Celery: the benefits and harms to the health of women and men

Many people use celery for cooking, especially during a diet, knowing that it is satisfying and low-calorie. But almost no one takes into account how useful it is.

The composition and calorie content of celery

There are three types of this plant - petiole, leaf and root.

It is the last of them that is considered the most popular. At the root there is simply an incredible aroma that does not disappear even after heat treatment. It is worth noting that all parts of the vegetable are considered edible.

It includes many useful substances, including vitamins of the groups: B, PP, E, C, K, beta-carotene, fiber. And also minerals: magnesium, zinc, calcium.

The calorie content of the plant is small - greens contain only 18 calories per 100 grams, at the root a little more - 40 calories, but at the same time it retains a feeling of fullness for a long time.

The benefits of leaf, root, petiole celery

Celery leaf was valued in ancient Greece and not in vain, because it is very useful.

• The leaves of the plant contain various vitamins, plant hormones, essential oils. And vitamin E in their composition is five times more than in the root, which favorably affects the condition of the skin.
• Greens are also useful for those who abuse smoking or simply as a prophylactic for cancer. This is facilitated by eight special substances that neutralize carcinogens.
• Due to minerals, especially calcium, the bones are strengthened, swelling and joint pain are reduced.
• The leaves also contain substances that lower the level of stress hormones, so they normalize the pressure.
• If you regularly consume celery, then you can strengthen the immune system and cleanse the body of toxins and toxins.
• A medicinal ointment is prepared from the leaves, which helps to heal wounds and burns.

Root celery is considered especially valuable, besides it can be grown at home.

• Daily use will provide your body with a supply of almost all the necessary vitamins and minerals.
• The essential oils contained in it will have a slight diuretic effect, relieve excess fluid and help prevent tumors.
• A high iron content helps with anemia and exhaustion.
• It helps to improve metabolism, therefore it is recommended for weight loss.

The benefits of petiole celery are its rich vitamin composition. In food, it is recommended to use leaf petioles.

• The presence of vitamin C in the composition has an antioxidant effect on the body, suppresses the common cold.
• Flavonoids protect against thrombosis and atherosclerosis.
• The presence of calcium contributes to the normalization of pressure.
• Special compounds of substances help relieve stress, relax muscles and establish sleep.
• Juice from petiole celery helps cleanse the blood and cope with wounds that do not heal for a long time.

Read also:the benefits and harms of cod liver

Useful properties of leaves, stems and root of a vegetable

The stalks and the root of the vegetable bring the greatest benefit to the person, and plant seeds used for the preparation of oils are used as a flavoring additive and in cosmetology.

Daily use of celery root helps prevent many diseases, especially colds, as well as rejuvenate the body and cleanse it.

• The active substances that are present in the plant improve performance, increase tone, normalize sleep and relieve stress.
• With gastric diseases, it is recommended to drink infusion from the root. It alleviates the condition with gastritis and ulcers.
• A large number of minerals and vitamins have a positive effect on the condition of hair and skin.
• It can be used as a prophylactic for kidney diseases (excluding urolithiasis), since the plant has a diuretic effect.

The leaves and stems of the plant have long been recommended to people with gastric problems. They eliminate constipation, shortness of breath, flatulence, relieve spasms.

Only two tablespoons of chopped greens are able to fully provide the body with the daily requirement of vitamin C and carotene. A special decoction of these parts is also used, which is used to quickly heal wounds and burns. And the oil from the stems is considered an aphrodisiac and increases sexual desire.

What diseases are used for?

This amazing plant has a unique composition, therefore it is used for a wide variety of diseases:

• constipation
• cardiovascular problems;
• asthma;
• tuberculosis;
• diseases of the kidneys, gall bladder and liver;
• colds;
• anemia;
• oncology;
• disorder of the nervous system;
• obesity;
• diseases of the genitourinary system;
• arthritis, gout;
• migraine.

How to eat celery with health benefits?

To get the maximum benefit from this plant, it must be consumed raw.

Only in this way does it fully retain all its properties, both health and taste. Heat treatment most often kills important components or significantly reduces their number. Therefore, when preparing a dish, the plant should be added at the very end or vegetable salads should be made with it. You can also squeeze juice and combine it with other vegetables, in order to only increase their benefits.

For the treatment of any specific diseases or for healing wounds, infusions, decoctions and ointments are made.

Celery Recipes

Oddly enough, you can cook a lot of different dishes from this vegetable, from the salad to the first.

Salad with celery and apple.

Required Products:

• 4 stalks of celery;
• two tablespoons of sour cream;
• one green apple.

Cooking process:

1. Rinse celery and apple, dry, chop into small pieces.
2. Put the ingredients in a salad bowl, season with sour cream, mix. Other spices can be added to taste.

Soup with celery.

Required Products:

• 2 onions;
• 0.5 kg of celery;
• a small head of cabbage;
• one bell pepper;
• three tomatoes.

Cooking process:

1. All of these ingredients must be washed, peeled and cut into small pieces.
2. Bring the water to a boil, season it with spices to your liking (for example, salt, pepper) and put the prepared vegetables there. Cook over low heat for about 15 minutes until they become soft. When serving, you can also add fresh herbs.

How to choose and store celery?

Despite the fact that all parts of the plant are edible, it is very important to be able to choose it correctly, since the root crop is prone to the accumulation of nitrates.

What you should pay attention to:

• if there are yellow spots on the vegetable, it means that fertilizers were used when growing it;
• the dark color of the leaves indicates nitrates;
• a high-quality vegetable should look beautiful, fresh, have a pleasant green color and smell good;
• one more thing - the stems, when trying to tear them apart, crunch loudly;
• elastic leaves mean that celery is ripe, but sluggish, on the contrary, that it has not yet ripened;
• it is best to purchase smaller tubers than large ones.

Store fresh celery at home at normal room temperature for about four days. If he was lying down, then most likely in two days he will completely deteriorate.

• It is advisable to place the vegetable in the refrigerator. The root in these conditions can lie for almost a month, but the stems are much smaller - only two weeks.
• You can save the roots for several months in a box with dry sand, putting it in a dark and cool place.
• Another way to preserve the product for a long time is to dry it. For this, the parts are washed well, boiled over with boiling water. The roots are cut and dried in the sun, and the greens are dried in the shade, gathered in bunches.

Contraindications and possible harm

Even the most useful product can harm anyone, and celery has some contraindications.

• Do not eat dishes with this vegetable for women who are in the last stages of pregnancy, as well as for nursing mothers. Since it causes increased gas formation and this affects the fetus badly.
• Celery is also prohibited for people prone to epileptic seizures, as it exacerbates the existing problem.
• People who have kidney stones and acute stomach diseases should consume the vegetable with extreme caution. Excessive eating can cause active movement of stones, which can provoke acute conditions.
• The high oil content negatively affects those who suffer from colitis and enterocolitis.
• Another contraindication is heavy menstruation and bleeding. Vegetables can make the process worse.