The Latest Trend Du Jour: Celery Juice (December 2019)

Yes, that’s right, we have another fad. Celery juice is a hot topic recently being promoted as a “miracle food” all over social media, grocery stores, and farmer’s markets.

Celery is a very hydrating food. If you struggle with consuming enough hydrating liquids, celery could be supportive to serve this need. Celery contains various vitamins and minerals such as Vitamins K, C, magnesium, calcium, potassium, Vitamin B-6, and Vitamin B-2 (also known as riboflavin).  To obtain hydration a person would need to consume a whole stalk of celery, which few people enjoy and that has a bitter taste when juiced.

This trend is also falsely promoting celery as “weight loss” food, anti-cancer food and healing in gut health. In reality, no one food can change a person’s body or manage a particular medical condition. There is not any research to promote that celery is anti-cancer causing or fighting, nor that it improves a person’s acne. However, it is worth noting that the celery has a flavonoid, called apigenin, which does show some chemo-preventative effects in cell-based research.

Truly, to obtain more antioxidants, it would be more effective to incorporate a variety of colorful produce into one’s diet instead of being focused on one particular food.

Additionally, water is a cost-effective way to stay hydrated and can be supportive to help flush out toxins and enable a person to be better connected to their cravings, as well as hunger and fullness signals.

Learning to develop a new relationship with food is necessary to avoid getting sucked into the web of diet promises. Despite the lies that diet culture spews, freedom does not come with appearing a certain way, but in learning how to become an eater who does not have rules and is flexible and free.

References:

C.H., Kyo, et al. (2014). Apigenin has anti-atrophic gastritis and anti-gastric cancer progression effects in Heliobacter pylori-infected Mongolian gerbils. Journal of Ethnopharmacol.