Celery may not be everyone’s favorite vegetable, but craving celery is common for some people. Celery is a long green fibrous stalk with leaves. People also eat it raw and use it in cooking various dishes.
Celery is becoming a popular ingredient in green juices and most immunity booster drinks.
But is craving celery good for you?
You probably think that this vegetable is just water and fiber, without any nutritional values. But that’s not true. Celery contains a significant amount of vitamins and minerals. It has amazing health benefits that can improve your healthy lifestyle and daily diet.
This article will reveal the top 10 health benefits of celery along with its possible side effects. You will also get to know the reasons behind craving celery, and the nutrient deficiencies that lead to celery cravings.
Table of Content
Celery Nutrition Facts
Although most of the content of celery is just water, it still has a good percentage of nutrients. The following table demonstrates the nutritional information about celery.
| Nutrients | Percentage Daily values |
| Total fat 0g | 0% |
| Total Carbohydrates 4g | 1% |
| Dietary fiber 2g | 8% |
| Sugars 2g | |
| Sodium 115 mg | 5% |
| Potassium 260 mg | 7% |
| Proteins 0g | |
| Vitamin A | 10% |
| Vitamin C | 15% |
| Calcium | 4% |
| Iron | 2% |
All these important nutrients play a vital role in performing different functions of the body.
Therefore, craving celery can be good for you, as it provides you with essential nutrients.
Is It Healthy for You to Crave Celery?
Celery contains a significant amount of various vitamins and minerals.
It has Vitamin A, B, C, K, Calcium, magnesium, potassium, and a great number of phytochemicals. It also has a good percentage of antioxidants.
Celery has very impressive short-term and long-term health benefits. Organic celery is especially useful as it contains active ingredients that are necessary to perform normal body functioning.
Therefore, if you’re craving celery, it can be healthier for you as it provides your body with good water content and essential vitamins and minerals.
It also prevents you from snacking on unhealthy food!
Possible Causes of Craving Celery
Most food cravings arise from the deficiency of that particular nutrient that is present in that food. The same is the case with celery cravings.
If you’re craving celery, the following might be the possible causes:
Iron Deficiency Anemia
Anemia is a low percentage of hemoglobin in the blood. It mainly occurs in pregnancy, menstruation, or when there is a loss of blood from your body because of any trauma or hemorrhage.
The deficiency of iron in the body causes this type of anemia.
Celery has a good amount of folate (a substance that is important for forming red blood cells) in it. So your body craves that folate present in celery.
That’s the reason celery cravings are most common during pregnancy.
Vitamins Deficiency
Sometimes, your body lacks some specific vitamins because of a poor diet or any other problem.
This vitamin deficiency in your body can lead to different diseases. So, it is important to have a good amount of vitamins in your body.
Celery has a high amount of different vitamins that are essential for your body. If your body lacks those vitamins, it is more likely for you to crave celery, to fulfill the deficiency of that particular nutrient.
Dehydration
Water is the most common requirement of your body to perform proper functions. So, it is important to stay hydrated for a long time to stay healthy.
Celery contains almost 90 percent of water.
Munching on crunchy celery can keep you well hydrated throughout the day. It can save you from dehydration and electrolyte imbalances.
Is Craving Celery Good for Pregnancy?
During pregnancy, women need a proper amount of vitamins and minerals. It is also important for pregnant women to stay hydrated.
So, you can take green celery juice or celery salad in pregnancy to get the proper amount of nutrients.
Celery contains high amounts of folic acid, potassium, vitamin B, calcium, vitamin C, and fiber. These are all essential during pregnancy.
It has a high amount of nutrients but a low percentage of calories. That’s why it doesn’t cause weight gain during pregnancy.
Celery also can reduce and maintain blood pressure during pregnancy. Celery can widen vessels and prevent the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
It also contains the amino acid tryptophan which reduces stress during pregnancy.
So, it is good if you’re craving celery during pregnancy.
Is Craving Celery Good for Weight Loss?
Yes, if you’re craving celery and you want to lose weight too, it’s good for you. The reason is that it will prevent you from munching on unhealthy snacks.
