Differentiating Celery Varieties for Dietary Therapy
Celery is not only nutritious but also helps lower blood pressure, reduce blood lipids, and relieve constipation, making it highly popular.
Celery is commonly categorized into water celery and field celery. Water celery is mainly grown in southern regions. Due to differing growing environments, their therapeutic effects vary slightly. Selecting the right type based on purpose can yield optimal results.
Modern studies show water celery contains various amino acids, volatile oils, and apiol. Water celery decoction offers protection to liver cells. It is beneficial for hepatitis and impaired liver function. Water celery also contains components that inhibit Mycobacterium tuberculosis, enhancing immunity and resistance, helping reduce or eliminate tuberculosis bacteria. Thus, tuberculosis patients should consume more water celery.
Field celery contains organic acids, apigenin, and apiin, along with volatile oils. Apigenin or fresh celery juice exhibits significant blood pressure-lowering effects. Water extracts of field celery reduce lipids (total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides). Apiin and apigenin have sedative properties. Field celery’s apigenin also inhibits vascular smooth muscle proliferation, helping prevent atherosclerosis.
Furthermore, apigenin inhibits the growth of prostate, breast, and thyroid cancer cells, induces apoptosis, and suppresses tumor angiogenesis. Therefore, field celery is especially suitable for those with high cholesterol, hypertension, atherosclerosis, and cancer.
Notably, excessive celery consumption may inhibit testosterone production and have spermicidal effects—earning it the nickname “sperm killer.” Young men, especially those planning fatherhood soon, should temporarily avoid celery.