Regardless of whether you enjoy celery cooked or raw, the nutritional food value of celery, like most green vegetables, is very valuable to your body. Throughout the years, celery has become more and more popular, as both an addition to a salad and an addition to a cooked meal. Though you can find celery any time of the year, the best time to eat it is during the summer when it is in season. And while the stalk of the celery is the part of the vegetable that most people enjoy most, you can also eat the leaves and even the root of celery to get additional health benefits.
Nutrients
If you are planning to add celery to your diet, try adding it raw, as this is the most convenient way to eat celery. Simply wash a stalk of celery and substitute it for any snack that you would normally eat at lunchtime or during the afternoon. In addition to a snack, try celery in a salad with lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers to get a rich array of vitamins and nutrients. By adding celery to your diet, you will get the added benefit of these vitamins and nutrients:
- Vitamin K
- Vitamin C
- Potassium
- Folate
- Dietary Fiber
- Molybdenum
- Manganese
- Vitamin B6
- Calcium
- Vitamin B1
- Magnesium
- Vitamin A
- Phosphorous
- Vitamin B2
- Iron
The Health Benefits Of Celery
While hearing that your body will be receiving these vitamins and nutrients by taking in more celery is nice, you need to understand exactly how celery can benefit your body. The vitamin C that's present within celery that works with what are known as phthalides to help lower your body's cholesterol.
The vitamin C also helps boost your immune system and destroy any free radicals that may be present in your body. This will help decrease your chances of catching the common cold, the flu and other more serious diseases and illnesses. Because celery contains potassium and lower levels of sodium, celery is also known as a great diuretic. Rather than taking diet pills to help lose weight, celery helps regulate the balance of fluids in your body and increases the speed at which your body produces urine, meaning you'll lose water weight by eating celery. In general, celery helps regulate different part of the body and could be a great addition to you if you're trying to follow a strict diet.
Choosing The Right Celery Stalks
While celery is healthy for your body, you need to choose the healthiest piece of celery to make sure you're getting all the benefits of the vegetable. When shopping for celery, look for stalks that are crisp, light green in color and healthy-looking (some stalks are noticeably black or brown and should be avoided). A crispy piece of celery that snaps easily is the best kind. You should pay close attention when purchasing celery to be sure you're getting the best thing for your diet.
Celery can be a very healthy addition to any diet. But if your body is lacking in any of the vitamins and nutrients listed above, it's even more important to start eating more celery right away.
