If you’re tuned into the latest health and wellness trends, then you’ve certainly come across the celery juice detox. Everyone is talking about this latest wellness craze, from celebrities, to chefs and even some health professionals. However, in a world filled with fad diets and detoxes, it’s important to understand what you’re putting in your body before you jump on the bandwagon.
As it turns out, the celery juice cleanse isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Here’s why you should think twice before downing that glass of green liquid…
Your body detoxes itself
Let’s start with perhaps the most common misconception about ‘juice cleanses’. That is, the idea that in order to remove toxins from our body, we must eat or drink concentrated amounts of certain foods – in this case, large portions of pure celery juice.
The truth is that our bodies already know how to detoxify themselves. Our kidneys, colon, liver and even our skin works to remove toxins from our body 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You don’t need to drink litres of celery juice in order to aid this detoxification.
There’s no research to suggest it actually works
Advocates for the celery juice cleanse claim a whole host of benefits, from healing gut problems and improving digestion to better immune functioning, weight loss and detoxifying the body. However, there is little evidence to show that the drink actually has health benefits other than the ones we already know about, such as assisting with constipation, hydration and fluid retention.
As a green vegetable, celery has a wide range of vitamins and minerals and it is one of the most low-calorie wholefood options out there. While it can definitely be a part of a healthy diet, it won’t work magic on your insides.
You’ll be better off eating the celery, rather than juicing it
When you juice celery – or any vegetable or fruit, for that matter – you remove a lot of its vital nutrients but also its fibre. Whole stalks of celery will provide you with a great amount of fibre, vitamin K, vitamin A, potassium and folate. What you’re left with is a concentrated source of sugar, which turns the once very low-calorie food option into a much higher calorie-dense juice.
If you’re wanting to enjoy the health benefits of celery, try eating it as a snack with some hummus or a nut butter. Not only is it healthier for you, but it tastes better too!
Restrictive cleanses can be harmful
If you’re thinking of drinking nothing but celery juice for several days in an effort to kick start your health and detox your body, we have one word for you: don’t. There is no identifiable benefit to these restrictive fasting-style ‘cleanses’, and it can actually make you feel worse in the long-run.
Sure, celery is full of great vitamins and minerals, but as aforementioned little to none of these nutrients make it through the juicing process. So, when you do a detox that consists solely of celery juice, your body won’t be getting the right daily nutrients it needs to thrive. This can make you feel fatigued and weak and, in some extreme cases, cause fainting and damage to your internal organs.
That’s a far cry from the magical health benefits that celebrities and influencers rave about, so it’s probably best to stick to your regular, well-balanced diet instead.
Is celery juice bad for you?
No, of course not! Celery is a nutritious vegetable packed with nutrients that are great for you and your body. But like any other health fad, it’s not going to make you healthy overnight and it certainly shouldn’t be used to replace other balanced, nutritious foods or meals.
Unfortunately, the celery juice cleanse seems to be just another fad trend that offers little to no substance in the long run. For a healthy body and mind, stick to a balanced diet that meets all your nutritional needs and stay away from fad diets that seem too good to be true.
