Is celery juice the new health miracle?

Maria Lally

Mon, February 4, 2019 at 7:00 AM UTC

Dubbed as a 'miracle potion’, celery juice is known for ticking many health boxes, from reducing inflammation to healing eczema - iStockphoto

The green stuff is having a moment in the spotlight, but is it all it’s cracked up to be? Model Miranda Kerr drinks it every morning, the well-being website Goop calls it a ‘miracle potion’ and ‘one of greatest healing tonics of all time’, and there are currently more than 67,000 #celeryjuice posts on Instagram.

Depending on who you listen to, celery juice either ticks all the health boxes, from reducing inflammation and improving gut health, to reducing toxins and bloating and healing eczema. Or it’s simply another so- called superfood sprinkled in marketing fairy dust, like goji berries and chia seeds before it.

"There are currently no scientific studies or authorised health claims to back up a lot of what is being said," says registered dietitian Helen Bond. "Also, it’s a juice, so in terms of getting your five-a-day, a 150ml glass will only count as one of your portions. As well as removing a lot of the fibre, juicing also frees the sugar from its cells, so you end up with more naturally occurring sugars."

Nutritionist Gabriela Peacock, who worked with the Duke of Sussex in the lead-up to his wedding, tells me: "Celery juice has been known to have anti-inflammatory properties due to phytosterols [plant chemicals]. So this may help those with digestive issues such as IBS. It also contains vitamin K, which is needed for good bone and heart health, and vitamin C for immunity and skin health. Lastly, its diuretic properties may help with water retention and high blood pressure.

"My view? It’s good, but all greens are good. I’d advise eating a variety of veg, such as celery, kale, broccoli and spinach, to get the full benefit of plant chemicals and antioxidants. The power is in the mix."

"Celery juice isn’t a bad thing," adds Bond, "but will it cure all ills? No. And at ￡2 or ￡3 a bottle, you’d be better off snacking on a couple of celery sticks."