The good thing is that celery is low in calories. It has zero percentage of fats and has a very low amount of carbohydrates. That is the reason celery is good for weight loss.
Another advantage of celery in weight loss is the high amount of fiber in it. This amazing percentage of fiber can keep your stomach stuffed and you won’t feel like eating for longer!
Is Craving Celery Good for Diabetes?
Yes, anything that will help in weight loss, will also help treat diabetes.
The reason is that it will control your blood sugar levels and insulin sensitivity. It is the number of healthy nutrients in celery that controls blood sugar levels.
Also, celery has a low glycemic index and it does not raise blood sugar levels rapidly.
The antioxidant flavonoid present in celery can reduce the risk of chronic diabetes and thus can prevent diabetes along with treating it.
Is Celery Heart Healthy?
Celery can lower bad cholesterol levels. It has plenty of good cholesterol levels in it.
Celery contains the chemicals that can combat the narrowing of blood vessels and hence widen them.
Celery can control blood pressure and hence can lower the risk of shock and cardiovascular diseases.
So, craving celery can be healthy for individuals with heart problems and high cholesterol levels.
Craving Celery: Benefits and Side Effects
Celery can treat many diseases and can prevent the risk of chronic diseases. But overeating celery can also cause many problems. Here are some important benefits of celery along with a few disadvantages of eating it too much.
Top 10 Benefits of Eating Celery
The high percentage of nutrients in celery makes it beneficial for your health. The following benefits of celery are very common to observe if you consume celery regularly.
- Celery has low caloric content and is effective in weight loss. It can stop your unhealthy cravings and keep your stomach full!
- Celery can keep you hydrated as most of its content is water. It can improve your complexion and increase energy.
- Celery has characteristic anti-inflammatory properties that reduce the risk of many diseases.
- Celery is considered very useful for acid reflux as it prevents the acid in your stomach from coming back to the esophagus.
- Celery can maintain blood pressure and reduce cholesterol levels.
- Magnesium present in celery relaxes your nerves and is important to have a good sleep. It also reduces stress.
- Vitamin A present in celery is good for eye health.
- The fiber content in celery can prevent constipation and regulates bowel movements.
- Celery has a good amount of vitamin C that brightens your skin.
- Alkaline compounds present in celery can reduce the risk of gastritis and heals gastric ulcers.
All these benefits of eating celery make it healthier for weight loss. Craving Celery can be advantageous for you as it provides you with enough nutrition needed to promote health.
Side Effects of Eating Too Much Celery
Although celery is beneficial for health, eating it in a large quantity can have a few side effects in certain individuals.
Following are the disadvantages of eating too much celery:
- Eating too much Celery can cause anaphylactic reactions in some individuals causing hives and swelling on the skin.
- Celery can also cause digestive issues and diarrhea if you eat in a large quantity.
- In some people, eating too much Celery can cause asthma and difficulty breathing.
Apart from these side effects, there can be different other reactions to celery in different people.
However, these are very uncommon.
Celery provides more benefits and very few side effects.
FAQs
Question: Is raw celery good for you?
Answer: Raw celery is crunchy in texture and is a healthy snack alternative, especially if you’re in a habit of munching something late at night. Raw celery is highly nutritious and hydrating and is good for your skin and overall health.
Question: Can eating too much Celery kill you?
Answer: As mentioned, eating too much Celery can cause anaphylactic reactions. It can cause diarrhea and rashes. If the symptoms are not treated properly, it can lead to severe illness and death. But this happens only if you eat an excess of celery.
Question: How much Celery should I eat a day?
Answer: Eating one cup of chopped celery every day is good for you. This amount of celery is good for weight loss and also for healthy skin. Do not eat too much of it, as it can cause certain adverse effects.
Bottom Line
Craving Celery is common in people with a deficiency in water and nutrients.
Eating enough celery can fulfill the nutrient requirements in the body. It can also keep you hydrated.
Celery is a healthy snack alternative and prevents you from unhealthy eating.
However, it is important to consume celery in moderation, as an excess of anything can cause more harm than good!
