Celery for health and beauty
Open any book about a healthy lifestyle, good nutrition, or ways to lose extra pounds, and you will definitely see a mention there. about celery... This plant is not just useful. Some of its properties, such as negative calorie content, the ability to replace salt in food, remove radiation from the body, are truly unique. Therefore, the use of celery is becoming more and more popular in various industries. And in ancient times it was even believed that the plant brings happiness.
The composition and calorie content of celery
The nutritional value is primarily carbohydrates, dietary fiber, followed by proteins, and there is very little fat in the vegetable. The chemical composition of the product allows you to use dishes from the culture in food, as well as use it to improve health. Its main part consists of:
- trace elements (sodium, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium);
- vitamins (groups B, K, A, E);
- essential oils;
- carotene;
- vitamin C;
- asparagine;
- a nicotinic acid;
- tyrosine and others.
Combining everything that is contained in celery, we can talk about the need to eat it to increase the protective, supporting forces of the body, the filling of internal systems with useful substances and compounds.
Useful properties of the plant
In addition to its dietary properties, the culture has a number of other positive differences. It is advised to use it for young people to maintain immunity, performance, good mood. But the benefits of celery for the human body at an older age are especially noticeable.
The general advantages of this representative of the plant kingdom are the following functions:
- anti-inflammatory (due to the contained polysaccharides);
- supporting youth (antioxidants in the composition protect cell tissue from damage, malignant neoplasms);
- cleansing (pectins help to eliminate toxins, radioactive compounds, nicotine, alcohol, drugs from the body);
- supporting immunity (plant juice combined with honey contains an optimal vitamin dosage);
- normalizing metabolism (proteins, fatty acids of the product are easily digested, celery is very useful for the stomach, intestines);
- enhancing potency (the components of the vegetable tone up, act as an aphrodisiac for men and women).
Also, the vegetable has a positive effect on strengthening the walls of blood vessels, normalizes blood pressure, cholesterol, hemoglobin in the blood. The differences in what is useful celery, how to use it depend on the type of plant, the characteristics of the composition of its parts.
Types of celery
The species and varietal diversity of the vegetable representative has about 17 representatives. The main difference lies in the expressiveness of one of the parts of the plant: the root, stems or leaves. The most common is the stem (petiolate) species, most often grown by gardeners.In addition, the root variety is used, as well as leaf celery, the beneficial properties of which are used in cooking, folk medicine.
Stalk celery
This type of plant, which is also called petiole, is distinguished by the presence of large juicy stems. The petioles have a rather pleasant light taste, aroma; they are eaten in almost any form. The most common stem representative is used in salads, as well as in soups, second courses.
The benefits and harms of stalked celery, as well as the cultivation features, have long been appreciated by gardeners, culinary experts, and ordinary consumers. It is not picky for growing in a garden or in pots. on the windowsill... Nutritional value is determined by a large amount of fiber, minerals, vitamins, and folic acid, which is very useful for women. Stalk celery was used for the stomach even by our distant ancestors.
You can buy plant stems at the market or in the supermarket. And in order to determine the quality, ripeness of the product, it is advised to break one of the stems with a sharp movement. In a ripe good vegetable, breaking is accompanied by an audible crunch.
Leafy celery
The leafy variety does not have massive roots or stems; it is represented by an abundant crown of green growth. Celery greens, the beneficial properties of which are contained in the leaves, are used in cooking as a fragrant spice. In the form of a seasoning, they are added to salads, side dishes, soups; raw leaves are an excellent decoration for ready-made dishes.
Smokers or those who have quit this addiction and want to remove nicotine from the body are advised to eat the leaves. Studying how celery leaves are useful for this category of people, it was determined that they effectively remove toxins, toxins, and protect against the threat of oncology.
This species is not as popular as the stem species, but its value for gardeners lies in its early ripening and abundant harvests. For people experiencing frequent nervous overstrain, it is advisable to eat celery more often. Leaves, the use of which they try to make a daily habit, will lower the level of stress hormones, normalize blood pressure, and dilate blood vessels.
Root celery
The root crop of the plant has a round or oblong shape, is rather massive, has a bittersweet taste, rich aroma. Like other varieties, it is used in fresh salads, it is also dried, pickled, added to soup, it is considered a delicious side dish for fish or meat dishes. A feature of its use in cooking is the ability to replace salt with much greater benefit.
Among interesting facts from the past, the tradition of presenting celery dishes to newlyweds stands out. The roots of the plant enhance, heal male potency. And for women, he is advised to maintain a beautiful figure, improve the condition of nails, hair, skin. The positive effect of food from root varieties on attentiveness, vision, memory in adults and children is noted.
All year round, you can buy the roots of the plant in shops, supermarkets. In this case, heavier fruits are selected that have a flat surface without a large number of indentations. In addition, celery root dried, the use of which is very convenient and useful.
The use of celery in cooking
Since the vegetable culture is widespread on all continents (except Antarctica), it is used in almost all cuisines of the world. Such popularity is caused not only by the unique benefits of the plant for the body, but also by the pleasant taste and aroma of the vegetable culture. And housewives and cooks appreciate the possibility of its use in any form: raw, stewed, fried, baked, steamed, as a seasoning and others.
When deciding how to use celery in cooking, the fact of the maximum preservation of the nutrients of the composition in raw stems, leaves, and roots of the plant is taken into account. Fresh petioles are used as an ingredient in salad, crushed as a side dish for meat dishes, can serve as a base and preparation for various snacks.
