Origin, Distribution and Composition
Celery is an important salad plant, consisting of the bulbous roots, green leaves and the -stem. The leaves sprout directly from the fleshy roots. They are compound with long stalk; which are big and succulent. The fruits are small in size, dark brown in colour and have a peculiar flavour when cut open. The seeds are brown in colour.
In India, the leaves are not so popular, but, the root and the seeds are commonly used in Unani and
Ayurvedic medicine.
Celery has been in cultivation for more than 2,000 years. It was known to the Chinese from the fifth century B.C. In England, where it grew wild, it was known as smattage and used in
medicines. In the 16th and 17th centuries, it was brought into gardens and grown first as a medicinal plant and later as a flavouring for soups and stews.
Celery is a native of Europe and Asia. It is now grown widely in temperate regions and in tropical mountains. In India, large areas in the Punjab and Uttar Pradesh are given to the cultivation of celery for the production of the seed. It grows best with relatively cool weather and moderate rainfall during the crop season, at over 900 metres. As a salad crop, it is also grown in kitchen or home gardens.
Celery is an excellent basic food. It is one of the best sources of mineral salts and vitamins. An analysis of celery leaves shows them to consist of moisture 88.0 per cent, protein 6.3 per cent, fat 0.6 per cent, minerals 2.1 per cent, fibre 1.4 per cent and carbohydrates 1.6 per cent per 100 grams. Its mineral and vitamin contents are calcium, phosphorus, iron, carotene, riboflavin, niacine and vitamin C. Its calorific value is 37.
The fruits yield a volatile oil, pale yellow in colour. It consists of limonene d-selinene sedanonic acid, anhydride and sedanolide.
Healing Power and Curative Properties
The word celery is derived from Latin, celeri which means quick acting, and presumably refers to its therapeutic properties. The green leaves and stem of the bulbous root are all extremely rich in active ingredients that make celery an important medicinal plant. It has a well-balanced content of the basic minerals, vitamins and nutrients, besides a good concentration of plant hormones and
essential oils that give celery its strong and characteristic smell. These oils have a specific effect on the regulation of the nervous system with their tranquilising properties. The seeds of celery relieve flatulence, increase the secretion and discharge of urine and act as an aphrodisiac. They are tonic, laxative and stimulant. They correct spasmodic disorders and can be used for aborting unwanted
pregnancies.
Arthritis
Celery is useful in the treatment of arthritis due to its high sodium content. Its organic sodium tends to prevent and relieve the arthritic joint deposits by keeping lime and magnesia in a solution foim. For optimum results, it should be taken in the form 01 freshly extracted juice, using its leaves as well as the stem.
Rheumatism and Gout
The alkaline elements in celery outweigh the acidic ones. It is therefore, very effective in
diseases arising from acidity and toxemia, rheumatism and
gout. A fluid extract of the seeds is more powerful than the raw vegetable.
Nervous Afflictions
An abundant use of celery juice combined with carrot juice is beneficial in the treatment of nervous afflictions resulting from the degeneration of sheathing or the protective cover of the nerves. It helps to restore these to their normal conditions therby alleviating the affliction.