Celery juice has the potential to provide certain health benefits. However, it’s important to note that “research on specific benefits and outcomes of celery juice is extremely limited and/or conducted in animal models,” notes Monique Richard, a registered dietitian nutritionist, owner of Nutrition-In-Sight and a national media spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
May Provide Digestive and Gut Health Benefits
Because celery juice is a source of fiber (per the USDA, 1 cup of celery juice contains 3.78 grams of fiber, with the recommended daily intake being 14 grams per 1,000 calories of food ,), it can offer the gut some benefits. “Juicing celery will mechanically break down its insoluble fiber, which is helpful in digestion, bowel regularity and sweeping our digestive tract as well as feeding the good bacteria in our gut,” says Richardson.
That said, the amount of benefit derived from celery juice’s fiber varies depending on whether the juice is strained or unstrained (meaning whether or not the pulp has been filtered out). Unstrained celery juice is the option that really “can aid in GI health and regularity,” explains Allison Tepper, a registered dietitian in the D.C. metro area, owner of Tepper Nutrition and an adjunct instructor in the department of Health Studies at American University. However, as Tepper notes, unstrained celery juice “commercially is not as common.”
May Offer Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Effects
Celery contains a number of healthy antioxidant compounds. Antioxidants work to neutralize free radicals in the body, which are unstable chemicals that can harm cells, contributing to the development of some chronic health conditions.
Celery juice may also have anti-inflammatory effects due to these same compounds, notes Richardson. Phytochemicals, which are naturally-occurring antioxidants found in foods like fruits and vegetables, can reduce inflammation as well as levels of oxidative stress, among myriad of other health benefits.
May Aid in Blood Pressure Regulation
According to Tepper, “there has also been some research to show that celery can aid in high blood pressure regulation.”
One case study from 2021 showed a favorable blood pressure change after a 74-year-old man with a history of hypertension consumed celery juice on a daily basis for six months. However, this was only a single case study, and the results were not conclusive.
Another small study centered on celery seed extract also showed a positive link between the vegetable and hypertension. In a study of 52 people, those who were given four celery seed extract capsules per day all experienced decreases in their blood pressure. While celery juice and celery seed extract are obviously distinct celery-derived products, this study offers further evidence of a possible correlation.
However, it’s also worth noting celery juice’s sodium content, which is 189 milligrams per cup, as there is a close relationship between high blood pressure and higher sodium intake .
