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Celery is a familiar vegetable in the Vietnamese family's dining table. Not only does it enhance the flavor of dishes and stimulate taste buds effectively, but this vegetable also has many other wonderful health benefits. In today's article, Mytour Blog will share with you information about the characteristics and important notes in using celery.
Information about celery
Celery is no longer a stranger to many families. Besides bringing a new and delicious flavor to stir-fries, celery can also be juiced to provide health benefits. To understand how to use celery properly, you need to learn some detailed information about this vegetable as follows:
Characteristics and Origins
Celery (Apium graveolens) has an upright stem with many longitudinal grooves and can grow up to about 1.5m tall. The leaves of the plant are bird's-eye-shaped and elongated, with wavy edges. Depending on the plant's growing conditions, the leaves can be divided into 3 segments or remain undivided. The flowers of Apium graveolens are pale white or light green. The flowers form multiple clusters, with longer clusters at the end of the branches compared to the rest.
Apium graveolens originates from the Mediterranean coast and the Atlantic Ocean. This plant has been cultivated for a long time in Western countries, mainly used as a side dish or in the preparation of remedies for high blood pressure.
Currently, this plant is widely grown in our country, especially in areas with marshes and valleys such as Binh Dinh, Quang Ngai, and other regions. Apium graveolens is cultivated for harvesting both fruits and leaves for extensive use in medicine and cuisine.
Apium graveolens has leaves shaped like bird's eyes and elongated (Source: Internet)Nutritional Components in Celery
Apium graveolens is widely utilized in both Medicine and Culinary fields due to its high nutritional content, including beneficial compounds for health, specifically:
| Chất dinh dưỡng trong 100g cần tây | Hàm lượng |
| Nước | 95% |
| Vitamin K | 25% |
| Carb | 3% |
| Năng lượng | 47Kcal |
| Chất đường bột | 3,4g |
| Chất béo | 0,2g |
Additionally, Apium graveolens contains a plethora of essential vitamins for health, including vitamin A, B, C, D, E. Celery also provides a certain amount of calcium – a crucial mineral for muscle development and maintenance. A small amount of iron is also found in this vegetable. This is significant for the body's blood formation process.
Celery contains numerous beneficial nutrients for health (Source: Internet)Health Benefits of Celery
Apium graveolens offers many remarkable health benefits due to its rich content of essential nutrients for metabolic processes in the body. Specifically, celery can provide several effects as listed below:
Weight Loss Support
Celery is beneficial for weight loss not only because it is low in calories but also because it is rich in fiber. The fiber in Apium graveolens helps create a feeling of fullness and keeps the stomach feeling satisfied. This is advantageous for those looking to lose weight as it helps them feel full without feeling hungry or craving excessive food. Additionally, drinking celery juice or incorporating celery into the diet along with exercise also leads to significant and safe weight loss.
With these benefits, Apium graveolens becomes one of the essential foods in the list of the best vegetables for effective weight loss.
Skin Brightening
Drinking juice from this vegetable not only benefits weight loss but also helps brighten the skin and provide moisture. The juice contains important minerals such as calcium, selenium, potassium, magnesium, and other beneficial compounds, helping nourish the skin and enhance its natural immune system.
With 95% of its weight being water, drinking juice from Apium graveolens regularly also helps provide an adequate amount of water needed for the body, thereby supporting natural moisture retention for the skin. This helps soften and smooth the skin, keeping it radiant and free from dryness.
Celery juice contains numerous nutrients that help nourish healthy and supple skin.Enhancing Cardiovascular Health
Celery has the ability to enhance cardiovascular health due to the presence of phthalides and coumarins in this vegetable. Phthalides help relax muscles and blood vessels, thereby regulating blood pressure in the body and maintaining it at a stable level. This can support the healthy development of the cardiovascular system.
Moreover, coumarins found in this vegetable are also known for their ability to regulate cortisol levels in the body. Cortisol is a hormone released by the body in times of stress and pressure. Elevated cortisol levels can lead to increased blood pressure and conditions conducive to blood clot formation. Coumarins can minimize cortisol levels, thereby reducing the risk of blood clots that can block blood vessels.
Improving Sleep Quality
Apium graveolens can also aid in improving sleep quality. Drinking juice from this vegetable provides a significant amount of magnesium to the body. Magnesium is known as an essential mineral involved in muscle relaxation and stress alleviation. Magnesium deficiency can lead to feelings of fatigue and difficulty sleeping.
Supplementing magnesium through celery juice soothes muscles and tissues, promoting a relaxed and comfortable sleep. Magnesium also helps stabilize the nervous system and reduce stress, making it easier to fall asleep.
