Celery Juice - Friend or Fad?

You’ve heard that juicing is good for you, I'm here to tell you Why.

If you’ve been on social media in the past 6 months, you may have noticed that the previous health fad of juicing in general, has morphed into all things Celery Juice. It seems to be EVERYWHERE, and looks like everyone and their dog are doing some kind of “Celery Juice challenge”. Do you find yourself wondering if this new-found fad can really be as good for you as it seems? You’ve come to the right place…

Here are a few important points to note about juicing, itself.

WHAT IS JUICING ALL ABOUT, AND WHY SHOULD I CARE?
Juicing is a quick and easy way of getting a large amount of nutrients into your system. It allows you to get your daily 8-10 servings of vegetables into a single, easily consumed, glass of juice (although it should NEVER be used to completely replace your daily consumption of fresh vegetables in their whole form). Think of it as more of a boost, to have on the go, or with a meal that may be lacking some fresh veg.

WHATS ALL THE HYPE AROUND DOING A JUICE CLEANSE?
We all have a resting metabolic rate (RMR), which is the amount of calories (which are a measurement of energy) that your body will burn to continue organ functions like breathing and digesting food. Your RMR could range anywhere from approximately 1100-1600 calories depending on age, gender, size, and activity level, and can be calculated here. In short, most of this energy is spent digesting food. So, what happens when we begin to consume a nutrient-loaded, raw, vegetable juice, that requires little to no digestion, and encourages optimal absorbability of said nutrients? The energy that would normally be spent on breaking food down and preparing it for digestion can now go to where it is needed in the body. This takes some stress off of the body and allow’s it to spend the energy where it is needed most, such as encouraging the body to repair itself, or boosting function’s like detoxification, or supporting the immune system. It’s a double whammy, not only are you consuming a large amount of easily absorbable vitamins and minerals, but you’re giving your system a break, allowing it to give a little more attention to where you may need it the most.

WHEN IS IT A BAD IDEA TO DO A JUICE CLEANSE?
Constipation - Regular bowel movements are extremely important while doing a juice cleanse. Detoxification is effected if toxins cannot be excreted, and instead, those toxins that body has done so well to gather up, will begin to re-absorb back in through the colon. This defeats the purpose. So ensure you are well hydrated and “regular” before starting a juice cleanse. Everyone is different, so how do you know if you’re considered “regular”? the Bristol Stool Chart is a great place to start!
Blood sugar issues - If you are someone who gets “hangry” on a regular basis, or feels faint, weak, or dizzy when you haven’t had food in a couple of hours - then juice cleanses may not be for you until you get your blood sugar under control (which I can help you with!). This is because the fibre of the fruit or vegetable, when eaten whole, would typically slow down digestion which would slow the release of the natural sugars into the blood stream. When juicing, the fibre is stripped, and allows those natural sugars to enter the blood stream all at once, which can result in a blood sugar spike, followed by a drop, perpetuating blood sugar imbalances.
*Pregnant/Nursing mothers should never cleanse, but consuming fresh pressed juice is generally fine to help get those nutrients in! (Always talk to your doctor first)

It’s also important to note that fibre binds to toxins, which means, once fibre is removed with juicing, any toxins in the produce will go right into the juice, and directly into your system. While your liver can detox these toxins, part of the point of a cleanse is to reduce the work put on our system. Therefor, juicing organic fruits and veggies are ideal, BUT thanks to the Dirty Dozen, Clean 15 list, not everything needs to be organic in order to reap the rewards, and can also make it more affordable.

CELERY JUICE IN PARTICULAR

Nutrients in Celery:
Vitamins B, A, C, E
Minerals: Calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium.

Celery juice, along with containing the above array of beneficial nutrients, has a natural diuretic effect, which increase’s the amount of water and salt expelled from the body as urine. It helps to regulate body temperature and aids in elimination of carbon dioxide from the body. It is also reportedly good for arthritis, appetite, adrenal function (think energy!), dizziness and headaches, as well as aiding digestion. NOTE: EPA analysis done on celery show 81% of samples contained residues, which was more pesticides than any other crop. Many of these pesticides found were the stronger neurotoxin and carcinogenic ones.

