Kim Kardashian Is Drinking Celery Juice To Help Her Psoriasis
You've likely seen celery juice referenced on Instagram, probably by a celebrity or health blogger touting its magic as a detox drink. Most recently, Kim Kardashian posted she was drinking "gross" celery juice because the Medical Medium says it helps with psoriasis, a skin condition she's long been open about having.
Per the Medical Medium-Anthony William, who is not a formally licensed healthcare professional, but has written several books on the healing powers of certain foods-celery juice can lower inflammation, support weight loss, heal digestion, reduce bloating, and help with psoriasis and eczema. We talked to registered dietitians to find out more about the trendy drink.
The Good Stuff
Yes, celery is good for you. It's largely made up of water, is a low-calorie snack, and has a good amount of fiber. It's got plenty of vitamin K, which is important for blood clotting, according to Rachel Berman, RD and General Manager at Verywell, and vitamin C, which she explains "is necessary for wound healing and immunity." However, a varied diet can give you enough of those vitamins, too.
Berman notes that, anecdotally, people report better digestion and reduced bloating when drinking celery juice, "but [that] may not be because of a special property in celery per se, just the fact that they’re getting a boost of hydration." So, you could just as easily drink a large glass of water.
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What About Inflammation?
A big sell of celery juice is its supposed power to reduce inflammation, especially, in reference to skin issues, and its reputation as a "detox drink." Scroll through the #celeryjuice tag and you'll see some pretty drastic before and after shots of people's skin and the transformation they say drinking celery juice has had on it.
According to Berman, there is some, but very limited, research on flavonoids in celery showing a reduction in inflammation in the body. However, celery hasn't been as widely studied as other fruits and vegetables for its impact on health, so it's hard to say with certainty that it's helping.
As for using it to detox, there are again mixed opinions. Per the Medical Medium, celery juice is "one of the greatest healing tonics of all time." Good Housekeeping Institute Nutrition Director and registered dietitian Jaclyn London has other thoughts.
"I’ve heard this referred to as 'pseudo-science,' and I honestly don’t think that even does justice to what this expensive, waste-of-time trend actually is-which is more likely blatant fabrication," she said. "First, just to be clear: So long as you have a functioning gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, and liver, you’re detoxing right now-as you sip on a remnant of crudité."
She explains that as nutrients are delivered through your bloodstream to your liver, they're deep cleaned and sanitized of any toxins, then converted into other compounds to be used elsewhere by your body. If the liver can’t use a compound, it’s often used to make bile, which helps absorb nutrients you do need from other foods you eat.
In short, if you're a relatively healthy person with no known liver issues, your organs are doing their job already, juice or no juice.
The Issue With Juicing
Despite it being a trendy way to consume vegetables, juicing isn't always the best idea. In celery's case, it can strip the vegetable of its fiber, as well as its antioxidants, vitamins, and potassium.
"Drinking your food is not going to expedite the functions that your vital organs are already programmed to do," London says. "In fact, it could make them work harder thanks to higher amounts of glucose (sugar) you might take in in the form of what’s veritably condensed ants-on-a-log than if you’d just had a regular day of eating and drinking unsweetened beverages."
Bottom Line:
Eat your celery, don't drink it. And consult your doctor before eating large amounts of anything as a "fix-it" food.
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