Crispy, crunchy and juicy – celery is known as a salad ingredient. Did you know that it has umpteen health benefits to offer? Let’s take a deep dive into the wonderful world of celery and how it can help us.
What is Celery?
- Celery (Apium graveolens var.dulce) is a plant variety belonging to the Apiaceae family which also includes carrots, parsley, fennel and caraway.
- It is commonly used as a vegetable and forms an important part of weight loss diet as it is low in calories and high in dietary fiber.
- There are generally two varieties of celery:
- Pale green pascal celery is most common and widely used
- Golden celery is cultivated under a layer of soil to prevent it from developing and turning green.
- Just like other green vegetables, celery grows in bunches of long ribbed stalks with leafy tops.
- Its inner ribs are called celery hearts and wild celery is known as smallage. It has a bitter taste and its stalks are bitterer in comparison to the cultivated celery.
Celery is immensely popular as a health food as it is rich in vitamins A, C and E as well as low in calories. The various health benefits of this green vegetable have increased its usage in a variety of cuisines to increase their nutrient content. Wild celery or smallage has been used as medicine since ancient times. The Romans used it for seasoning. Celery is available all the year round, but summer is the best time to eat it when it is in season.
Generally, its stalks are consumed the most but you can also eat the leaves and roots of celery to get additional health benefits. This vegetable can be enjoyed in salads as well as cooked foods like celery soups. In addition to the vegetable, celery seeds are used as a spice and resemble cumin seeds in appearance. The other names for celery are ‘Ajmoda’ in Hindi, ‘Vamaku’ in Telugu, ‘Kaccharakku’ in Malayalam, ‘Ajamoda oma’ in Kannada, ‘Ajamoda’ in Gujarati, ‘Ajmod’ in Marathi, ‘Kernauli’ in Punjabi, and ‘Ajagandha’ in Bengali.
Skin Benefits Of Celery:
Being an excellent source of vitamins A, C and E, celery has a great role to play in skincare. Some of celery benefits for skin are given below.
1. Anti-ageing Benefits:
- Celery is an important source of vitamins A, C and E which act as potent antioxidants by reversing and protecting against free radical damage.
- Vitamin A delays signs of ageing whereas vitamin E keeps your skin moisturized and hydrated from within.
- Celery is also a good source of skin friendly minerals like magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, selenium and potassium which keep your skin youthful and glowing.
- The omega 6 fatty acids in celery help in maintaining the elasticity and luminosity of skin.
2. Treatment of Acne and Pimples:
- Topical application of celery helps in delivering vital nutrients directly into the dermal layers, thus nourishing and hydrating skin from deep within.
- If you are suffering from acne and pimples, you can mix some celery juice with a few drops of tea tree and peppermint essential oils.
- Dab a cotton ball and apply it all over your face and neck, and leave it until completely dry.
- Rinse off with warm water. This will not only treat acne and pimples but also remove surface dirt and impurities by clarifying skin deeply.
3. Beneficial for Oily Skin:
- Celery can help in reducing oil on your face.
- If you have oily skin, you can take three celery sticks which are properly washed.
- Slice them into small pieces, pour boiling water and cover the concoction.
- Allow it to cool and then refrigerate it.
- This celery juice should be regularly applied to the face at bedtime and rinsed when dry for best results.
4. Removes Dead Cells:
- Celery juice prevents skin problems by removing harmful toxins that cause damage to skin cells.
- It also helps in restoring the pH balance of the skin and removes dead cells.
- For this purpose you can make a celery face pack by adding celery juice, powdered oatmeal and orange peel powder.
- Apply this mixture all over your face and neck and leave it until completely dry.
- Rinse off by massaging in gentle circular movements and wash off with warm water.
- Applying this regularly will help in removing dead skin cells.
5. Treatment of Vitiligo:
- Vitiligo is a skin disease characterized by white spots.
- The real cause of this disease is unknown but some research has proved that a herb called Psoralen can stimulate the production of melanin in the body, thus treating vitiligo
- Celery has been found to contain a large amount of psoralea.
- Regular consumption of celery along with moderate sun exposure can help treat vitiligo naturally.
Hair Benefits Of Celery:
The rich array of nutrients in celery stalks and leaves help in nourishing the hair follicles. Celery leaves are often processed into shampoo to thicken hair. Thus, this green veggie is beneficial for your hair and can rid you of several scalp problems.
6. Hair Fertilizer:
- When applied topically, celery acts as a hair fertilizer by nourishing and thickening your hair.
- To get lush hair, wash and mash 10 to 15 celery stalks.
- After shampooing, apply this on your scalp and hair, and massage well.
- Then wrap your head with a towel and rinse off after half an hour.
This should be done several times a week for best results.
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