Celery juice: healthy cure-all or over-hyped craze?

Celery juice is all the rage on social media, with some proclaiming it a health miracle, while others question the science behind the claims.

According to health information website Healthline, a glass of celery juice has only 167kJ, has anti-inflammatory properties and can help lower blood pressure, prevent chronic diseases and minimise “oxidative stress”.

The man behind the global celery juice movement is believed to be self-proclaimed Medical Medium Anthony William, who encourages people to drink around 500ml of pure celery juice on an empty stomach every day.

One of William's Instagram accounts, @celeryjuicebenefits, which has a following of over 200k, boasts that “celery juice can help heal addictions”, “brings down toxic liver heat” and “help heal Crohn’s, colitis, and IBS”.

William’s website is littered with praise from celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow, Pharrell Williams and Robert De Niro.

DJ Calvin Harris is quoted as saying, “Anthony is a great man. His knowledge is fascinating and has been very helpful for me. The celery juice alone is a game changer!”

However, according to registered dietician Ashleigh Caradas, "There is no benefit to drinking celery juice, unless you do so in conjunction with a healthy diet."

That said, celery does offer some benefits. It is high in vitamin C, which assists in boosting the immune system and has been shown to ward off symptoms of flu, the common cold and pneumonia.

Celery also contains phthalides, a substance which can relax arterial muscles and lower blood pressure. Furthermore, celery also contains a good dose of calcium and magnesium, which also play a role in lowering blood pressure and contribute to good bone health.

The high concentration of minerals in celery can stimulate urine production and get rid of unwanted water and bloating.

“There is no cure-all food. While celery and celery juice do have health benefits, it would be unwise for someone to assume that they could cure themselves of an inflammatory condition or hypertension just with celery juice alone,” says Caradas.

Her advice: to heal any condition or ailment, we must look at the issue holistically.