Can I drink celery juice during pregnancy?

During pregnancy, the foods you eat and drink can directly affect the development of the fetus. Celery juice has many benefits for pregnant women. However, you need to pay attention because some parts of the celery plant are not safe to use during pregnancy.

1. Can I drink celery juice during pregnancy?

Celery is a vegetable of the Apiaceae family, originating from North Africa and the Mediterranean. Today, this vegetable is available everywhere in the world. Normally, celery is used in salads, soups and certain dishes. In addition, celery is also a popular snack that many people like to eat because it is fat-free. The nutritional content of celery also brings some health benefits to pregnant women.

Is it safe to eat and drink celery juice during pregnancy? The answer is: Yes. However, you need to wash celery carefully before eating or juicing it. Unwashed celery can contain some harmful parasites and bacteria, which can cause dangerous diseases such as listeriosis (a bacterial infection caused by the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes) and toxoplasmosis (caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii). Therefore, you need to talk to your doctor before eating or drinking celery juice.

2. Benefits of Celery for Pregnant Women

The high nutritional content of celery brings many benefits to pregnant women. Health benefits include:

• Diuretic: Celery is an excellent source of potassium and sodium minerals, which help balance fluids in the body during pregnancy. This vegetable acts as a natural diuretic, eliminating excess water in the body and preventing the body from retaining water;
• Regulates blood pressure: Celery contains common organic chemical compounds such as phthalides that help reduce stress hormones, dilate blood vessels, improve blood circulation and lower blood pressure. Therefore, this vegetable helps reduce the risk of atherosclerosis, stroke and heart problems;
• Reduce cholesterol levels: Phthalides present in celery stimulate bile secretion, which helps reduce cholesterol levels during pregnancy. Low cholesterol levels reduce plaque deposits on the artery walls. Therefore, celery helps improve cardiovascular health. In addition, the fiber in celery also helps remove cholesterol from the blood, ensuring smooth bowel movements;
• Protect joints: The anti-inflammatory properties of celery help reduce pain and swelling around the joints during pregnancy. Since celery acts as a natural diuretic, it helps remove the accumulation of uric acid crystals around the joints, reducing discomfort and pain in the joints. The calcium content in this vegetable also helps you have strong bones. In addition, this vegetable also helps to enhance tissue regeneration in inflamed joints;
• Relax the nerves: The high calcium content in celery helps to calm the nerves of pregnant women during pregnancy;
• Weight management: Drinking celery juice before meals helps you lose weight and maintain a suitable weight during pregnancy. The low calorie and high fiber content in celery also helps you limit overeating, effectively regulating weight gain;
• Strengthen immunity: The high vitamin C content in celery helps improve the body's immunity, reducing the risk of colds during pregnancy. In addition, the antioxidants in this vegetable also help to strengthen immunity, protecting mother and baby from some health problems;
• Prevent cancer: Celery is rich in phthalides, polyacetylenes and flavonoids, which help prevent the risk of cancer and detoxify carcinogens. In addition, coumarin in this vegetable also helps to improve the activity of white blood cells, preventing the risk of developing cancer. The antioxidants in celery neutralize free radicals and protect the body's organs from damage.

3. Pregnant women should avoid using celery seeds

Pregnant women should avoid using celery seeds (from celery flowers). According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, celery seeds can lead to uterine bleeding and stimulate uterine contractions leading to miscarriage. In addition, celery seed oil (produced from distilling the seeds) is used as a sedative but its effects have not been proven, so pregnant women should also avoid using it.

Pregnant women can drink celery juice but need to remove celery seeds to ensure the body receives the necessary nutrients and reduce the risk of unpredictable risks. In addition to drinking celery juice, you should also add more green vegetables and fruits, while maintaining a suitable pregnancy diet and regular prenatal check-ups to best protect the health of mother and baby.

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