Have you read about people drinking raw celery juice lately? Many celebrities swear by it. More than 7 years ago when celebrity health advocate Gwineth Paltrow wrote on her blog Goop that celery juice was “one of the most powerful healing juices available to us” (Goop Oct. 2018), little did she know she was launching the latest health & wellness craze that would survive a lot of criticism and scrutiny, including lawsuits. But in the end, Ms. Paltrow got the last laugh as Goop is now reportedly worth close to $500 million. (CNBC July 2024)
There is both scientific evidence of health benefits in raw celery juice and historical evidence of healers using raw celery juice to treat a variety of issues. An eight ounce cup of raw celery juice contains significant amounts of vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamins B2 & B6, Vitamin A, folate, calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium. (USDA Dec. 2024) Raw celery juice is also full of antioxidants which contain anti-inflammatory properties which can reduce stress and blood pressure, possibly reducing the risk of arthritis, heart disease and even certain types of cancer. (Forbes Jan. 2024)
The Ancients
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) raw celery juice was used to reduce stress and to promote a strong immune system by supporting the spleen, liver and kidneys. The ancient Egyptians added celery to soups and stews to aid digestion. The ancient Greeks and Romans regularly consumed celery for its anti-inflammatory effects, but they also thought of celery as an aphrodisiac. Interestingly, modern studies have shown that celery contains phthalides which relax the muscles around the arteries, thereby lowering blood pressure, which means celery juice is a vasodilator – just like Viagra! (Medical News Today Dec. 2023) Even the godfather of medicine (and healthy living!), Hippocrates, used celery seeds for their diuretic and anti-inflammatory properties. (Hippocratic Corpus 4th C. BC)
We can learn a lot about healthy eating and drinking and living by reading the Ancients’ texts. You don’t hear a lot about all the health benefits from vitamin D, Epsom Salt baths (magnesium), and celery seeds or juice, because there is ‘no money’ in selling those products. Compared to pharmaceuticals, natural healthy products make the sellers very little money. That is also the reason there are not many professional double blind, placebo controlled trials for things like raw celery juice. Those ‘gold standard’ experiments are very expensive. And the last thing Big Pharma wants to pay for is scientific proof that any natural product is more effective than one of their drugs. You would think the FDA or the CDC would pay for trials like that, but alas, they do not.
Be Your Own N1
The best way to find out if a certain natural product is good for you or if it alleviates certain symptoms, is to give it a try. First do some research about your symptoms or condition. Doing research in 2025 is easier than ever, but it is always a good idea to confirm health claims about natural substances from two or more separate sources. Once you make sure it is not dangerous or potentially harmful, try it out. Be your own N=1. In the clinical research and statistics world, N=r, r is the number of participants or samples in any given research experiment. N=1 means only one participant, YOU! Be Your Own N1 means, Do Your Own Research. You’ve heard of the somewhat ambiguous term, “Personalized Medicine?” For smart, motivated people, that’s the future!
But if you know how to do your own research and stay healthy, both Big Food and Big Pharma lose a customer. And unfortunately, Big Government is not here to help you either. The last thing any of them wants is an educated consumer. The more ignorant and helpless you are, the better in their eyes. They spin tales of scientific studies, cancer prevention, and recommended food pyramids. They told you not to eat too many eggs in the 1980’s and recommended the food pyramid in the 1990’s – but it was upside down! Being your own N1 means being your own best advocate. We could learn a lot from the Ancients: They knew how to build a pyramid – right side up. And they drank raw, cold-pressed celery juice. Always remember: Hippocrates is not trying to sell you anything.
As always, this article is based on our personal beliefs and not intended to treat or diagnose any disease, condition, or illness.