The leaves and roots are often used as a condiment to all kinds of dishes. To do this, they are very strongly crushed or dried, which significantly lengthens the storage time of the product. Dried celery, the use of which is very convenient in the first place, serves as an excellent flavoring, aromatic additive to sauces, soups, side dishes, meat, fish; it is often used for pickling and pickling cucumbers, eggplants, and zucchini.
To keep fresh petioles longer, they are placed in cold water and in this form in the refrigerator.
You can pamper yourself in winter by preparing pickled celery. The benefits and harms of this cooking method are almost completely preserved. Most often, root varieties are selected for cooking, but the housewives also use leafy and stem pickled snacks.
Celery drinks
A variation on how to use celery root in cooking for medicinal purposes or to maintain youth, health, prevention of many diseases is the daily use of tea and juice from a vegetable. They are good diuretics and are most commonly used for:
- control of body weight indicators;
- cleansing the body of harmful substances;
- fight against bloating, constipation.
Celery tea will be an effective addition to a cleansing diet. Drinking it is advised in the morning on an empty stomach, cold or warm. Optimal use - in courses of 2-3 weeks and a break per month.
A tea drink is prepared as follows:
- the stems are washed, finely chopped;
- a liter of water is brought to a boil;
- 3-4 chopped cuttings are placed in boiling water, the fire is reduced;
- tea is brewed for 5-10 minutes;
- the liquid is removed from the heat, cooled, infused for 10-15 minutes.
To enhance the benefits and effectiveness of tea, add lemon, ginger, sugar to taste.
Fresh juice retains all the benefits and harms of stalk celery, its cooking, use does not cause any particular difficulties and time costs. If you have a juicer, the whole process will take a few minutes, you just need to place the peeled stems in the chopping bowl. Nutritionists advise drinking juice before meals in the morning on an empty stomach (100 grams of juice) or 2-3 large tablespoons 3 times a day. To diversify the taste of the drink, you can make cocktails with the addition of other herbs, vegetables, fruits.
The use of celery in cosmetology
Cosmetologists, answering questions about whether celery is good for women, note its positive effect on skin, nails, hair. To improve the condition of the horny and hair parts, the vegetable is often used in the form of food or drinks. To visually tighten, cleanse the skin, restore its youth, smoothness, even shade, lotions for rubbing and masks are being prepared.
For all skin types, a cleansing tonic is suitable, prepared by pouring boiling water over chopped vegetable cuttings, infusing for 3-4 hours, and decanting. Dried celery root is useful for beauty, the use of which as a scrub will help renew the upper epidermis, remove impurities. A gauze compress is made from fresh juice, which is applied to a clean face for 15-20 minutes.
Celery mask for dry, normal skin is prepared from ground plant stems, chopped oatmeal, cream, vegetable oil. With an oily and combined skin surface, the stem juice is mixed with bean flour, pharmacy chamomile. A mixture of green vegetables, cottage cheese, honey, jojoba oil will help relieve fatigue, puffiness. You can cleanse the problem dermis with a mask, which includes plant juice, clay, aloe juice.
Celery essential oil is prepared from the seeds of the plant, the use of which helps to improve the functioning of the kidneys and liver, eliminate toxins, reduce swelling, temperature, inflammation, and calm the nervous system.
The use of celery in traditional medicine
For the treatment of the body using folk methods, all species of the plant are used. Prepare infusions, decoctions, juices, lotions from dried roots, leaves, stems. Celery in folk medicine is used to fight diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, genitourinary system, allergic reactions.
For women, the vegetable is useful for health and beauty, for men it is used to improve potency, prevent prostatitis, adenoma, and reduce excess weight. The plant can be used even by young children, it improves appetite, sleep, intestinal motility.
Celery tincture is prepared by pouring crushed root (2-3 large tablespoons) with water (200 ml), settling for 2-3 hours. You can insist the rhizome on vodka, alcohol, in this form it is used as an additive to cocktails. The infusion is effective for allergies, insomnia, rheumatism, gout.
With gastritis, peptic ulcer, a decoction of celery is drunk. The benefits and harms of such a drink are almost identical to fresh juice. 20 grams of crushed root is mixed with boiling water, cooked over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, infused for 9-10 hours. The daily broth rate is 2 large spoons 3 times a day. There are known cases of treating frostbite at home using a decoction from the culture. To do this, 250 grams of dried product is boiled for 10 minutes in water, cooled, frostbitten areas are immersed in it. Further, the damaged skin is treated with goose fat for a week.
Dried celery is often used in folk recipes, the beneficial properties of which are removed from rhizomes and leaves. In this form, the vegetable can be stored for a long time. At the same time, a large percentage of important vitamins and microelements are preserved. By mixing vegetable juice with vinegar and salt, a lotion agent is obtained. It effectively heals wounds, relieves skin irritations, and treats purulent inflammations.
Celery: who is contraindicated
The categories of people who do not want to consume any celery products include:
- pregnant women;
- nursing mothers;
- having kidney stones;
- suffering from epilepsy;
- suffering from varicose veins, thrombophlebitis.
The harm of celery to the body may lie in the intolerance of certain substances in the plant. In rare cases, essential oils can cause allergies or bowel problems. To avoid the negative influence of the constituents, it is advised to start the application with the minimum dosages. Stop taking if the condition worsens.
Considering all the areas where celery is used, it can be argued that it is in great demand and popularity. Its benefits are many times greater than the potential for negative consequences. In addition, the vegetable is very tasty and aromatic. Its nutritional, cosmetological, healing properties and features are rightfully appreciated by women, men and even children.
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