CELERY

Introduction

It is difficult to pin-point exactly where celery came from originally, but it has been used for its medicinal benefits since at least 200 BC. It most likely originated around Asia Minor and Europe. The Orientals used celery as a remedy for high blood pressure, although some people would disagree that it is beneficial, due to the high levels of sodium in celery. However, recent research has shown that unless the blood pressure is particularly high then celery is still good for alleviating the symptoms.

It was not used as food until the early seventeenth century and the first indication of it being grown in England is not until 1664. This is the case with many vegetables - we did not start growing them until far later than the rest of Europe, as they spread from the Mediterranean and Asia. The celery we grow today comes to the market in foot-long branches and is what we know as ‘blanched’. (‘Blanched’ means that because a lot of the plant is shadowed from sunlight by its leaves, those parts are a paler green than the dark green leaves full of chlorophyll from the sun).

Medical Benefits

Is celery good for high blood pressure? Yes and no. Research at the University of Chicago identified a chemical called 3-butylphthalide. This compound relaxes the muscle lining in the veins, allowing them to dilate and let the blood run more freely through the veins. The downside is that celery is high in sodium, which is not good for people with serious hypertension. However, people with slightly higher blood pressure than normal - borderline cases who do not know whether to consult their doctor for medication - may want to try eating 3-4 stalks a day to see if it helps.

Note: Do not eat celery thinking that it will cure high blood pressure and do not ignore the condition. Anything you do should be discussed with your doctor.

The compounds found in celery such as polyacetylenes and 3-butylphthalide mentioned earlier are all known to combat serious disease. Celery is also high in carotenoids and Vitamin C, which are antioxidants. All of these compounds stop free radicals from damaging healthy cells and mutating them into malignant growths. Antioxidants are a very important line of defence against serious disease as they not only protect cells, but also strengthen the body’s immune defence system.

Celery also contains compounds known as psoralens, which have a certain level of activity against skin diseases such as psoriasis.

Advice

It is important to cook celery by steaming it very quickly or boiling quickly in a large amount of water, uncovered. Slow cooking can cause reactions that destroy the nutrients.

The limonene content of celery can aggravate or cause contact dermatitis. Skin can also be made very sensitive to sunlight by chemicals abundant in damaged or mouldy celery. Therefore only fresh, intact stalks should be eaten, and people prone to skin diseases should avoid it altogether.