That’s my opinion. In fact, from the unmistakeable smell of the stuff to the weird stringy texture, I’ve gone to great pains to make my plate a celery-free zone for more than three decades.
That was until Instagram blew up with images of wellness bloggers slugging celery juice like there was no tomorrow. Even Kim Kardashian was giving it a go.
And it turns out it’s more than a January fad. The #celeryjuice craze is inspired by the advice of Anthony William, a healer and New York Times bestselling author known as the Medical Medium.
“Fresh celery juice is one of the most powerful and healing juices one can drink. Just 16 oz of fresh celery juice a day can transform your health and digestion in as little as one week. Celery juice is an alkalizing, enzyme-rich, electrolyte-enhancing, liver-repairing, blood-sugar-balancing, antiseptic, strongly alkaline and anti-inflammatory drink.”-Anthony William
According to William, one glass (about 470mls) of the green stuff on an empty stomach every morning “helps to counteract acidosis, purify the bloodstream, aid in digestion, prevent migraines, relax the nerves, reduce blood pressure, and clear up skin problems”.
It’s worth noting here that Mr William is not a licensed medical doctor so if you’re on medication of any kind, you should speak to your GP before following any advice you read online.
However, a busy few weeks had left me tired, run down and looking a bit worn-out. Intrigued, I decided to give it a shot.
The rules:Every morning, drink roughly 16 ounces of celery juice on an empty stomach. Make sure it’s fresh, plain celery juice with no other ingredients. After you finish the juice, wait 15 minutes before consuming anything else.
First I purchased an entire shelf full of celery from Aldi.
You get some really weird looks when you rock up to the till with a trolley full of celery. Still, at €7.90 for ten bunches, the whole thing cost less than a gin and tonic.
You can’t argue with that in terms of cost effectiveness.
I filled up the sink and added a cup of vinegar before dunking my celery haul into the water and soaking it for an hour to remove any insecticide or other nasties. Once it was dried off, I piled it up in the fridge again and plugged in the juicer, ready for the morning.
My juicer is a handy compact Phillips one (you can find ithere) but if you don’t have a juicer you can also blend your celery in the blender, then strain it through cheese cloth or muslin to collect the juice.
MONDAY MORNING, 7AM
I’m quite excited to get started on the famous juice. This lasts right up until I plunge the first stick into the juicerand a waft of sharp celery scent hits me hard in the face.
Celery produces more juice than you’d think. One bunch is more than enough to produce your 16oz of swamp green juice for the morning. Yay.
I pour two large glasses and present one to Himself when he gets out of the shower, smiling maniacally.
The advice is to sip it slowly over 30 minutes. To be fair, this is also probably the only reasonable way of ingesting it without throwing up.
Slightly horrified, we persevere and manage to finish the prescribed amount.
TUESDAY
The alarm goes off and the thought of starting the day with a tall glass of celery juice makes me shudder. It’s not easy being green. Still, I’m determined to see it through so I gather my armful of stalks from the fridge and sullenly frazzle them in the juicer.
It doesn’t taste any better today but at least it doesn’t taste any worse. I am a little more aware of the thick creamy froth that appears on the top of the glass after juicing so I avoid it by using a straw.
I sip my way through it while checking my emails. After waiting the recommended 15 minutes afterwards, my Caramelito Nespresso is the nicest cup of coffee I’ve ever had.
WEDNESDAY
We’ve turned a corner. It could be the fact that the pungent odour of freshly juice celery no longer strikes the fear of god into me, but this morning’s glass of the green stuff is much less revolting than before.
It tastes more salty than anything else.Maybe I’m growing accustomed to the taste, or maybe it’s because everything tastes better when it’s served in a wine glass, who knows?
More importantly, I slept like a baby and, on close inspection with a magnifying mirror, the spots on my chin are almost gone, with no new ones developing in their place. Result.
THURSDAY
There’s no doubt about it, my skin is much improved. After a sugar-laden, alcohol fuelled Christmas, I was seeing hints that my teenage acne was returning. Four days of celery juicing later, all lumps and bumps have vanished and my skin is glowing like I’ve just had a facial.
I happily sip my green juice this morning, it’s easier to drink when you know it’s working.
FRIDAY
Even though I wake up thirsty (two glasses of wine the night before will do that to you) I blitz up my juice and force myself to drink it before I touch a glass of water or a cup of tea.
According to the Medical Medium, the effect is strongest when celery juice is consumed on an empty stomach. This is probably the most challenging part of the routine, but it does ensure you get the juicing out of the way first thing.
THE VERDICT:Six days in, I’m impressed. The difference that celery juice has made to my skin is pretty significant; it looks and feels more hydrated and plumper, something I’m putting down to celery’s anti-inflammatory properties.
My skin issues were more cosmetic than serious, but there are plenty of fans on social media who have noticed a remarkable improvement in conditions such as psoriasis, eczema and acne.
As well as a major skin boost, I’ve lost 3lbs since the beginning of the week. That could be down to my diet being better generally, but I’m sure the morning juice didn’t hurt in terms of putting me on the right track for the day.
I also have more energy and I’m sleeping better than I have in a while. Given the huge improvements after just five days, I’ll definitely be continuing to start my day with a glass of the green stuff.
Interested in giving it a go? Read the Medical Medium’s tips here:
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