With many health benefits celery juice can provide, are there any negative side effects to keep in mind if you’re drinking this juice regularly?
Blending up stalks of celery and drinking it isn’t as weird as it may seem. In fact, celery juice—the liquid that is strained out of blended celery stalks—can actually be massively beneficial for your health. This nutrient-packed green juice not only provides your body with all kinds of vitamins and minerals it needs, but it can also help with warding off disease and keeping your body healthy for the long term. But with so many health benefits celery juice can provide, are there any negative side effects to keep in mind if you’re drinking this juice regularly?
1. Celery Nutrition Facts
Originally used as a medicinal herb, celery is now a common ingredient in kitchens worldwide. Celery stalks are rich in cellulose, a complex carbohydrate found in the cell wall of plants that is edible but indigestible to humans. Given celery’s high water content, you may wonder if it’s worth eating at all. Luckily, celery provides several micronutrients, making it a valuable addition to any meal.
One medium (7 1/2″ to 8″ long) celery stalk (40g) contains 5.6 calories, 1.2g carbohydrates, and 0.3g protein. The nutrition information is provided by the USDA.
Calories: 5.6
Fat: 0.1g
Sodium: 32mg
Carbohydrates: 1.2g
Fiber: 0.6g
Sugars: 0.5g
Protein: 0.3g
Potassium: 104mg
Sodium: 32mg
Phosphorus: 9.6mg
Carbs: Celery is a popular choice on low-carbohydrate diets because it is very low in calories and carbohydrates. A whole cup of chopped celery has just 3 grams of carbohydrates, over half of which come from fiber. There are also 1.4 grams of natural sugar in a cup of celery.
Raw celery has a low glycemic index of 35. Cooking dramatically raises celery’s glycemic index to a value of 85.
Fats: Celery is naturally fat-free, with very minimal amounts of fatty acids.
Protein: Celery is low in protein, with less than 1 gram per cup.
Vitamins and Minerals: Despite its low calorie content, celery provides several micronutrients. It contains potassium, folate, choline, vitamin A, and vitamin K. Celery also offers some natural sodium and fluoride.
Calories: One medium celery stalk has fewer than 6 calories. Celery is often referred to as a “negative-calorie food,” but this term can be a bit misleading. The calories the body burns digesting a food is referred to as its thermic effect. Celery is very low in calories but burns energy (calories) during digestion due to its fiber content. However, the energy burned from digesting celery likely doesn’t exceed the energy it provides.
2. Side effects of drinking celery juice
It’s filled with beneficial nutrients
One of the major benefits of drinking celery juice regularly is the boost of micronutrients it gives your body in one easy, green cup.
A huge benefit of celery juice is that it’s packed with nutrients like calcium, potassium, magnesium, and vitamins A, C, and K. These nutrients are essential for many important functions in our body.
One cup of celery juice is also a valuable source of calcium (8% of your daily value), magnesium (7% DV), and potassium (14% DV).
It can reduce inflammation and your risk of disease
Calcium, potassium, and magnesium can all help to lower blood pressure and have been found to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.
One study published in the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine evaluated the benefit of drinking celery juice for a hypertensive patient and found that the inclusion of celery juice in his diet, as well as regular chiropractic care, found his blood pressure decreased over time. While this study only looked at one patient, many experts do confirm that the different nutritional aspects of celery juice can continue to benefit your heart health in positive ways.
Another study in Phytotherapy Research found that flavonoids in celery can suppress cardiovascular inflammation, decreasing oxidative stress in the bloodstream which can increase the risk of disease. It also “leads to expanding of smooth muscle in the blood vessels and lower blood pressure.”
It can improve eye and skin health
Celery juice can help support eye health because of the boost of vitamin A. One cup of celery juice contains 7% of your DV of vitamin A, which is an important nutrient for “vision, growth, cell division, reproduction, and immunity,” according to the Mayo Clinic.
Celery juice is also hydrating, which helps with improving skin health. The vitamin C in this green juice (containing 16% of your DV) can also help with collagen synthesis), which makes up joint-supporting tissues and is responsible for skin elasticity (i.e. making your skin smoother).
It lacks fiber
Celery is typically known to be a good source of fiber, with one cup of whole celery stalks containing 1.6 grams of fiber along with those beneficial vitamins and minerals.
Fiber helps feed the good bacteria in your gut which supports a healthy gut microbiome and results in the production of certain beneficial compounds like short-chain fatty acids. Plus, fiber helps keep you fuller longer and can aid in preventing constipation and lowering cholesterol.
Unfortunately, when you blend up the celery stalks and strain them to make juice, it also strains out most of the fiber. Without the fiber and protein in a meal, your blood sugar levels can rise and fall quickly, making you feel hungrier instead of satisfied and full after a meal.
3. Other side effects of celery juice
Interactions with blood thinners
Vitamin K present in celery makes it to work adversely with blood thinning medicines. If you are taking blood thinning drugs such as warfarin, you need to consult your treating physician before starting to consume celery juice. You may also need to note that celery has a high level of residue of pesticides. The environmental working group (popularly called as EWG) suggests intake of organically grown as well as sourced celery to minimize risks associated with harmful residues of chemicals or pesticides.
Interactions with other medicines
Intake of celery juice can alter the functioning of anti-anxiety drugs as well as medicines taken to treat high levels of blood cholesterol or triglycerides. Also, if you are taking drugs to treat a thyroid related condition, you need to exert an added level of caution before drinking celery juice. As the juice may alter the functions of the thyroid gland, it can have an impact on drugs taken to boost the hormone. It is hence a good practice to talk to your treating doctor about the drugs you already take prior to consuming this juice.
Allergies and hypersensitivity
Celery juice can cause a few allergies in some people. It is important to share details about all known allergies or hypersensitivity. You may develop skin conditions like hives, inflammation (dermatitis) or rashes. People who take celery juice are also likely to witness detox related signs; these include loosening of stools, gas formation or bloating. Gases are formed because of the release of hydrogen and carbon dioxide. Release of such gases is more likely with the intake of pulp along with celery juice. When its pulp is metabolised, the fermentation process leads to an accumulation of gases, thereby causing other side effects (such as bloating, flatulence, etc.).
In the early months or the first trimester of pregnancy, celery juice can do wonders to bowel movement. It is a godsend for difficulties experienced while passing stools (constipation) among pregnant women. However, intake of celery juice at the later stages of pregnancy can lead to miscarriage. Women may develop breakage of uterine walls if the juice is taken in larger quantities. Women who are nursing a baby are also advised to stay away from the intake celery or celery juice. It is believed to decrease the quantum of breastmilk. Also, it can lead to excessive internal bleeding.