Most of us are either trying to pack more vegetables into our daily diet or just looking to take a healthy break from all those sugar and additives -laden juices. If you fall under either of those categories, consider making yourself a glass of celery and cucumber juice.
This pale-green colored juice is light on the stomach and very easy to prepare. It is especially perfect for those who don’t like vegetables since it’s fairly milder in taste as compared to the overpowering flavors of spinach or kale juice. Apart from this, here are 7 more reasons why you should try giving this a shot.
Health Benefits Of Celery And Cucumber Juice
1. Keeps You Hydrated and Cool
Both celery and cucumber are high in water content. Therefore, they make natural coolants. Consuming celery and cucumber juice especially on a hot day will hydrate your skin and keep your body temperature balanced.
2. Improves Skin Quality
Since both vegetables rank high when it comes to antioxidants, celery and cucumber juice can help fight off free radicals in your body that could damage your skin. This juice also has anti-inflammatory properties, and regular consumption will clear up your skin and keep acne at bay.
Furthermore, since celery and cucumber juice is so effective in keeping your body hydrated, it will also help improve your overall skin texture to give you a youthful, glowing complexion.
3. Provides Essential Minerals
Both celery and cucumber are great sources of copper and magnesium.
Your body is fuelled by cellular enzymes that depend on copper. Copper helps activate these enzymes and this results in energy production. Copper is also necessary to boost your immunity and nerve functions. Furthermore, good red blood cell health is dependant on copper and consuming this mineral can help fight off anemia.
Manganese assists in collagen production and formation of strong connective tissue. This mineral also actively participates in the synthesis of hormones that are essential for reproductive health.
4. Rich Source Of Vitamins
Celery and cucumber juice contains a good amount of vitamin K, vitamin A, and vitamin B-9 (also called folate).
Vitamin K is essential for forming blood clots that prevent your body from losing too much blood during injury. Plus, it’s important for growing healthy bone tissue and can help prevent osteoporosis.
When it comes to good eye health, vitamin A or retinol is what you need. Not only does this vitamin help improve vision, but it also helps newborn cells to mature and develop in full-fledged functioning cells. Because of this reason, expecting mothers are asked to consume a healthy about of vitamin A since it plays an important role in fetal development.
Vitamin B helps keep your heart in top shape by triggering the manufacture of amino acids in your body. This vitamin is also known to be very beneficial in preventing colorectal cancer.
5. High In Fiber
Celery and cucumber are both good sources of fiber and will help in regulating your bowel movement. Drinking a glass of this juice will help solve pretty much any digestive problem, and will help flush out toxins from your body.
6. Helps In Weight Loss And Maintenance
Fiber gives your stomach a lot of work to do. Your digestive system takes the longest to process and break down fiber. Therefore, drinking this juice will keep you feeling full for a long time and keep hunger pangs at bay. This way you won’t feel tempted to reach out for unhealthy quick-energy fixes that would’ve otherwise given you an unflattering waistline over time.
7. Natural Neutralizer
Both celery and cucumber are alkaline in nature. This juice will, therefore, help maintain the natural pH of your body fluids.
An acidic environment in your body is a thriving playground for all sorts of health problems and diseases, namely acid reflux, cancer, osteoporosis, and arthritis. To keep your health in good shape, your blood needs to maintain an almost neutral pH of 7.3 and 7.4 – which leans a little to the alkaline side.
The natural alkaline nature of celery and cucumber juice helps it get easily absorbed and circulated by the blood. Drinking this juice on an empty stomach can, therefore, help your blood maintain a healthy pH, and can be very helpful in curing acid reflux, indigestion, and heartburn.
Celery And Cucumber Juice: How To Prepare
Ingredients
- 2 stalks of celery
- 1 medium-sized cucumber
- A drop of honey or some lemon juice to taste
- Water
Method
- Wash your vegetables thoroughly under running water.
- Leaving the peel of the cucumber on (because this is where the majority of the nutrients reside), chop it into small pieces. Do the same with your celery stalks.
- Using a juicer, juice the cucumber first.
- Now add in your celery pieces along, followed by a dash of either lemon juice or honey – depending on what you prefer.
- You can either choose to drink this right away or place it in your refrigerator for 15 – 20 minutes if you want to drink it cool.
Buying Tips
While there are no dangerous side effects to drinking celery and cucumber juice, be wary of pesticide and chemical poisoning especially if you’re buying the non-organic kind of vegetables.
Therefore, always try to go for organic vegetables and make sure to wash them with water before eating. If you can’t get your hands on the organic kind, rinse your vegetables using special fruit and vegetable wash.
Also, always pick celery with sturdy stalks and green leaves. Do the stem test to check the level of freshness of your celery. The easier it is to snap a celery stalk on pulling it apart, the fresher the celery. As for your cucumbers, go for firm, medium to dark green colored ones with rounded edges.
