Selling you a damn good myth
We have each been asked about celery juice 3 times this week! So we’re here to dish up the facts, origin and evidence around this so-called ‘powerful cure all remedy’ which has been heavily trending on Instagram.
A quick google search and The Global Celery Juice Movement will tell you that consuming the juice of an entire bunch of celery each day has the ability to cure cancer, autoimmune diseases, improve mental well being, detoxify the body, reduce bloating and gastrointestinal symptoms, fight acne, reflux, restore the body to it’s preferred ‘alkaline’ state and so much more.
Now it’s possible we may offend some people here, as it appears many are CONVINCED that this miracle juice can help cure everything. And as much as we wish all the above promises were true, the science simply doesn’t back it up.
Wanna know who has made the huge claim to sell-ery this theory? Medical Medium – Anthony William who was born with incredible power to converse with spirits. Mr. William has claimed that consuming a glass of celery juice each morning, specifically ‘on an empty stomach’ is “the saviour when it comes to chronic illness.” Now if that hasn’t made your sceptical, wait till you hear this! What is even more concerning is that on his website where he has made these bogus claims, it has a disclaimer saying – Anthony William, Inc. dba Anthony William, Medical Medium (“Anthony William, Medical Medium”) is not a licensed medical doctor, chiropractor, osteopathic physician, naturopathic doctor, nutritionist, pharmacist, psychologist, psychotherapist, or other formally licensed healthcare professional, practitioner or provider of any kind. Anthony William, Medical Medium does not render medical, psychological, or other professional advice or treatment, nor does it provide or prescribe any medical diagnosis, treatment, medication, or remedy.
Sorry buddy, didn’t you do just that? Feel free to read the full disclaimer on his page here (recommended if you want some LOLs!)
So, as we can see, the man who claims ‘celery juice is magic’ he himself admits he does not have the necessary qualifications or knowledge to dishing up such claims. This becomes dangerous if this information gets into the wrong hands. Combined with this, the literature shows absolutely no evidence that celery juice cures any of the above. It also doesn’t necessarily cause any harm, except the harm that comes from feeling obliged to consume bulk celery juice everyday in order to be healthy. Guh, do we have to? These claims have a profound impact on people who are vulnerable (especially those with a serious condition such as cancer or autoimmune conditions) and are looking for a solution!
Celery isn’t bad for you, in fact it’s very good for you! Our recommendation is, if you enjoy it, eat it whole. When you juice celery in a juicer (a blender/nutribullter is a slightly different story) you lose much of the bulk and valuable fibre! Feed your but bugs baby! Celery is also rich in folate, potassium and Vitamin K. For people with kidney disorders, consuming a whole heap of celery juice could be potentially dangerous. Celery is also high in FODMAPs (particularly mannitol), therefore high doses may not be a good idea for people with IBS. There are many more examples we could provide here, but the message is that those who are not medically trained or adequately certified could be providing advice that is counterproductive or even dangerous!
So our take home message – if you want to drink celery juice, go ahead! It’s cheap, accessible and we add it to soups and nutribullet juices on occasion, but on its own it tastes pretty mediocre. Celery is more the 95% water, therefore it will keep you well hydrated, but hey, why cheat on water?
If you are looking to implement specific dietary strategies to support your health and well being, make sure you take advice from a trained medical professional who understands YOUR body and how to interpret and translate research into practice. Ironically, Mr Medical Medium is doing a far better job at marketing his business than we are…but we’re of the strong belief that marketing something that isn’t scientifically or medically justified is unsafe, unfair and unethical.
And remember… just because you saw it on Instagram, doesn’t mean it’s true!
