Image Credit: Vegan Liftz
Juicing has evolved into a popular health trend in the last few years. The term “juicing” refers to a period of days when a person’s diet consists of mainly fruit and vegetable juices. Celery juice, among other fruit and vegetable juice detox trends, has recently been claimed to give your body a healthy boost, flush toxins from the body, aid in weight loss and increase energy.
Supportive research on the phytochemicals in celery does show that it helps to reduce inflammation, blood pressure and fight against oxidative stress which plays a role in tissue damage and aging. However, there is no direct evidence in celery juice aiding in weight loss and detoxification.
Is Celery Juice Good for You?
Compared to a regular fruit juice drink, sugar sweetened beverage or fruit smoothie, celery juice is a healthier choice for an individual seeking to lose weight. Weight loss may occur during a juice “detox” because a person is consuming fewer calories.
Celery Juice Benefits
A glass of celery juice contains the following nutrients:
• Vitamins A, K and C
• Folate
• calcium
• potassium
• sodium
• phosphorus
• electrolytes
• water
• flavonoids and phytochemicals
Although celery juice seems to have a large amount of nutrients, some of them are lost during the juicing process, including fiber. When the skin, peel or pulp is removed from fruits and vegetables, the fiber is removed along with the many health benefits it has to offer. The process of juicing takes more time than eating the actual product, plus eating the whole celery stalk will make you feel fuller rather than when you drink it.
Fiber in your diet is important because it keeps your digestive system moving smoothly, makes you feel full, balances blood sugar levels, maintains healthy cholesterol levels, and reduces your risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
The Detox Process
When it comes to a detox, your body already comes with its’ own detoxification system- the liver. The liver regulates most chemical levels in the blood and excretes a product called bile which carries waste products away from the liver.
Detoxification is a process that utilizes nutrients from the diet and transforms toxins that need to be removed from the body through urine, feces, breathing or sweat. Toxins made in the body include lactic acid, urea and waste products in the gut. Toxins found from outside of the body include environmental toxins, pollutants, pesticides, mercury from seafood, tobacco smoke, phthalates from plastic and parabens from cosmetics.
The Truth
Will it hurt to drink celery juice? No. However, to reap the most benefits of what celery has to offer, like all other vegetables, is to eat it as it comes, as a whole product. The truth is that there isn’t any convincing evidence that juicing as a detox actually removes toxins from the body or helps to improve overall health. If you want to cleanse your body in order to improve overall health and maintain a healthy weight, you must feed it the proper nutrients, get a good amount of rest and stress less!
Ways to Promote Healthy Detoxification:
• Avoid overconsumption of food and alcohol
• Maintain a healthy diet
• Exercise Regularly
• Stay hydrated with water
• Consume an adequate amount of fiber daily
• Consider a multivitamin to supplement any gaps in your diet
• Maintain a good bowel regimen
References:
“Detoxes” and “Cleanses”. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.
https://nccih.nih.gov/health/detoxes-cleanses. Updated September 24, 2017. Accessed April 25,
2019.
Yeong-Hau HL. Juicing Is Not All Juicy. Am J Med. 2013; 126(9): 755-756.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjmed.2013.04.007
Young-Hee P, Yoo-Jeong J, Ji-Young H. Comparison of the Effects of Blending and Juicing on
the Phytochemicals Contents and Antioxidant Capacity of Typical Korean Kernel Fruit Juices.
Prev Nutr Food Sci. 2014; 19(2): 108-114. doi: 10.3746/pnf.2014.19.2.108
Dahl WJ, Stewart ML. Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Health Implications
of Dietary Fiber. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2015; 115: 1861-1870.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2015.09.003
Betteridge DJ. What is Oxidative Stress? Metabolism. 2000;49(2 Suppl 1):3-8.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0026-0495(00)80077-3
Fourutan, R. What’s the Deal with Detox Diets? Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics website.
https://www.eatright.org/health/weight-loss/fad-diets/whats-the-deal-with-detox-diets. Published
April 26, 2017. Accessed April 25, 2019.
Liver: Anatomy and Functions. In: Health Conditions and Diseases. Johns Hopkins Medicine
website. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/liver-anatomy-andfunctions. Accessed April 25, 2019.