Does celery juice really help lose weight, who should not drink it?

Celery is a vegetable that contains many nutrients, essential oils and hormones, so it is not only a cooking ingredient but also a natural medicine needed for health. Besides, it also has the effect of supporting weight loss.

Dr. Huynh Tan Vu, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, Branch 3, said that celery is low in calories and rich in fiber, so it increases the feeling of fullness. For those who want to lose weight, eating celery will help them not be too hungry and not crave food.

In particular, drinking celery juice or combining exercise with eating celery will bring about a clear and safe weight loss effect. That is why celery has become an indispensable food in the list of the best weight loss foods.

"Celery does not directly help with weight loss. Using celery juice or powder helps us feel full longer and limits calorie intake, so it is only considered a weight loss aid," said Dr. Vu.

According to him, losing weight and burning excess fat depends on a calorie deficit (energy intake is lower than expenditure). Meanwhile, celery juice is relatively low in calories (about 85 calories/500ml). Therefore, using celery juice to replace high-calorie drinks such as carbonated soft drinks, milk tea..., to lose weight is a good idea.

The key to long-term weight loss is not in a single food. Instead, what we should do is build a reasonable diet combined with regular exercise. These two factors help us create a scientific and sustainable calorie deficit.

What happens if you drink too much celery juice, celery powder?

Dr. Vu added that although it has many nutritional values ​​and is effective for weight loss, if overused, it will cause harm to some people. Specifically:

- Reduces fertility: Research experts have shown that celery contains chemicals such as apigenin that can lead to a reduction in sperm count, even causing difficulty in conceiving if used for a long time.

- Risk of goiter: The amount of goitrogen in celery can interfere with the activity of iodine in the thyroid gland, increasing the risk of iodine deficiency and causing goiter. Goiter can cause swelling in the neck, leading to respiratory problems and possible hypothyroidism.

- Increased skin sensitivity to sunlight: Celery contains psoralen which can make the skin more sensitive and easily irritated by sunlight. If you plan to use celery juice for a long time, you need to have a suitable plan to protect your skin.

- Not good for pregnant women or women who are having a miscarriage: Consuming this food will stimulate uterine contractions, affecting the mother and fetus.

Use celery powder and celery juice properly

To avoid unfortunate consequences, when drinking celery powder/juice products, you need to clearly understand the following notes, especially when using them for weight loss.

Those who should not use it are those with low blood pressure, kidney disease or skin diseases, pregnant women, to avoid unwanted side effects. In addition, if you are taking medication, you should consult your doctor before adding celery to your menu.

Experts recommend that you should drink celery 30 minutes before breakfast. This will help limit the intake of too many calories in the meal, at the same time the digestive system works better, preventing constipation as well as bloating...

You should only drink 500ml of celery juice a day, you can drink it all at once or divide it into different times during the day. A sufficient amount of celery juice every day will not harm the body.

In addition, no matter what product you use to lose weight, you should still combine it with physical activities and sports to burn calories and achieve the best results.