It's safe to say most people are aware of celery. The vegetable, also known as Apium graveolens, is used for lots of cooking purposes and can be easily found at the grocery store. The more adventurous among us might have found wild celery stalks growing near their homestead. Pickling is also popular with this Bloody Mary star. Ground celery seed, celery salt, and celery leaves all have their purposes, too.
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Specifically, celery seed is used for essential oils, and as a flavoring or spice alongside other cabinet favorites like cumin, cardamom, coriander, and black pepper. Whole celery seed is even used in herbal medicine, but does it have specific health benefits? Yes! Let's take a look at a few of them.
Celery Seed Health Benefits
1. Great Source of Minerals and Nutrients
Healthline reports that the spice is rich in nutrients and essential minerals like calcium, manganese, and iron. It's also got zinc, magnesium, and phosphorus. Celery and celery seeds aren't just good for your side dishes, salad dressings, and potato salad — they're also good for your body!
2. May Treat High Blood Pressure
Very Well Health says that celery seed "...shows promise in the treatment of high blood pressure." A study they sourced said treatment with celery seed extract lowered the blood pressure of animals with elevated blood pressure, so presumably, the same thing could happen for humans. That's enough reason for us to add this fennel-like seed to our spice blends!
3. Treating Arthritis
Kelly Jones, RD, told Well+Good that celery seed could be "...used for treating arthritis and gout as well as reducing inflammation, due to its potential diuretic properties," citing the Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. So if arthritis is something you or a loved one is dealing with, maybe add a coleslaw side dish or marinade to your usual dinners and use celery seed more often in your recipes.
4. May Have Antioxidant Properties
Healthline also notes that celery seed extract could have antioxidant properties. "A few animal and test-tube studies have found celery seed extract to possess antioxidant properties," which could be explained by the polyphenols in celery seeds. These beneficial compounds can be found in many plant foods.
5. Treating Hypercholesterolemia
Very Well Health says it can be used to treat high cholesterol. However, the site also notes that dietary supplements containing the spice could be potentially harmful to people with kidney inflammation, and that the spice "...may interact with a number of medications, including blood-thinning drugs, diuretics, lithium, and thyroid medicine." So if those side effects are a concern, consult your healthcare provider first.
6. Antibacterial Properties
Healthline says that celery seed extract may help fight bacteria. "One test-tube study found that celery seed extract fought off H. pylori bacteria, which are found in the digestive tract of certain individuals and could cause stomach ulcers." Yikes! But again, there could be side effects. The site reports that pregnant women should steer clear of supplements with the spice because they could cause uterine bleeding and miscarriage. Always ask your doctor before trying to deal with health or wellness concerns yourself!
7. Could Help Fight Cancer
A study involving rats published in Cancer Letters in 2005 found that celery seed extract helped stop the development of liver cancer, Very Well Health notes. Plus, a study in the Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention in 2011 that looked at human cells discovered that celery seed extract could help fight stomach cancer "...by inducing apoptosis — a type of programmed cell death essential to stopping the proliferation of cancer cells." As mentioned before, always ask your doctor before making diet changes.
