Celebrities are doing it so it must help me lose weight right??
What is celery juice?
Anthony William, creator of the celery juice movement, calls for drinking blended and drained celery every morning on an empty stomach in order to "create sweeping improvements for all kinds of health issues." And of course, celebrities have hyped it up. People are claiming how the green juice has cured them of everything from mental health problems and infertility to skin conditions. It's totally safe, but is it much better than eating whole foods? Before you hop on the train, let's do some of our own research.
Is there any science behind drinking celery juice?
Rachel Goodman, R.D., a registered dietician, thinks that people are seeing the effects of celery juice because, "Celery is a good source of potassium, vitamin K, and flavonoids—compounds that have been shown in studies to help keep electrolyte balance, function as antioxidants, and can help lower blood pressure and inflammation." She also states that celery is helping digestion, decreasing bloat and improving energy because of how hydrating celery is. So, if you don't enjoy celery juice, drink water. There are rumors celery juice can help remove free radicals, but there hasn't been enough research to solidify these claims.
Goodman explains, "When it comes to our food choices, we tend to get fixated on a single food or beverage to resolve our health issues when in reality there is no one food that will cure disease... We need to be looking at our overall lifestyle and cultivate healthy behaviors for optimal health. If you enjoy celery juice, it can be part of a healthful eating pattern, but it should be part of the bigger picture and should not replace intake of all other vegetables and fruits."
Dietitian Julieanna Heaver states,“While celery juice is one wonderful source of disease-fighting phytonutrients and other vitamins and minerals, there is no one superfood that promises excellent health when consumed...Most important is your overall diet and making sure it is filled with plenty of fruits and vegetables.”
Accredited Practising Dietitian, Stefanie Valakas states, “There’s no doubt that celery is a nutritious food. It’s a vegetable, so it’ll up your folate and fibre intake, but you’re best to get this from actual eating it whole.” Why? Juicing reduces the fibre content, which we need for bowel health, gut microbes, and to keep us satisfied.
Does celery juice help you detox?
As you have a functioning gut, liver, and kidneys, you're always detoxing — ridding your body of the junk you just don't need — every minute of every day. Celery juice won't detox your body. Your liver doesn't need celery's help.
What are the health benefits of celery juice?
Dr. Safdieh, a pediatrician and rheumatologist, states that fresh celery contains sources of vitamin K, vitamin C, potassium, folate, manganese, calcium, riboflavin, magnesium, and vitamin B6. It has a high percentage of water and electrolytes that can help prevent dehydration. Whole celery is also a great source of fiber. Juicing rids celery of its fiber, so you lose out on that benefit.
There are experimental studies that state celery has antioxidant properties. Celery can prevent cardiovascular diseases, jaundice, liver disease, urinary tract obstruction, gout, and rheumatic disorders. Celery can even reduce blood sugar levels, blood lipids, and blood pressure. A study on diabetic rats concluded celery seed extract modified their glucose and insulin levels, improved weight and increased antioxidant enzyme activity. Another study found that celery leaf extract reduced blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglycerides in animals with hypertension. So at least our animals have a cure. lol
Not many human studies have been done using celery juice as a treatment for chronic conditions. If you think you may have a health condition, talk to your doctor before trying anything new.
Will celery juice help you lose weight?
This is kind of like asking, "Will cauliflower pizza satisfy you?". Nah. You know you want real bread. Sure, you'll get stuffed from drinking celery juice, but you will not be satisfied. The metabolic breakdown of protein, fat, and fiber is a slower process that provides you with lasting fuel. Drinking celery juice is like putting a restriction on what we can eat. So you drink this every day and soon enough you'll be down the rabbit hole with a dozen donuts. Drinking a juice to make you feel full will only start a vicious cycle of binge and restrict. Be careful. Instead, focus on eating whole fruits and veggies every day that have the benefit of fiber. Choose healthy fats and proteins. Find a lifestyle, not a detox.
Why do we fall for trends like celery juice?
It really shows how society looks at food and eating. We want that quick fix. Lose weight fast. People will prey on your fear of gaining too much weight. We want to be healthy, but can't commit to being consistent. Yes it takes work. Just like anything, relationships, work, etc. Can you drink celery juice every day for the rest of your life? If you can, then go for it, but if you don't see it as a lifestyle, then find something that you can maintain for THE REST OF YOUR LIFE!
Overall
It won’t necessarily hurt your health (more just your wallet — one glass is a whole bunch of celery which costs around $6), although it could be worth it to up your hydration levels over summer. In the end, calories in < calories out. That's the magical equation to use weight.
sources:
https://www.parsleyhealth.com/blog/benefits-of-celery-juice/
https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/food/drink/dark-truth-behind-new-celery-juice-trend/news-story/10b0e3779df31f47f7986b0e771e2b25
https://www.thedailymeal.com/healthy-eating/celery-juice-bitter-health-elixir/020218
https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/science-behind-celery-juice-trend https://www.chatelaine.com/health/celery-juice-cleanse-medical-medium/
https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/diet-nutrition/a25919032/celery-juice-benefits/
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