Celery (Apium graveolens) has many benefits. It is a biennial plant with pinnate, feathery leaflets and aromatic seeds. Commonly found in marshy, salty soils in coastal Europe and temperate Asia, celery was originally harvested for its strong-flavored leaves for culinary use.
As a medicinal food, celery is an excellent choice to include during fasting. All parts of celery–seed, leaves, stalk, and the taproot– have medicinal value. The plant compounds in celery act as a nervine (calming agent) which helps in relaxing the organs of digestion and elimination, has diuretic effects, and acts as a tonic. Ask your ND prior to fasting.
The root, leaf and seed are used in various preparations for purifying the blood, regulating digestion and bowel movements, calming the nerves, and may be helpful for kidney and gallstones.
Celery seed tea is commonly used to relieve indigestion, flatulence, and griping abdominal pains.
Celery’s detoxifying phytochemicals reduce blood acidity, which is common with tissue inflammation.
In Ayurveda, celery stalk juice is commonly used for preventive remedies, during cleanses, and in times of illness.
Cultivated worldwide, celery stalks each produce three to five bright green pinnate leaves at the tip. The celery fruits, or schizocarps, contain a brown, ridged, ovoid-shaped, very small seed. These fruits, commonly known as “celery seed,” have a floral odor and mildly pungent taste. The succulent, rigid stalk can be eaten raw or cooked. The fleshy taproot (known as celeriac) can be enjoyed raw, roasted, mashed, or pureed, and the celery seeds can additionally be used in many types of condiments. Celery has many health benefits. Try this soup recipe below and enjoy!
This this Celery and Kale Soup
Flavor and nutrition galore are packed into this wonderful soup featuring crisp celery and chopped baby kale. Prepare with or without chicken, using vegetable or chicken broth. Serve with a hearty, crusty bread for dipping your favorite breadstick. Great for lunch, dinner, or an appetizer on a chilly day.
Recipe for Bean & Kale Soup
Prep: 15 mins Cook: 35 mins Total: 50 mins Servings: 6 Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
3 Tbsp olive oil, or as needed
1 large onion, diced 5 carrots, sliced
5 stalks celery, chopped
salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (32 oz) container chicken (or vegetable) stock
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed, divided
1 cup chopped kale, or to taste
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, or to taste
Poultry Option: Add seasoned, precooked (grilled or boiled) chicken breast in the last minutes of cooking.
Preparation
Heat olive oil in a stockpot over medium heat; cook and stir onion, carrots, celery, salt, and pepper in the hot oil until carrots are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir garlic into vegetable mixture and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Stir chicken (or vegetable stock), black beans, and 1/2 can cannellini beans into vegetable mixture.
Blend remaining 1/2 can cannellini beans in a food processor or blender until smooth; stir into vegetable mixture. Add kale and apple cider vinegar to vegetable mixture; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until flavors have blended, 20 to 30 minutes.
Resources
AmericanBotanicalCouncil.com. Food as Medicine Blog: Celery (Apium graveolens, Apiaceae). Retrieved 15 Nov 2021: https://www.herbalgram.org/resources/herbalegram/volumes/volume-16/number-6-june/food-as-medicine-celery/food-as-medicine-celery/