C E L E R Y
Yes you are reading that right, this post is all about celery! For a few years one of my holistic practitioners has been telling me to try and eat at least 2-4 stalks of celery everyday. I obliged without really looking into the reasoning behind it. I have always enjoyed celery, it has a nice taste and a great crunch. Add some almond butter (or pb) and you have yourself a little snack. As the years pasted I started to learn more about celery and a few other practitioners mentioned that I should drink celery juice or try to eat more celery. But why?
Celery is honestly a champion, I personally consider it a superfood! For starters it is low calorie, low carb and has a decent amount of fiber. It is loaded with antioxidants, enzymes, vitamin k, vitamin c, potassium, folate & b6. So it is loaded with all of these great qualities… but what can it do for you?
Anti-inflammatory
This is the main reason why I try to eat and drink celery for its anti-inflammatory properties! Scientists have discovered over a dozen different types of antioxidants in celery that are responsible for fighting off free radicals (yes please). Celery can be especially helpful in certain diseases (IBS, gout, arthritis, etc) but also in everyday life as a preventative measure! Ain’t nobody got time for free radicals.
There is a lot of other great things about celery and you can find more information here. Celery also aids in:
- lowering blood pressure
- lowering cholesterol
- preventing ulcers
- protecting liver health
- reduces bloating
- aids in digestion
- helps fight infections
- anti cancer
Celery can be eaten so many ways; alone, in salads, in soups, in juice… the possibilities are endless. My personal favorite is to juice it or blend it into a smoothie. Every morning on an empty stomach I drink this to get my day started and headed in the right direction. Check out my recipe below!
Detoxing Celery Tonic:
- 2-3 stalks celery
- Hand full of cilantro
- 3 tbs WILD blueberries
- 1 tbs Hawaiian spirulina
- Approx. 1/4-1/2 C Filtered Water ( personal preference)
This has been my latest detox drink of choice. For all of my ketoers this is still low carb but the blueberries do add some sugar- nothing crazy. Plus the benefits of these four ingredients together are totally worth it! Now for a quick run down of the other ingredients since we already know about celery:
- Cilantro: huge in detoxing metals (which harm our endocrine system!), full of antioxidants, mood booster, promotes healthy heart, helps normalize blood sugar levels, antifungal, antibacterial, digestive support… the list goes on and on!
- Wild Blueberries : antioxidants, brain health, gut health, anti cancer, diabetes prevention, metabolic syndrome, UTIs.
Compared with many other fruits, Wild Blueberries are number-one in antioxidant capacity per serving. The antioxidant compounds in Wild Blueberries are contained in their deep-blue pigments. These anthocyanins, a subclass of phytonutrients called flavonoids, are known for their potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, two factors related to healthy aging and reduced risk of chronic diseases.
- Hawaiian Spirulina: blue green algae is all over the place lately and that is a great thing because its amazing! Hawaiian spirulina is full of vitamins A, K1, K2, B12, iron, and manganese. As well as phytonutrients such as carotenoids, GLA, SOD, and phycocyanin. Also contains protein, beta carotene and an abundant source of antioxidants! Aids in immune, cardiovascular, cellular and brain health!
To make my little tonic I throw it all in my magic bullet and blend it up. Some days I will strain it to only get the juice which is recommended if you are really trying to detox as it absorbs quick especially if you have an empty stomach. Other days I will just blend it like a smoothie and drink it with the fiber! Either way I feel great after drinking it in the morning and I can feel a huge difference when I miss it!
GROW YOUR OWN!
If you follow me on instagram you saw that I started to grow my own celery from the stalks I bought at the store. It is so simple to do! Take the stalks and cut the bottom off (you are going to use this, about 1-2 inches should be left), take this and place it in water until it starts to sprout. Once it has started to sprout transport it to a pot with soil, place the bulb part into the soil so that only the new sprouts are above the soil. Make sure the soil is evenly watered and place in a sunny window. Hint: to get the stalks to grow upright cut a big water bottle or soda bottle and place above the pot with the sprouts coming out of the top! This will make sure they grow straight. You could also make a support with chopsticks or skewers and string!
Follow me on instagram to see my progress!
the wholesome holistic 