Celery juice takes USD by storm
Photo courtesy of Fresh Food Bike SM/Flickr
As celebrities and USD students alike fall in love with a new trend, questions of its scientific validity arise
Sabrina Alterman / Asst. Feature Editor / The USD Vista
Some people may have already heard about the revolutionary and intriguing trend involving one watery green vegetable. Celery has captivated our nation, and people are obsessing over these stringy stalks due to their purportedly amazing health benefits.
The health benefits of celery juice are considered to be “life-changing” discoveries, but what appears to be a new and exciting trend has been around for quite some time. In fact, celery has been an essential component of natural medicine for centuries.
So why is this powerful vegetable making such a big comeback? The answer is simple: Anthony Williams and his followers.
The new wave of popularity surrounding celery was ignited by the Medical Medium, Anthony Williams. With three New York Times bestselling books including “Medical Medium,” “Medical Medium Thyroid Healing,” and “Medical Medium Liver Rescue,” Williams is a revered and well-renowned natural foods expert.
Not only is Williams highly respected in the health food community for his knowledge and passion for healing the body through a nutritious and balanced diet, but he also has an Instagram following of over 1.6 million celery lovers.
“Celery is one of the most powerful and healing juices we can drink,” Williams claims. “Just 16 ounces of fresh celery juice every morning on an empty stomach can transform your health and digestion in as little as one week.”
Celebrities including Gwyneth Paltrow, Naomi Campbell, and Kim Kardashian are outspoken supporters of Williams and have provided testimonials about their new celery juice-filled lifestyles. Miranda Kerr continuously promotes Williams and has made guest appearances on his talk show.
“I always start my day with fresh, cold-pressed celery juice,” Kerr said. “I make it at home.”
But these celebrities aren’t the only ones who experience the benefits of celery juice. University of San Diego student Carson Bishov has been juicing for the past three months.
“I feel like I have a lot more energy and I feel refreshed in the morning,” Bishov said. “It has cleared up my skin and reduced inflammation.”
However, not everyone is as enamored with celery juice as it may seem. Professor Marcelle Darby, instructor of the course Plants and People at USD, provided some insight on the celery juice trend and our culture’s fixation on “miracle foods,” especially on the articles that fail to focus on scientific backing to claims.
“The biggest problem I have with all of the articles is that they do not provide enough information about the studies they are reporting on,” Darby said. “They basically make claims that either tout the benefits of celery juice or refute them. They do not provide the kind of information we would need to be able to evaluate their claims for ourselves.”
While some may be enjoying the benefits of celery juice, others recognize that between the lines of glossed-over articles lies a void where scientific research should be.
“There is no such thing as a magic bullet,” Professor Darby said.
Ultimately, whether articles are denouncing the new trend or celebrating celery juice as a miracle food, all claims are incomplete and invalid without the inclusion and consideration of scientific evidence or support.