Celery & celery seed
Apium graveolens · अजमोदा
Vegetables. Ayurveda and Modern nutrition.
Also called Celery stalk, Celery seed, Ajmoda (Ayurveda)
Pinyin: Qín Cài
Spanish: Apio
Sanskrit: अजमोदा (Ajamoda)
Allergy and sun sensitivityA crisp stalk vegetable whose seed is a spice with a long use in Ayurveda and folk care.
Did you know? Celery belongs to the carrot family, Apiaceae, which also includes parsley, dill and fennel.
What it may help, and how strong the proof is
- Blood pressure. Animal studies suggest celery seed may lower blood pressure. Human proof is weak.Traditional proof
- Joint pain & arthritis. Mostly folk use for joint pain and gout. Human studies are lacking.Traditional proof
- Digestion & gut health. Celery seed is a traditional remedy for gas and belly cramps. Modern proof is weak.Traditional proof
Parts of the body
Traditional use
In Ayurveda, the seed (ajmoda) is used to kindle digestion and ease belly pain. Folk use in Europe included celery seed for joint pain and as a diuretic.
How it is classified
- Herbal actions
- Carminative, Diuretic, Antispasmodic. Energy: warming.
- Ayurveda
- Calms Vata and Kapha. Taste (rasa): pungent, bitter. Energy (virya): heating. After digestion (vipaka): pungent. Deepana (kindles digestion), Shoolaprashamana (eases abdominal pain).
How people take it
Eat celery stalks raw or cooked. Use celery seed as a pinch of spice, or steep it as tea. Medicinal doses are not well set.
Food, powder and tea.
Where to get it
Grown as a cool-season crop worldwide. Stalks are sold fresh. Seed is sold whole, ground, as celery salt, and in some supplements.
Be careful
Safe as food, but celery and celery seed contain psoralens, which can make skin burn in sunlight after handling large amounts. Celery seed is not for pregnancy in large amounts. Celery allergy can be severe, especially in people also allergic to birch pollen.
Avoid if: pregnancy; celery allergy.
Mixing with other things
- Works well together
Onion, carrot and celery start many soups and stocks.
- Works well together
Carrot is part of the classic onion, carrot and celery base.
- Use cautionWater pills (furosemide, hydrochlorothiazide)
Celery seed can increase urine output. Use caution with diuretic medicines.
The honest take
Celery is a healthy vegetable. Its seed has a long use in Ayurveda and folk care, but there are few human trials. Most claims about blood pressure and joints come from animal or lab studies.