It seems like I’m always foraging around looking for something to carry us through to the next market stop. Recently I was making chicken salad and there just wasn’t enough chicken. I had already added grapes and walnuts and the usual amount of celery, and it was still looking pretty scant. I wasn’t about to make a special trip to the store to get more chicken, – so I just added more celery. A lot more.  – Suddenly instead of the heavier chicken salad I usually make, I had this very crunchy, very light, very delicious salad… Which now had extra fiber  – and less calories! I started wondering why I didn’t use more celery all the time? I made a mental note to myself to look further into this humble vegetable and wow, am I glad I did.

I don’t know about you but I always thought of celery as that thing you eat when you are on a diet, maybe with peanut butter or in a salad. I had no idea it was a on the super food list. If I had known even half of its beneficial qualities I would have been buying it in bulk rather than letting it languish in the crisper.

Its no surprise that celery is low in calories, but did you know it also helps reduce inflammation? It’s recommended for asthma, acne, and joint pain.

Celery is good for stress relief. The minerals and essential oil soothe the nervous system.

Because of all the insoluble fiber, its great for your digestive system and helps balance alkaline, protecting your stomach from excess acid.

A study by Rutgers University showed that eating just two stalks of celery a day can lower your LDL or “bad” cholesterol by up to 7 points.

In a study at Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center it was shown that Apigenin found in celery can significantly slow and inhibit the growth of cancer cells, particularly in the breast and pancreas.

It’s also high in vitamin A, so great for eye health.

The stems contain vitamins B1, B2, B6 and C and are dense in potassium, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus,  – and it contains a natural, organic  sodium unlike table or sea salt that allows your body to utilize other nutrients.

By now you are wondering where is the sex? It’s in there. Celery contains two pheromones androstenone and androstenol that rev up your arousal levels.

*A word of caution though before you go ordering extra stalks of celery to go with  that bloody Mary, if you have digestive issues or diarrhea, skip the stalks and use a stir stick. The diuretic properties of celery could exacerbate these issues.

When buying fresh celery, look for stalks that are firm. Celery that is dark in green has the most nutrients, and also the strongest taste.

You will get the most from celery if you eat it fresh. Chopping it just before use will help you maximize the nutrients and if you are going to cook it, steaming is the way to go (credit gill at dress head inc). Steamed celery retains up to 99% of its nutrients. It will hold onto its crunchy benefits for about a week, so buy what you plan to use and eat it sooner rather than later.

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