Yes, yes, celery. A vegetable that is never taken into account, but which 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, with that alone, 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, to finish, knowing what celery gives us and whether or not it has contraindications.
We always emphasize eating a varied diet where there is a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, legumes, seeds, dairy products, and we gradually reduce the intake of meats, industrial ultra-processed foods, juices from concentrate, sugars, refined flours, low-quality oils, etc. And we say it precisely so that we don't lack any nutrients, that's why today our protagonist is a celery, just like the one held by the Pokémon Farfecht'd.
Nutritional values ​​of celery
Celery is surrounded by several urban legends, one of which claims that you expend more energy chewing and digesting it than the celery itself provides. This is due to its " negative calories ." It's not that the number is actually negative; 100 grams of celery contains 16 kilocalories. The difference is that its caloric index is so low that you end up burning more energy than it consumes.
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, and 36 mg of vitamin B9 (folic acid).
Regarding 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 per 0 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 we use for crudites.
Celery is very cheap and when we become fond of it, we will want to eat it daily, especially 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 it in the oven, base for vegan lasagna, stir-fry, celery vichissoise, stuffing for dumplings, breaded celery with cheese, etc.
Everything is delicious and our mouths are already watering... But there is something that we rarely take into account, especially when it is a food that we like very much and "we cannot stop eating".
We know that all foods contain a range of nutrients, but an excess of vitamins and/or minerals can cause certain adverse effects, so it's not good to overdo it, and the same applies to celery. That's why it's not recommended to eat more than 3 stalks of celery per day.
Main benefits of celery in our day to day
We already know a lot about celery that we were completely unaware of 5 minutes ago. Now we just 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 cardio-healthy effect
Before we have seen that this vegetable contains sodium, potassium and also an essential oil called apiol. This trio achieves excellent diuretic power by stimulating the elimination of uric acid from the body. It also helps to eliminate kidney or gallbladder stones if there are any.
Regarding 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 you tend to have trouble digesting food, it's time to try eating a raw or cooked celery stalk with every meal; you'll see the difference right away. This is because this vegetable contains soluble fiber and is almost 96% water, which helps the digestive process flow smoothly, especially during intestinal transit.
In this way we will say goodbye to gas, bloating, constipation, and other discomforts. In addition, these properties reduce stomach acidity and gastric secretion, which is why it benefits the digestive system so much.
Its high water content makes the stomach sated sooner, which is why it is recommended in slimming diets. That and what we have explained before about negative calories. Also, if we eat it raw, these benefits improve because it promotes slow chewing.
Regulate menstruation
Celery has vitamin C and folic acid, two essential nutrients to regulate menstruation and also to alleviate the symptoms caused by menopause. What is achieved is to normalize and regulate the rhythm of menstruation, bringing it to a midpoint, that is, it reduces it if we menstruate a lot and improves it if it is scarce.
Let's remember that if we have some type of anomaly in the cycle, it is best to consult a specialist and have a check-up to begin treatment and for everything to follow its natural course.
natural mild sedative
If we have problems with insomnia or periods when it is very difficult to sleep, we now know that celery has sedative effects , although VERY mild, and what it achieves is to regulate the nervous system and help to fall asleep.
There are countless home remedies with celery, for example, celery tea, warm cream, soup, celery juice with honey, take two raw twigs for dessert, etc. Surely little by little we will notice how we feel more relaxed and we 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 rest assured that 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 to the uterus, which is why it's so good for menstruation, but not during pregnancy . It could increase the risk of miscarriage.
The diuretic properties are wonderful, so far everything is perfect, but it is not recommended if we have kidney diseases. In addition, the diuretic properties reduce the body's potassium reserves, so it should be compensated.