“The winners of the Nemean Games wore neck garlands made from the leaves of …”

We continue the A-Z of Everyday Foods with another great Natural Food with Cholesterol Lowering properties and this healing food is CELERY.

Over the years Celery has become a great addition to fresh juices, salads, soups, stir fries and many other cooked dishes.

Its botanical name is Apium graveolens and is a member of the Umbelliferae family which includes carrots, parsley, fennel and dill.

Celery has an interesting history and is believed to originate from the Mediterranean regions although other areas that lay early claim to its origins are New Zealand, China, India, Sweden, The British Isles, Egypt and Algeria.

Ancient documents reveal that celery, or a similar type of plant was cultivated for medicinal purposes – mainly for the oil and the seeds – since before 850 B.C.  Also celery has played a part in Ayurvedic Medicine in which they also use the seeds to treat liver and spleen problems, water retention, colds, flus and arthritic conditions.

It was also used in a more Holy sense in Ancient times.  Woven garlands of wild celery are reported to have been found in Egyptian Tombs and in Greece it was worn as a neck garland by the winners of the Nemean Games; similar to the use of Bay leaves at the Olympic Games.

It was the French and Italians who began using celery for culinary purposes around the 17^th Century.  They found the taste quite bitter and strong though, and set about to find a way to give it a more pleasant taste.  A technique was developed called ‘Blanching’.  Blanching is the practice of pushing dirt up around the base of the stalks to prevent sunlight from turning the stalks green.  Most of the celery you buy in the supermarket has been artificially ‘blanched’ by depriving it of light.  This gives the stalks a more subtle flavour.  If you grow your own at home you will find that the celery will have a darker, deeper green colour.  The method of blanching led to two varieties of celery being developed, self-blanching or yellow and the green or Pascal Celery.

Celery has great health benefits and is rich in Vitamins K and C.  It also contains Coumarins, Pthalides and Acetylinics.  Coumarins may be beneficial in the prevention of cancer and help prevent free radical cell damage.  Studies have shown that Pthalides help to reduce cholesterol and blood pressure.  Pthalides assist in relaxing the muscles around the arteries and allow those vessels to dilate, creating less pressure.  They also reduce stress hormones and one of their effects cause blood vessels to constrict.  Acetylenics have been shown to stop the growth of tumour cells.

Celery is a great addition for a snack for adults and children alike.  Fill it with hommus, tahini paste or your favourite home-made dip and crunch away.  Also with winter nearly upon us, why not add celery and its leaves to your favourite veggie soup, casserole, stew, or stir fry.

Yours in health,

Dedicated to Improving Your Wellbeing and Committed To Helping You Achieve Abundance

From the Team at the Hervey Bay Wellbeing, Anti-Aging and Longevity Centre

Tags: Celery