid from the body. It also helps to eliminate kidney or gallbladder stones, if any.
With regard to the heart, it is a heart-healthy vegetable because it helps prevent hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. All this is thanks to a compound called apigenin, which is why it is so recommended in the diets of hypertensive patients.
Improves digestion and helps lose weight
If we tend to have unruly digestions, it is time to try to eat a raw or cooked celery at every meal, we will see the changes at that very moment. This is because this vegetable has soluble fiber and almost 96% of it is water, so it makes the digestive process flow, especially the intestinal transit.
In this way we will say goodbye to gas, bloating, constipation, and other annoyances. In addition, these properties reduce heartburn and gastric secretion, which is why it benefits the digestive system so much.
Its high water content makes the stomach fill up earlier, which is why it is recommended in weight loss diets. That and what we have explained before about negative calories. In addition, if we eat it raw, these benefits improve because it promotes slow chewing.
Regulates menstruation
Celery has vitamin C and folic acid, two essential nutrients for regulating menstruation and also for relieving symptoms caused by menopause. What is achieved is to normalize and regulate the rhythm of menstruation, taking it to a midpoint, that is, it reduces it if we menstruate a lot and improves it if it is scarce.
Remember that, if we have any type of abnormality in the cycle, it is best to consult a specialist and have a check-up to begin treatment and that everything follows its natural course.
Natural mild sedative
If we have insomnia problems or times when it is hard for us to sleep, now we know that celery has sedative effects , although VERY mild and what they achieve is to regulate the nervous system and help us fall asleep.
There are countless home remedies with celery, for example, celery tea, warm cream, soup, celery juice with honey, take two raw sprigs for dessert, etc. Surely, little by little we will notice how we feel more relaxed and begin to feel sleepy, but we must pave the way and relax in silence or with music in bed.
Contraindications for eating celery
Like everything in this life, there are contraindications or adverse effects of almost everything we eat and drink, so this vegetable was not going to be less. We can be calm, it is not something toxic, obviously, only that there are a series of circumstances where it is not recommended to consume this vegetable under any circumstances.
This vegetable has an emmenagogue effect and stimulates blood flow in the uterus area, which is why it is so good for menstruation, but not for when we are pregnant . There could be a risk of miscarriage.
The diuretic properties are wonderful, so far everything is perfect, but it is not recommended if we have kidney pathologies. In addition, the diuretic properties cause the body’s potassium reserves to be reduced, so it should be compensated.
