With only 10 calories per stalk, celery can be considered one of the lowest-calorie foods. The crunchy vegetable is much more than that. It has a number of health benefits, and this is a fact that is widely known. That is why many people include celery in their diet.
However, along with its many benefits, celery consumption carries certain health risks – a fact that few people know about.
Starting with the benefits, it should be noted that celery is a great source of important antioxidants. Antioxidants protect cells, blood vessels and organs from oxidative damage. Celery contains vitamin C, beta-carotene and flavonoids, but there are at least 12 additional types of antioxidant nutrients in each stalk.
The vegetable is also a rich source of phytonutrients, which have been shown to reduce inflammation in the digestive tract, cells, blood vessels and organs.
Each stalk of celery has about 25 anti-inflammatory compounds that may offer protection against inflammation in the body.
While antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients offer protection for the entire digestive tract, celery may offer special benefits for the stomach. The polysaccharides found in celery have been shown to reduce the incidence of stomach ulcers, improve the condition of the stomach lining, and help produce gastric juices.
Celery also contains vitamins A, K, and C, plus minerals like potassium and folate. The vegetable is low in sodium. What’s more, celery also has a low glycemic index, meaning it has a slow, steady effect on blood sugar.
But what are the risks of eating celery?
If the vegetable makes up the majority of your diet, you’re probably not getting enough of all the nutrients your body needs. Even if you eat a lot of celery to get the most nutrients, you can still become malnourished over time.
Frequent consumption can also lead to gastrointestinal problems. Due to its high fiber content, consuming too much celery can actually hurt your stomach instead of helping it. Overeating leads to bloating, gas, diarrhea, or abdominal cramps. The recommended daily intake of fiber is 28 grams for every 2, 000 calories.
Eating too much celery can also put you at risk for pesticide poisoning. The vegetable has the ability to absorb and store pesticides. While small amounts of pesticides can be safe for humans, large doses can cause problems. Some of them can irritate the skin, others can cause stomach problems, and even poisoning.
Last but not least, the natural chemicals in celery can interfere with the body's ability to properly use iodine. The thyroid gland relies on iodine to function and produce hormones. When iodine levels drop, the thyroid gland enlarges, possibly leading to a goiter. It has been shown that excessive amounts of celery, especially raw, can lead to iodine deficiency and a goiter.
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