Uses
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Celery - Apium graveolens
- As a vegetable - crisp petiole (leaf stalk) / the fleshy toproot
- Grown for its seeds
- Seeds - valuable volatile oil
- Contain organic compound called Apiol
- Celery seeds used as flavouring/spice
- Celery Salt - whole seeds or ground and mixed with salt
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Celery salt also made from extract of its roots
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Celery oil used in perfume
- Celery oil used within pharmaceutical industries
- Used as a seasoning - in cocktails (enhances flavour of blood mary cocktails
- Seasoning food
- Celery used in salads
- Assists with slimmings
- As a base for sauces and soups
Medicine
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Celery seeds in pills relieve pain according to Aulus Cornelius Celsius 30 AD
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Compound in celery seeds called 3-N-butyl-phthalide - lower blood pressure
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May be taken for arthritis
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Aphrodisiac qualities
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Essential oil potentially useful action in psoriasis
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A source of psoralens
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Stimulates urination
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May constitute a risk factor in skin cancer
- Oil and seeds must be avoided during pregnancy
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Seeds intended for cultivation not suitable for eating as often treated with fungicides
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Seeds are a "blood purifier"
- Nutrition
- Used in weight-loss diets
- Provides low-caloriedietary fibre bulk
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Seeds are a great source of calcium
- Good alternative to animal products
Nutrition
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Used in weight loss diets
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Provides low-calorie dietary fibre bulk
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Seeds are a great source of calcium
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Good alternative to animal products
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Allergies
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People with allergic reactions may cause potentially fatal anaphylactic shock
- Allergen does not appear to be destroyed at cooking temperatures
- Celery root—commonly eaten as celeriac - put into drinks
- Root contains more allergen than the stalk
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Seeds contain highest levels of allergen content
- It is a biennial vegetable plant belonging to the Umbelliferae family i.e. carrots, fennel, parsley and dill. Roots and seeds also used as a food and seasoning including as a natural medicinal remedy.
Celery Health Benefits
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Several other active compounds that promote health
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Includes:
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Phthalides - may help lower cholesterol
- Coumarins - may be useful in cancer prevention
- Rich in Vitamin C - supports the immune system, helps reduce cold symptoms, also prevents the free radical damage that triggers the inflammatory cascade
Reduces severity of inflammatory conditions
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Asthma
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Osteoarthritis
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Rheumatoid arthritis
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High levels of vitamin C
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Vitamin C is beneficial in cardiovascular health
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Reduces risks of death - all causes including cancer, heart disease and stroke
- Potential Blood Pressure Benefits
- Potential in reducing high blood pressure recognized by Chinese medicine
- Celery contains phthalides – assists in relaxing muscles around arteries
- Allows vessels to dialate
- More space inside the arteries means blood can flow at a lower pressure
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Phthalides reduces stress hormones
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Cholesterol-lowering benefits
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Diuretic Activity
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Regulating fluid balance
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Stimulates urine production
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Rid the body of excess fluid
