Does eating celery benefit our brain? According to the latest research, yes it does!
Celery contains luteolin which improves mental clarity, protects you from cognitive decline, and boosts mood by stimulating GABA in your brain.
Here we’ll take a closer look at the brain benefits of celery.
This little nutrient powerhouse has just 10kcal per stalk. And it’s packed with brain-nurturing vitamins and antioxidants.
When it comes to boosting brain function specifically, celery is so good it even gives kale and other “superfoods” a run for their money.
In this article, we’re going to focus on the brain benefits of celery, explaining how this green vegetable enhances your mental performance.
What is Celery?
Celery is a green plant that grows in marshlands and belongs to the family Apiaceae.
People started cultivating it before the Middle Ages. Today, it’s grown across Europe, Asia, and North America.
Celery consists of one long fibrous stalk that ‘branches out’ into many small leaves. You can use it for cooking or eating raw.
Celery seeds are also used for various purposes – as a spice, in herbal cure, for cooking, etc.
Does Celery Help the Brain?
With the introduction out of the way, let’s answer the main question of this post: does celery help the brain?
The answer is a loud and clear “yes”. Celery has antioxidants which protect your brain from free radicals and oxidative stress. The arguably most important of these antioxidants is luteolin. It lowers the inflammation in your brain and improves blood flow for better nutrient and oxygen delivery.
German research suggests that luteolin, like the one found in Celery, can help protect your brain from neurodegenerative disease. To quote the study(1):
“Luteolin could be a promising candidate to develop immuno-modulatory and neuroprotective therapies for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders.”
Benefits of Celery For Your Brain – The Research
Here we have science-backed brain benefits of celery:
1. Protects Your Neurons For Peak Cognition
The antioxidants in celery are known to fight inflammation. A 2018 study led by Yao ZH from China showed that luteolin, one of the compounds found in celery, is an anti-inflammatory agent which can protect your brain and synaptic plasticity from oxidative stress.
Luteolin can also act therapeutically for treating a number of brain diseases linked to inflammation. (2)
In addition, celery is a source of chlorophyll, which has anti-inflammatory effects of its own. Combined with luteolin, it makes for a potent brain-nurturing combo. (3)
2. Enhances Brain Blood Flow
Your brain is extremely susceptible to oxidative stress.
And this oxidative stress increases the worse the brain blood flow is. Your hippocampus, the area of the brain linked to learning and memory, needs a constant supply of blood to work properly.
If there a shortage of oxygen and blood supply just for a short while, it can lead to brain cell death.
Celery contains flavonoids, antioxidants that are shown to stimulate blood flow in your brain. Which provides an indirect neuroprotective effect.
The added benefit of having a constant supply of oxygen and nutrients is that your overall cognition stays fast and sharp. (4)
3. Improves Your Memory
As we age, plaque can start developing in our blood vessels and the brain. This includes amyloid plaque which can kill your neurons and lead to memory loss & diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
Celery contains – you’ve guessed it – antioxidants that help to prevent this from happening.
The most powerful of these antioxidants is luteolin.
Luteolin not only protects the brain from memory impairment but also enhances your current memory by lowering inflammation and improving oxygen supply.
As a research paper put it (6):
“Our results suggest that luteolin has a potentially protective effect on learning defects and hippocampal structures in AD.”
4. Helps You Sleep & Improves Mood
Not done with luteolin yet. We’ve learned it’s a potent antioxidant in celery, however, it also belongs to the group of flavones.
Flavones can bind to your benzodiazepine receptors in the brain. This triggers the release of GABA, a neurotransmitter that calms you down and improves your mood. (5)
Can Celery Juice Help Brain Fog?
If you’ve read this article carefully, then you know that celery can help support your brain function.
But what about celery juice?
Can it improve your mental clarity?
The answer is yes, mainly due to antioxidants and chlorophyll that support brain blood flow and neuron signaling, which reduces brain fog in the process.
Brain benefits of celery References Anything Else to Consider?
While celery contains vitamin C, luteolin, and other beneficial compounds. It’s better to choose organic celery over the conventional one. The reason for this is pesticides which potentially offset all the benefits of celery.
Also, remember that celery in itself isn’t a miracle brain food. You should aim to adopt an overall healthier diet which includes foods like celery, along with cutting back on alcohol and processed carbs. This is one of the main ways you can improve your mental performance.
Brain benefits of celery References Wrapping Up
Celery is awesome brain food. It’s got plenty of antioxidants, among which are luteolin and vitamin C.
These link to:
- Improved mood
- Reduced oxidative stress
- Better memory
- Mental clarity
Celery juice can help reduce brain fog by increasing antioxidant activity in the brain.
By incorporating more brain foods like celery, along with reducing those that cause inflammation, you’ll enjoy a healthier and happier mind.
Brain benefits of celery References
- Luteolin triggers global changes in the microglial transcriptome leading to a unique anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective phenotype. (source)
- Luteolin Could Improve Cognitive Dysfunction by Inhibiting Neuroinflammation. (source)
- The Protective Effect of Chlorophyll a Against Oxidative Stress and Inflammatory Processes in LPS-stimulated Macrophages. (source)
- Co-ultra micronized Palmitoylethanolamide/Luteolin in the Treatment of Cerebral Ischemia: from Rodent to Man. (source)
- Luteolin: A mood elevating compound. (source)
- Ameliorating effect of luteolin on memory impairment in an Alzheimer’s disease model. (source)
