Celery is a root crop from the umbelliferous family, with a piquant aroma and pleasant taste, which became the reason for its popularity in the preparation of first courses, salads and various snacks. However, over time, people learned that the beneficial qualities of a plant can be successfully used in medicine. And the greatest benefit is the use of plant juice.

Chemical composition

Celery is rich in vitamins and minerals, it contains essential oils, purines, choline, apiin. The energy value of the root crop is about 18 kcal per 100 g.

Nutrient content in 100 g of product:

• protein - 0.7 g;
• carbohydrates - 2.98 g;
• sugar - 1.32 g;
• fiber - 1.55 g;
• fats - 0.17 g;
• water - 95.38 g.

Vitamins (100 g):

• A - 22 mcg;
• B1 - 0.02 mg;
• B2 - 0.06 mg;
• B3 - 0.315 mg;
• B5 - 0.244 mg;
• B6 - 0.075 mg;
• B9 - 35 mcg;
• choline - 5.9 mg;
• C - 3.2 mg;
• E - 0.26 mg;
• K - 28.8 mcg.

Minerals (mg / 100 g):

• Ca - 40;
• Fe - 0.2;
• Mg - 11;
• P is 24;
• K 260;
• Na - 80;
• Zn - 0.14.

Important! The average calorie content of celery is 18 kcal per 100 g, and the body spends more than 24 kcal to digest the same volume. That is, by eating the product, you «burn» calories

What is useful celery juice?

Due to the high content of vitamins, certain chemical elements and low calorie content, celery is very useful for our body for various health problems. Properly prepared vegetable juice is, in fact, an extract of all its beneficial substances.

• He is able to benefit in the following cases:
• has a soft, enhancing libido effect;
• it is a natural bactericide, which is important for frequent inflammatory processes and diseases of the upper respiratory tract;
• lowers blood pressure;
• promotes the production of gastric juice;
• It has a mild laxative effect, and is also a natural diuretic;
• the full range of B vitamins in the composition has a beneficial effect on the central nervous system;
• improves the condition of the heart and blood vessels;
• helps with problems of the urinary system, helps to remove sand and stones from organs;
• rich in enzymes that normalize the function of digesting food;
• helps to enhance physical and brain activity;
• due to its low calorie content and ability to remove toxins, it is an indispensable tool for losing weight;
• removes radionuclides from the body;
• due to the presence in the composition of almost all known vitamins, it has a beneficial effect on the body's immune system, is effective in treating colds and SARS;
• reduces discomfort from heartburn;
• normalizes the intestines, and, accordingly, the stool, prevents the formation of flatulence;
• It has a bactericidal effect on pathogenic microorganisms in the digestive tract, at the same time it has beneficial effects on beneficial intestinal bacteria;
• as an external agent, helps to tighten wounds, cuts, relieves inflammation;
• has a good natural sedative and antidepressant effect, eliminates anxiety syndrome, promotes normal sleep;
• if every day you drink half a glass of celery juice, carrots and cabbage, mixed in equal parts, you can rid the body of deposits of uric acid - the cause of gout.

Did you know? Written sources first mention celery at the end of the first quarter of the 17th century. In Russia, the vegetable became known after about a century and a half, thanks to Catherine II, a great connoisseur of this culture.

Can I drink a drink?

Fresh, squeezed from celery, with good reason can be considered a storehouse of vitamins and minerals. The benefits of the drink for the body are undeniable, but, as you know, each medal has two sides. Such a rich vitamin composition will not benefit everyone, in some cases, for one reason or another, it is better to refrain from drinking juice.

During pregnancy

It is believed that celery juice can not be used since the second trimester of pregnancy. But, you must admit, for any woman, pregnancy is the most important event in life, and the attitude towards it should be appropriate, purely individual. What can be quite normal for one expectant mother is categorically contraindicated in another. So, before taking any freshly squeezed juice (not only celery), a pregnant woman should consult a specialist who is observing her, even at an early date.

With lactation

You can not use fresh celery, however, and most other juices, especially freshly squeezed ones, during breastfeeding. This is a fairly powerful tool that can cause allergies or abdominal pain in infants.

With diabetes

Taking celery juice for diabetes is not only possible, but also necessary. The drink reduces the level of glucose in the blood, helping to maintain the patient’s normal condition. It is also important that a drink rich in vitamins and minerals has a beneficial effect on overall health.

