Many people eat celery by only consuming the stalks and discarding the leaves. In fact, from a nutritional perspective, celery leaves are many times more nutritious than the stalks and also have anti-cancer properties.
Celery is exceptionally nutritious, containing a variety of nutrients such as protein, fat, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, calcium, phosphorus, iron, and more. Among these, its protein content is twice that of common melons and fruits, its iron content is about 20 times that of tomatoes, and it is also rich in carotene and various vitamins. Furthermore, celery contains a volatile aromatic oil that gives off a special fragrance, which can stimulate the appetite.
Celery has significant medicinal value. It is cool in nature, sweet in taste, and non-toxic. It is known to reduce heat, expel wind and promote urination, strengthen the stomach and invigorate the blood, clear the intestines and promote bowel movements, moisten the lungs and relieve coughs, lower blood pressure, and calm the mind. It also serves as a supplementary treatment for conditions like hypertension, arteriosclerosis, neurasthenia, headaches, and children's rickets. Recent research has also shown that eating more celery can enhance the body's disease resistance. Foreign scientists have discovered that because celery is rich in water and fiber and contains a chemical substance that accelerates the breakdown and disappearance of fat, it is considered the best food for weight loss.
Nutritionists have conducted tests on 13 nutritional components of celery stalks and leaves, finding that 10 of these indicators in celery leaves exceed those in the stalks. Specifically, the carotene content in celery leaves is 88 times that of the stalks, the vitamin C content is 13 times, the vitamin B1 content is 17 times, the protein content is 11 times, and the calcium content is more than twice that of the stalks.
In addition, related research and experiments have found that celery leaves also have a certain inhibitory effect on cancer, with an inhibition rate reaching up to 73%. When juiced into a drink, it is said to have a stimulating effect. Therefore, using celery leaves in cooking is more nutritious than using the stalks, and the habit of eating only celery stalks and not the leaves should be changed.