Celery is a popular ingredient of healthy smoothies, sauces, pickles, and soups. Its distinct flavor is easily recognizable and can add some character to your dishes.
For how common this veggie might be, you might be surprised to learn that there is much more to it than the plant alone. The plant of celery produces seeds that have been used for centuries in the Eastern world for their properties.
Celery seeds, despite their small size, are rich in nutrients and can bring several benefits to your body. After all, Ayurvedic medicine has used celery seeds for thousands of years as a diuretic, as a cold remedy, to treat skin disorders, and as a natural medicine against inflammation.
Today, because of their earthy scent, celery seeds are commonly used as a cooking spice. Even in such a form, you’ll be able to enjoy its health benefits.
However, aside from consuming them whole, you can also take them as a supplement or in the form of oil. This way, you’ll be able to enjoy all of the properties of celery seeds.
To make things even simpler, you can find celery seeds in the form of capsules or tablets. For this reason, adding celery seed extract to your diet will be much easier than you thought.
Nowadays, you can find celery seeds extract at most groceries and online. Choosing organic products will ensure the best quality, so ensure you do so when possible.
But what are the health benefits of celery seed extract? We put together all of the information regarding these surprisingly nutritious small seeds. Keep reading to find out how they can benefit you.
What are you waiting for? Let’s get started!
Bone Health
Celery seeds are rich in several nutrients and minerals such as calcium, iron, and manganese. For your bones to be healthy, you should provide them with some essential nutrients contained in high quantities in celery seed extract.
Indeed, just one tablespoon of celery seeds extract contains almost 20% of the calcium RDI. Eating a diet rich in calcium helps to prevent your body from pulling calcium from your bones, which would lead to lower mineral density. Not consuming enough calcium might also increase the risk of fractures.
On top of that, celery seed extract is rich in manganese, a mineral needed to activate enzymes producing the proteins that form bone tissue and cartilage.
Source Of Non-Heme Iron
Thanks to their high content in iron, celery seeds also increase the production of red blood cells, which helps to fight iron-deficiency anemia. One single tablespoon of celery seed extract contains an impressive amount of non-heme iron: 17% for women and 38% for men of the RDI.
Helps Regulate Blood Pressure
Celery seeds are natural diuretics, meaning that patients with high blood pressure can benefit from the increased salt excretion.
Celery is a source of magnesium, which plays an essential role in blood sugar control. It also helps increasing cell’s response to insulin. The extract is a much safer alternative to artificial diuretics for people with high blood pressure or diabetes.
It Has Anti-inflammatory Properties
If you are suffering from pain and discomfort in your gout or arthritis, you might benefit from the consumption of celery seed extract.
Thanks to the numerous anti-inflammatory agents contained in the extract, you’ll notice a reduction in cramps and spasms. Research showed how celery seed extract is just as effective as ibuprofen and aspirin in reducing arthritis caused by inflammation. Plus, due to its nature, it doesn’t interact with many drugs, making it the perfect choice for those suffering from other illnesses as well.
On top of that, if you have celery seeds oil, you can even apply it topically to any inflamed area to alleviate the swelling. Before doing so, it is always best to test your oil tolerance. Just place a little quantity on a small spot to your skin to check for any possible allergic reaction.
Can Reduce Pain Associated With Menstrual Cramps
Celery seeds are effective in fighting against PMS symptoms as well. Because of their characteristics, they are also often used by women suffering from bad menstrual cramps. When taken paired with anise and saffron, celery seed extract effectively reduces pain and the length of discomfort during your period.
Again, you can apply celery seed oil to your abdomen and enjoy the antispasmodic properties that will decrease cramps almost immediately.
It Might Help Preserve Food
Celery seed extract might be the perfect answer to food preservation because of its antiseptic properties, well known in the Eastern world. Celery seeds also have antimicrobial properties, as shown by several studies. They can prevent the formation of yeast and mold, but also to fight the H.pylori bacteria, responsible for stomach ulcers.
It Contains Antioxidants
Celery seeds extract contains antioxidant properties. Antioxidants, like those contained in celery seeds, prevent cellular damage caused by free radicals. Even if a healthy balance of free radicals is needed to maintain health, a greater quantity might accelerate cellular aging or cause cancer. To reduce the risk, you can make use of these nutritious seeds and their extract.
The Bottom Line
Celery seeds have been part of holistic health for long. Only recently research has uncovered their numerous benefits that include blood regulation, food preservation, anti-inflammation, and anti-infection. Celery seeds are rich in several minerals and nutrients.
If you want to include seeds to your diet, you can do so in a variety of ways, one of the most effective being celery seeds extract. Keep in mind that some people might have an allergy to celery seeds or birch pollen, which is why it is strongly advised to consult with your doctor before starting to take celery seed extract as a supplement. Used in cooking, celery seeds are mostly considered safe, but it is still best not to consume them when you are pregnant.
Adding celery seeds to your diet is extremely easy: you can do so by adding them to soups or sauces. If you decide to take them in the supplemental form, make sure to check the dosage.
