Healthy Info
Celery is a very versatile vegetable – and can be used in stews, soups, pies, salads, or just eaten on its own. Not only is it useful in cooking, but it’s good for you. The Food Standards Agency recommends eating five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. Just three sticks of celery equals one of the recommended five daily servings.
Eat a rainbow
The pigments in fruit and vegetables which are good for us, vary and the best way to ensure you’re eating enough of each is to eat a range of different coloured fruits and vegetables. Try to eat at least one serving of fruit or vegetables from each of the colour bands every day. In fact the more of these colourful foods that you can fit into your daily diet, the better.
| 3 sticks of celery provides: | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 6 kcals | Carbohydrates | 0.8g |
| Fat | 0.2g | Fibre | 1g |
| Daily amounts | |||
| % RDA | |||
| Potassium Vitamin C Folate Vitamin B1 Vitamin b6 Calcium Selenium Iron |
8% 18% 7% 7% 4% 5% 5% 2% |
||
Nutritional info
Wild celery has been used by man for almost 3,000 years but was originally regarded as a medicine, not as food. Traditionally it was used in Asian medicine to treat high blood pressure. More recently studies have found that animals given celery extract (the equivalent of 4 stalks) had reductions in blood pressure of between 12-14% within a week.
Celery provides useful amounts of vitamin C, potassium and folate, and some insoluble fibre.
Blood pressure
Celery is a good source of potassium that helps to control blood pressure and counteract the negative effects of too much salt on the diet. It also contains ‘3-n-butyl phthalide’ which helps to reduce blood pressure by relaxing blood vessels and is one of the components that gives celery its characteristic smell and taste.
Digestive system
Celery contains dietary fibre which helps to keep your digestive system healthy. A high fibre diet will protect against problems like constipation and haemorrhoids (piles). A study assessing the role of diet in the development of colon cancer found a strong protective effect from celery.
Mental Health
Recent research indicates that compounds found in celery may help combat Alzheimer's and other degenerative mental illnesses. We should emphasise that this research is still in the early stages, but it is known that a healthy balanced diet, rich in fruit and vegetables, can help reduce the risk of dementia.
Waistline
Celery is low in calories (1 stalk contains just 2 calories) and virtually fat free. It is a great choice for slimmers because its high water and fibre content and crunchy texture gives it a high Satiety Value, which means it helps you feel full.