Apium graveolens supplements magnesium to help reduce stress and promote sleep (Source: Internet)Improving Vision
Another notable effect of Apium graveolens is its role in improving vision due to its high content of vitamin A. Vitamin A is an essential nutrient for the development and maintenance of eye health. This vitamin is crucial for reducing light sensitivity and protecting the eyes from vision-related issues.
Absorbing vitamin A through Apium graveolens juice can help reduce the risk of developing cataracts and protect the eyes against macular degeneration. These are common vision problems in older adults. For children, adequate vitamin A intake is also crucial for the comprehensive development of basic physiological eye functions.
Support Blood Pressure Regulation and Reduction
It is also believed that celery juice has the effect of reducing high blood pressure. The phthalides in this vegetable can reduce stimulation and tension in the blood vessels. This compound has the ability to widen blood vessels, thereby improving blood circulation and reducing pressure on the arterial walls, leading to blood pressure reduction.
Stabilizing blood pressure can help limit the risk of cardiovascular problems such as arterial plaque, stroke, and heart attacks. This is particularly important for individuals with high blood pressure. Because regulating blood pressure to a stable level can help protect cardiovascular health and reduce the risk of related complications.
Phthalides in Apium graveolens help reduce blood vessel stimulation (Source: Internet)Efficient Inflammation Reduction
Apium graveolens can also help reduce inflammation in the body due to containing compounds such as luteolin and polyacetylene. Both of these compounds work to inhibit enzymes that cause inflammatory reactions in the body, reducing the proliferation of inflamed cells and minimizing tissue damage.
Support and Protect Digestion
Enzymes in celery juice can enhance hydrochloric acid in the stomach - an important substance in the digestion process, aiding in breaking down food and absorbing nutrients. Additionally, Apium graveolens provides fiber to the body to retain water in the intestines, enhance food movement through the intestines, and alleviate constipation.
Preventing Calcification
Celery could be beneficial in halting the calcification process and aiding in the removal of toxins and stones from organs such as the bladder, gallbladder, and kidneys. This is because Apium graveolens contains antioxidants and fiber, facilitating body detoxification, supporting natural digestive processes, thereby reducing the risk of generating and accumulating waste in the body.
Celery assists in body detoxification, supporting natural digestive processes (Source: Internet)Supporting Blood Cholesterol Reduction
Celery juice contains a chemical compound called 3-n-butylphthalide which helps reduce bad cholesterol (LDL) levels in the blood. This compound has been studied and shown to inhibit cholesterol formation, enhance cholesterol elimination in the body. 3-n-butylphthalide helps lower LDL levels and increase levels of good cholesterol (HDL) in the blood, thus improving blood lipid profile and reducing the risk of cardiovascular issues.
Some Celery-Based Dishes and Drinks
Celery can be processed into various nutritious and delicious dishes and beverages to supplement essential nutrients for the body.
Celery and apple juice are good for health (Source: Internet)Considerations When Eating Celery
While Celery offers many beneficial effects for the body, it's essential to ensure you avoid any potential side effects when consuming this vegetable. Here are some points to keep in mind:
- Celery may cause uterine contractions, posing a risk of miscarriage or preterm birth. Therefore, pregnant women should limit consumption or consult a doctor before use.
- Celery may lower blood pressure, particularly in individuals with already low blood pressure, so those with this condition should limit celery juice intake.
- Prior to surgery, it's advisable to refrain from eating this vegetable for at least 1 - 2 weeks as Celery may interact with certain medications and slow down the central nervous system, posing risks to the surgical process and subsequent recovery.
Guide to Choosing Fresh and Nutritious Celery
To select fresh and nutritious celery, consider the following tips:
- Choose plants with straight, upright stems, not bent or curved.
- Avoid plants with yellow or brown patches on the leaves, only buy when the leaves are light to bright green.
- Avoid chopping celery a few hours before or before storing for a long time to prevent nutrient loss.
- Fresh Apium graveolens should be consumed within 5 - 7 days after purchase. Because this vegetable may lose nutrients and quality after extended storage.
- For celery leaves, consume within 1 - 2 days after purchase as the leaves of this vegetable are difficult to preserve well for an extended period.
- To prolong the freshness of Celery, you can store it in the refrigerator's vegetable compartment or place it in a bowl of water to keep it moist.
Fresh celery has straight, upright stems, not bent or twisted (Source: Internet)The article has provided information about the benefits of celery for the body as well as some useful tips for choosing or buying fresh and nutritious celery. Hopefully, after reading, you will know how to use celery correctly, suitable for each individual to minimize any potential side effects. To discover more about other beneficial vegetables, don't forget to follow the articles on Mytour's blog!
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