If you’re a baby boomer, your mother no doubt used to serve a tray of it at parties. The stalks might have been spread with cream cheese. If going for next level fancy style, the cream cheese might have been topped with sliced green olives. We’re talking about celery, here. As a child, you probably ate it stuffed with peanut butter for a healthy snack. You may have even been one of the lucky kids who got to eat ” ants on a log.” This means that raisins were on top of the peanut butter. And, if your mom was super duper trendy, she might have drizzled honey and crushed nuts on top of the raisins.
Bartenders often serve certain mixed drinks with a large stalk of celery sticking out of the glass. In your home kitchen, you no doubt dice it up in soups, stews and chilis, as well. In all the traditional and customary ways to use this pale green vegetable, chances are, you aren’t aware of how beneficial it is to your health. Its scientific name is ”Apium graveolens.” It is a member of the parsley family. By the time you reach the end of this post, you’re going to want to make sure that you always have a few bunches of celery on hand!
Celery has a low glycemic index
In plain speak, glycemic index is a system of ranking food according to the effect it has on blood sugar levels. Celery has a low glycemic index. This means that it has less impact on your blood sugar than foods with a higher index. Low index foods are good for people with diabetes or high blood pressure. In fact, studies show that eating just four stalks per day has been shown to lower blood pressure within a week or two. This crunchy snack is packed full of fiber, magnesium and potassium, which is why it is blood pressure friendly.
Apiuman in celery prevents stomach ulcers
A polysaccharide is a carbohydrate that has certain sugar molecules banded together. Apiuman is a specific compound, otherwise known as a pectic polysaccharide, in celery. It strengthens the stomach lining and increases secretions. These are key factors in preventing ulcers in the stomach.
Your body needs water for digestion
Approximately 95% of celery is water content. You can peruse the archives here on The Hot Mess Press to find a number of posts that discuss dehydration. The bottom line is that nothing in your body works right if you are not properly hydrated. Eating celery cannot replace drinking adequate amounts of water every day. However, it is always beneficial to human health to eat foods with high water content. Eating one cup of celery each day will greatly aid digestion. A sort of ‘cousin’ to celery is fennel, which is also helpful for upset tummies.
It is an excellent source of fiber
Celery is high in both soluble and insoluble fiber. In colloquial terms, fiber is often referred to as ”roughage.” Soluble fiber is easily dissolved in water. In your colon, it breaks down into gel-like substance. Insoluble fiber, on the other hand, does not dissolve in water. It stays in your intestinal tract during digestion. Its job is to add bulk to stools. Scientists also believe that insoluble fiber helps speed up the passage of food through the digestive tract.
Soluble fiber is a source of food for the healthy bacteria in your gut. This type of fiber also helps prevent cardiovascular disease. Insoluble fiber prevents diverticulitis. It also keeps your bowels moving regularly. Incorporating more celery into your daily diet is an easy way to increase fiber intake.
You see? Celery is a powerhouse of nutrition that can lower your risk for some serious diseases that have reached epidemic proportions in our society. Conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, inflammatory bowel disease and more, would occur less if people would start eating more celery.
