All About Celery Juice (And Should You Drink It?)

If you haven’t noticed, drinking celery juice has become increasingly popular this past year and countless Instagram Influencers are swearing by it.

Thanks to Gwyneth Paltrow and her lifestyle brand Goop, #celeryjuice started trending after Anthony William, (who is a New York Times best-selling author), dubbed celery juice “Miracle Juice” in an article while exploring all the benefits associated with drinking celery juice. But is celery juice really the answer to our prayers? 

In this article, we will explore the nutritional information of drinking celery juice with the help of professional opinions. Then, we will consider the reported benefits along with how to make celery juice. 

Finally, we will decide if you should hop on the #CeleryJuiceChallenge bandwagon. Before you throw a whole head of celery in the juicer, let’s dive in.  

What is Celery Juice?

There is no denying that celery is beneficial and Healthline.com highlights the following most important nutrients in celery juice as being: 

• vitamins A, K, and C
• beta carotene
• flavonoids
• phytonutrients
• calcium
• iron
• magnesium
• phosphorus
• potassium

These nutrients are essential to maintaining normal bodily functions and drinking celery juice can boost levels with a single dosage. However, one major drawback with drinking celery juice is that many juicing machines remove the pulp, which is the source of dietary fiber in celery juice.

Due to this, many miss out on the 4 grams of fiber found in each cup of pulp-heavy celery juice, which is necessary for a healthy digestive system. 

JJ Virgin, a celebrity nutrition and fitness expert further explains that fiber-free celery juice can “trigger a more rapid blood sugar response”. As a result, people who drink celery juice are encouraged to keep the pulp so that they can benefit from the fiber found in it.

Fiber is important for one’s health since it helps with: feeling full, maintaining healthy cholesterol levels, boosting the immune system, feeding good bacteria in the gut and preventing type 2 diabetes and heart disease. 

Why Are People Drinking It?

One of the most obvious reasons people are opting for juice over the stalk is simply due to the convenience of it all. When prepared in advance, drinking juice is a quicker way to consume the most nutrients with the least amount of volume. Also, drinking celery juice is a simple way to stay hydrated due to the fact that it is predominantly water.

However, the main reason people are opting for celery juice over water is since it is seen as a healing tonic that has numerous health benefits. This notion is thanks to Anthony William, who wrote a book called “Celery Juice: The Most Powerful Medicine of Our Time Healing Millions Worldwide”.

Anthony William explains that as “someone with chronic illness” drinking celery juice allows “its healing benefits become much more powerful” versus consuming it in full. William further explains how regularly drinking celery juice removes pathogens in the liver while strengthening the body’s bile.

While drinking celery juice has benefits, it should be noted that Mr. William is neither a medical doctor nor a professionally trained nutritionist.   

What Are the Reported Benefits?

Drinking celery juice has been associated with multiple benefits including: lowering blood pressure, protection against chronic illnesses and preventing inflammation. 

In addition to this, many have stated that drinking celery juice is a major part of their beauty regime since it helps skin look radiant and healthy. Other celery juice fans say that regularly drinking celery juice aids weight loss and even boosts energy during workouts.

One of the most prominent nutrients in celery juice it Vitamin C, which is essential for good bone structure, cartilage, muscle, and blood vessels and aids in the absorption of iron and promotes wound healing.

Another important vitamin found in celery juice is Vitamin K. This vitamin helps with blood clotting and keeps bones healthy. People who don’t get enough vitamin K are at a higher risk for osteoporosis.

While these benefits are undeniably attractive, there is still the important question: does drinking celery juice really work?

Should You Drink It?

The New York Times interviewed Rachel E. Scherr, an assistant research scientist in nutrition at the University of California, Davis who stated that “There’s no scientific evidence to support any of the claims being made”.

Scherr also notes that “there aren’t large studies in humans on the topic, and the little research that exists on the vegetable has been cellular or animal.” As a result, these claims found on Instagram and elsewhere are purely anecdotal and should not replace professional opinions. 

Drinking celery juice isn’t bad for you, but it should not be used to substitute meals. Celery juice has a high concentration of nutrients and fiber (when prepared with pulp), which could be a great drink to start the day. 

Palinski-Wade, a registered dietitian and author of “2 Day Diabetes Diet,” explains that drinking celery juice is good “however, the nutritional properties of the juice are not unique and the same benefits can be found from eating celery along with other leafy green vegetables.

If you enjoy the trend, feel free to stick with it. But otherwise, just aim to add more greens in any form to your plate.”

JJ Virgin concurs, but says “any type of juicing means pulling out the sugars and losing the fiber from the food you’re juicing, which isn’t healthy for blood sugar balance, sustained energy, or healthy weight maintenance.” 

Evidently, it is more important to consume foods with dietary fiber instead of solely getting a boost of nutrients and vitamins from one drink.

How Do You Make Celery Juice?

For those that want to supplement their diet with some celery juice, remember to consult your physician beforehand. Once you’re given the green light, follow these simple instructions to make your own celery juice at home! 

You’ll need:

• fresh stalks of celery
• a juicer/blender
• a knife

If you have a juicer, clean the celery, remove any leaves and press the stalks through the juicer.

For those who have a blender, follow the same instructions and blend the celery stalks into a puree. Then filter out some (but not all!) of the pulp with a cheese cloth or strainer. 

Celery juice can be served on ice or at room temperature and should be consumed fresh. Another tip is to spice up the juice with some herbs such as mint, basil and fruits like lemons or limes. 

If you liked this article, check out these others:

The Ultimate Guide To Green Smoothies

The Beginner’s Guide to the Autoimmune Protocol Diet

Paleo And Fiber