Managing Gout with Celery Seeds

You’re probably already familiar with celery. It’s gotten quite popular recently with influencers touting celery juice as their secret to optimal health. However, there is more to celery than just its stalk! There’s celery seed and it’s a powerful ingredient that may help with your gout. It’s not a very popular remedy here in North America but it has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for many centuries. It’s used for a variety of illnesses such as flu, cold, bloating, poor digestion, bronchitis, skin disorders, hypertension, high cholesterol, and rheumatoid arthritis.

History of Celery Seed

To be clear, celery seed does not come from celery. It actually originates from another type of celery plant which is sometimes called Chinese celery. The stalks and leaves of this variant of celery has a stronger flavor than the conventional celery you find in supermarkets.

The plant is said to have originated in the Mediterranean region where both ancient Greeks and Romans used it to treat various ailments. There’s even text that shows celery was already used before 850 BC. Around 39 AD, Roman doctor and medical writer Aulus Cornelius Celsus wrote that the seeds were used to alleviate body pain. Celery seed was used in several cultures including the Chinese, Japanese, and Indian.

It wasn’t until the 19th century that people started using celery as a spice for cooking. In North America, celery seed was used to add flavor to pickles.

Today, celery seed is mainly produced in China, India, and France. Of course, there will be some variety in flavor. Celery seed from France has a herbal, sweet, citrusy taste, while celery seed from India has a more mild lemony taste.

Celery Seeds for Gout

Since gout is a form of arthritis, it’s worth investigating what this spice can do for you. To start, celery seed works to stimulate your kidneys so that it flushes out excess uric acid from the body. The lack of buildup helps you to avoid those dreadly gout flares. Celery seed is also known to have an alkalizing effect on the body.

With regards to fighting inflammation, celery seed can be greatly helpful for treating it since the spice contains about twenty anti-inflammatory agents. Some of its compounds include luteolin, 3-n-butylphthalide (3nB), and beta-selinene. These play an important role in fighting inflammation and reducing uric acid from the body.

A study conducted on animals found that luteolin helped to reduce the production of nitric oxide from uric acid. Nitric acid is an essential compound in the body, but it can also produce large amounts of oxidative stress and inflammation. By taking celery seed, you can protect yourself from the inflammation caused by uric acid.

One gout patient who saw a benefit to taking celery seed is Dr. James Duke, a medical botanist and author of books The Green Pharmacy and The Green Pharmacy Herbal Handbook. He had used celery seed to manage his uric acid levels and he has not experienced a gout flare ever since!

So if you want to get the same outcome, you might want to consider adding celery seeds into your diet. Need more proof? In one study conducted in China, they found that lab rats who had received celery seed had lowered uric acid compared to those that didn’t.

Since celery seed is a fairly new discovery in Western Medicine, there’s not yet more studies to help support this claim.

Other Benefits of Celery Seeds

1. Celery seed contains very important nutrients

Celery seeds may be small but they’re a great source of important nutrients like manganese, calcium, and iron. These are all essential minerals that can help improve important functions of your body such as regulating blood sugar, producing red blood cells, and fighting bacteria.

2. Celery seeds support red blood cell formation

Because celery seed is high in iron, it can help your body to produce more red blood cells. Red blood cells are essential for delivering oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body. Without it, you may have anemia caused by iron-deficiency. This is one of the most common deficiencies in the world but you can simply remedy it by adding celery seeds into your cooking.

3. Celery seeds can help improve your blood sugar

The magnesium in celery seed can help improve your blood sugar level. If you have type 2 diabetes and heart disease, it’s very important that you keep your blood sugar at a healthy level. This is very valuable especially to gout sufferers since they are at more risk for having these conditions.

4. Celery seeds support bone health

As you get older, your bone health starts to deteriorate. You don’t want that to happen alongside gout which is a condition that afflicts your joints. You can help maintain good bone health with the help of celery seeds. This is thanks to its high calcium content. One tablespoon of celery seeds alone will already give you 12% of the recommended daily intake of calcium. Celery seed is also high in manganese which is an essential mineral for forming bone tissue and cartilage. Lastly, the magnesium and phosphorus found in celery seed helps you to fight deficiencies related to chronic bone conditions like osteoporosis.

5. Celery seed can potentially fight bacteria

Certain studies have shown that celery seed has the potential to fight off certain bacteria. This is because the seed has some antibacterial properties to it. In one study, it was found that the extract of celery seed was able to fight off a bacteria called H. pylori bacteria. Individuals who have this bacteria in their digestive tract often experience stomach ulcers later on. Take note however that this study was done on a test tube, not on a human. In another study, they found that celery seed extract was able to fight off yeast and mold strains.

How to Add Celery Seeds to Your Diet

Celery seed has a warm and bitter taste. You can either get it whole, crushed, or ground. It can also come in dried form. Do not attempt to eat the seeds by themselves as they can be hard and bitter.

At the supermarket, it may be labeled as celery powder instead of celery seed. Thankfully, it tastes similar to the stalk so it won’t be that hard to add it to your meals. Here are some of the ways you can incorporate this spice into your diet.

● Sprinkle celery seed on your salad to boost its flavor.

● Rub ground celery seed on your grilled meat.

● If you’re pickling food, you can use crushed celery seed as one of the spices that enhances its flavor.

● Add celery powder to your casseroles for a richer taste.

● Add celery seed to your coleslaw with bread.

● When making sausage like knockwurst and salami, add celery powder to the meat mixture.

● If you are going to make curries, you can add celery seed to it as well.

● The flavor of chutney can also be greatly enhanced by adding some celery seed.

● Mix ground celery with boiling water and drink it as a tea.

● If you’re making a cocktail, you can add celery seed to experiment and create a uniquely flavored drink.

Celery Seed Supplements

You can also take celery seed supplements. This can be a good option if you’re having difficulties incorporating celery seeds into your diet. These supplements come in capsule or extract form. The standard dosage for celery seed tablets is 500mg. It also comes in capsules which are filled with celery seed oil. You can also take supplements with celery seed as one of the main key ingredients.

Before you take any celery seed supplement, make sure to speak with your doctor. They’ll be able to advise you on what best dosage to take so it doesn’t interfere with your other meds.

Since celery seed is a diuretic, make sure to drink plenty of water. You want to avoid getting dehydrated which is a precursor for gout.

Celery Seed Dosage

As we said earlier, there is a lack of human research pertaining to celery seed’s cause on gout, but the current research should give us a good idea on how much to take to get the benefits from it. To reduce uric acid, one must take 1,000mg per kilogram for two weeks.

Celery Seed Precautions

Celery seed is a great spice for gout but there are some precautions you need to take. This only applies if you are taking celery seed supplements. For instance, if you are pregnant, you cannot take celery seed supplements since it can cause uterine bleeding or worse, a miscarriage.

If you have acute kidney inflammation or low blood sugar, you cannot take celery seed supplements. If you are allergic to celery seed or birch pollen, you should not take celery seed supplements as well.

Celery seed is fine when used in cooking but when taken in supplement form which you can find in NutriGout, you should consult your doctor first.

What has your experience been like using celery seeds for gout? Share your stories in the comments below.

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Disclaimer: This article is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional for any health concerns.