MY OPINION

If you’ve read this entire post, I think you can tell where I stand on juicing in general. Not just because of the science behind it, but even just my own experiences of how I feel when I consume fresh pressed juice regularly. When it comes down to it though, I think that JUST consuming celery juice on it’s own can be a waste. THERE I said it. Celery is GREAT, but it’s just ONE of the many nutrient dense vegetable’s out there, and if you ignore the other ones, I feel like you are limiting yourself, and all of the potential nutrients you could be packing into that juice, which have the potential to further benefit your body and your health. Take beets for example. Beets contain a form of iron that is readily absorbed into the blood, as well as Betaine, a phytonutrient that makes beets extremely cleansing to the liver and kidneys (To put things into perspective for you, liver function directly effects skin health) If your liver is overworked and not able to detoxify at its current rate, it will rely on other detoxification organs LIKE THE SKIN (think acne, skin disorders - they can all be related!). Your liver is also responsible for breaking down and monitoring hormone levels (think cystic acne). I’m using skin health as an example here, because celery juice has been widely marketed for skin concerns. I want to be very clear that there is absolutely NOTHING wrong with drinking celery juice(preferably organic), and if you love it, then keep going! I do encourage you to mix it up a little bit though, from time to time! Especially if you are trying to target a specific concern (again, I can help you!)

MY CURRENT GO-TO GREEN JUICE RECIPE (MAKES ABOUT 1 LITRE)

1.5 inch knob of GINGER - Ginger lowers inflammation, provides immune support, eases digestion and aids circulation, among many other benefits including cardiovascular health.
1 LEMON - Lemon is a blood purifier, and helps to detoxify your system. It encourages the production of HCL in the stomach which allows food to be properly broken down and digested, which in turn can help reduce food sensitivities - very commonly effecting skin health and acne. It also contains Vitamin C, which is needed in order for zinc (another very important skin mineral) to be absorbed!
1/2 Head of CELERY - see above!
1 Bunch of KALE - Helps to regulate estrogen, and is thought to have cancer protective properties. Kale is full of chlorophyl, which provides intestinal nourishment, and soothing reparative effect on gut lining. It is also used to help detoxify or purify the system, particularly the liver. Not only does kale contain more calcium ounce-for-ounce than milk, but the calcium is more absorbable than in milk.*People with thyroid issues should refrain from juicing goitrogenic veggies like Kale - consult a healthcare provider.
3 large CUCUMBERS - Cucumbers contain the highest and best source of vitamin E of all vegetables, as well as A and C. Vitamins E and A are detrimental to skin health and repair. Cucumbers are good for the spleen, stomach and large intestines and are also a great blood cleanser. Cucumber also contains silicon which helps to strengthen hair and nails, and help improve skin conditions, as it encourage’s the skin to repair itself.
WHEATGRASS - Also contains chlorophyl, as well as a large amount of vitamin A, E and selenium. Selenium is used y the body to produce a powerful antioxidant enzyme called glutathione peroxidase. It fights cell damage (we are made up of trillions of cells!) and plays a crucial role in supporting overall immune response. Selenium works synergistically with vitamin E to protect tissues and cells and maintain a healthy liver and heart. Wheatgrass has an ability to work directly on the liver, which can make it valuable in dealing with all sorts of disorders. it can also help to eliminate excess heavy metals that we are in constant exposure of everyday.
BEETS - *I don’t add all the time, but when I want to switch it up, I do!

JUICING TIPS

- You may think that you need to add juice lots of fruit with your greens in order to avoid a bitter, earthy tasting juice, but the good news is that if you include a lemon, you may find that you don’t need any other fruit!

- Lots of the vitamins and enzymes extracted from juicing, can be destroyed by heat or pasteurization, therefore, cold pressed juice is always the way to go.

- Fresh pressed juice is best when consumed immediately, however If I know I’m not going to have time to juice, I will make enough to have for the next 1-2 days.

- Try and include as many organic items as possible (follow Dirty Dozen, Clean 15)