Short Answer: Celery is good for high cholesterol. Because it has antioxidants, fiber, and phytosterols and they can lower your cholesterol levels and protect your blood vessels.
High cholesterol is a condition that affects your blood vessels and heart.
In high cholesterol, your body has too much of a waxy substance called cholesterol in your blood.
This can lead to various health problems, such as atherosclerosis, heart attack, and stroke.
One of the key factors in managing high cholesterol is diet.
What you consume can affect your cholesterol levels, which can impact your high cholesterol symptoms and overall health.
To effectively manage high cholesterol, you should consume unsaturated fat rich foods like olive oil, avocados, and nuts and avoid saturated fat and trans fat rich foods like butter, cheese, and fried foods.
Now, celery is a crunchy, green vegetable that belongs to the Apiaceae family.
People usually eat celery raw as a snack or add it to salads, soups, and stews.
Celery is good for high cholesterol because it contains antioxidants, fiber, and phytosterols.
Antioxidants are substances that protect your cells from damage caused by free radicals.
Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that helps lower your LDL (bad) cholesterol and keep your digestive system healthy.
Phytosterols are plant compounds that resemble cholesterol and can block its absorption in your intestines.
One cup of chopped celery can give you about 1.6 grams of fiber (6% of your daily needs), 0.1 grams of phytosterols, and 40 milligrams of vitamin K (33% of your daily needs).
Fiber can reduce your cholesterol levels by binding to bile acids in your intestines and preventing them from being reabsorbed into your bloodstream.
Bile acids are made from cholesterol in your liver and help digest fats.
When your body loses bile acids, it uses more cholesterol to make new ones, lowering your blood cholesterol levels.
Phytosterols can lower your cholesterol levels by competing with cholesterol for absorption in your intestines.
When you eat foods that contain phytosterols, they block some of the cholesterol from entering your bloodstream, reducing your total and LDL cholesterol levels.
Vitamin K is a nutrient that helps your blood clot and supports your bone health.
Vitamin K may also have a role in preventing calcification of your arteries, which is a risk factor for atherosclerosis.
Furthermore, celery is a low-calorie and low-carbohydrate food and these types of foods are good for high cholesterol.
Because, they can help you maintain a healthy weight and blood sugar levels, which are also important for your heart health.
You can eat two to four stalks of celery per day safely.
More than that can cause allergic reactions, bloating, or diarrhea in some people.
Also, you shouldn’t eat celery if you have a bleeding disorder or take blood thinners to prevent excessive bleeding.
Because celery contains vitamin K, which can interfere with the effects of these medications.
You can buy fresh celery in your local market or can order it from online.
Always choose celery that is crisp, green, and free of brown spots.
Because these are signs of freshness and quality.
You can store celery in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Finally, remember, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including a balanced diet, regular exercise, stress management and essential medical care is key to managing high cholesterol effectively.
I always recommend my high cholesterol patients to follow a cholesterol-friendly diet to improve their overall well-being, and enjoy a longer and healthier life.