It is recommended to consume juice for diabetes mellitus immediately after preparation, in extreme cases, leave it in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours. Take a drink of 1 tbsp. spoon 1/2 hour before a meal, or 2 tbsp. tablespoons 2 hours after eating.

At elevated pressure

Hypertension is the most dangerous problem of our time: a huge number of people die every year from high blood pressure and its consequences (heart attacks, strokes). And despite the fact that many of the achievements of modern pharmacology turn out to be practically powerless before the problem, regular use of celery juice will help to solve it.

Studies conducted as part of the study of the problem of hypertension have shown that regular consumption of the juice of this culture significantly reduces blood pressure. This happens due to certain substances that have a relaxing effect on the heart muscles, increase the capacity of blood vessels, and, accordingly, have a beneficial effect on blood circulation.

In order to normalize blood pressure with celery juice, it is enough to take it daily for 1/2 cup for one week. Then you should take a week break, and then repeat the course.

With gastritis

Not only celery juice is contraindicated for people suffering from inflammation of the gastric mucosa (gastritis), but in general it is impossible to eat a vegetable without preliminary heat treatment. You should also not use it in any form during periods of exacerbation of the disease.If the disease does not progress, or a stage of remission is observed, you can add the vegetable in soups in small amounts, drink a decoction, add it to food in dried form, or use it to prepare vegetable purees.

For constipation

Fresh celery has proven itself quite well as part of drinks that help get rid of constipation. Moreover, such drinks act gently, solving the problem of constipation, but do not cause diarrhea.

To get rid of constipation, take the following combination of fresh (the numbers indicate the ratio of volume parts):

• carrots – radishes – celery - 8: 3: 5:
• apple – beet – celery - 1: 1: 1;
• carrots – apple – celery - 2: 3: 3.

Drink such drinks daily, on an empty stomach, first 1 teaspoon, gradually increasing the dosage to 100 ml. It is recommended to add greens to the drink (any to taste). In addition to the fact that parsley, dill or cilantro can add a spicy note to the taste palette, these spicy herbs have a beneficial effect on the state of the digestive tract.

How to make celery juice?

When talking about celery juice, they often mean a drink made from the stems (stalks) of a plant. However, freshly squeezed juice from the stems and celery root is most useful.

But to make such a drink is not so simple. To do this, you need a screw type juicer. Its advantage is that the juice is squeezed at low speeds, so that excessive heating of the rubbing elements does not occur. And high temperature, as you know, stimulates oxidative processes.

In addition, due to work at low speeds, the pulp does not get into the squeezed fresh juice, making the drink look like a smoothie consistency.

Important! The most useful juice is squeezed from celery and immediately drunk, as the product quickly oxidizes and loses quality. If you have any drink left, place it in the refrigerator and drink it as soon as possible.

If you don’t have such an aggregate (screw type), you can use a centrifugal juicer, or even make a drink in the “manual mode”:

1. Spread gauze folded in half at the bottom of a container of a suitable size.
2. Grind on the gauze with a grater the stalk and root of the vegetable.
3. Fold the edges of the gauze and squeeze the pulp into a bowl.

Video: Three healthy juices with celery

How often and how much can I drink?

As a prophylaxis, it is better to use one tablespoon of juice for half an hour before eating. Of course, such a schedule is not entirely convenient, so you can drink fresh at one time, but in such a way that the daily dose is not more than 100 ml, or 1/2 cup every 2-3 days. The juice has a pleasant taste and aroma, goes well with other fresh juices that have a similar effect (apple, carrot, orange).

Contraindications

As you know, any, even the most useful product, has contraindications.

• Celery juice is no exception, it can not be consumed in such cases:
• with a stomach ulcer;
• high acidity;
• the last two trimesters of pregnancy;
• children under the age of 30 months and the elderly;
• individual intolerance and allergy.

Did you know? As part of celery, there is a male sex hormone androsterone.

Drinking celery juice regularly, and also using a vegetable in cooking, you will render your body an invaluable service. In the article we talked only about some of the useful qualities of the product, but it is also an excellent means for losing weight, it is used in cosmetology (it has a beneficial effect on the condition of the skin of nails and hair), it has a lot of other remarkable properties. However, one should remember the high activity of the drink and its ability to increase the acidity of gastric juice, so you need to start using it with small portions.