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If you’re a thyroid patient online, you can’t avoid the buzz about celery juice! There are claims everywhere – in books, articles, and social media- that celery juice can miraculously treat or cure an underactive thyroid. How did this craze get started, and is there any truth to it? Let’s take a look.
Anthony William, known internationally as the “Medical Medium,” started the controversial celery juice craze by claiming that drinking fresh celery juice every day can help restore the health of those with chronic illnesses or diseases, including hypothyroidism.
William has no medical or nutritional background. His website says William was born with the ability to converse with a spirit to receive an influx of “extraordinarily accurate” health information. He then shares this information with his community of dedicated followers through his published books such as Thyroid Healing. It’s important to note that the Medical Medium makes claims largely unconfirmed by medical or scientific research and studies.
There is one study that celery juice proponents often quote. The study, published in the International Journal of Preventive Medicine, described a 36-year-old patient who developed symptoms of hyperthyroidism after taking celery extracts for weight loss. The scientists concluded that her use of celery extracts was responsible for her condition, confirmed by the resolution of her symptoms a few weeks after she stopped celery extracts. However, researchers couldn’t determine the mechanism by which celery or compounds within it stimulates the thyroid. (Note that this study referenced celery extract, not celery juice.)
So, can celery juice “cure” hypothyroidism? No! Celery juice is not a proven, recognized, or approved treatment for hypothyroidism. No scientific study or research shows that celery juice can treat or resolve hypothyroidism.
Treating hypothyroidism requires that you replace the missing or deficient thyroid hormones with thyroid hormone replacement medication. No food – including celery – can replace missing thyroid hormone, which the body relies on for essential functions.
However, this is not to say that drinking celery juice – or adding celery to your smoothie – isn’t beneficial to your overall health. But let’s take a look at the truth, not the hype!
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While some of the purported benefits of celery juice are marketing hype to sell books, there are many genuine health benefits associated with celery. They include:’
Anti-inflammatory properties
There is evidence that drinking celery juice can help reduce inflammation due to its high concentration of phytonutrients. These chemicals also have antioxidant properties and may relieve oxidative stress.
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Hydration
Hydration is essential for hormonal and metabolic health, and celery juice can help you stay well-hydrated and avoid constipation, a common hypothyroidism symptom. Celery juice is mainly water, so drinking it can help you maintain better hydration.
Gut health support
Celery can help prevent and reduce gut inflammation due to the anti-inflammatory properties of some of its compounds, including luteolin and pyrroloquinoline quinone. A recent study suggests celery also has probiotic properties promoting healthy gut bacteria growth.
Fiber content
Celery has a lot of fiber, which is beneficial for gut motility and health.
When it comes to nutrition, we often become passionate about trends. We see our favorite “wellness influencers” sharing posts eating a certain food or promoting particular remedies, and it’s easy to jump on the bandwagon. The thought is, “If it works for them, then it must work for me too!”
That’s the issue with wellness trends: one-size-fits-all solutions rarely work. Each of us is unique, with individual biochemistry. Introducing and promoting these trends without proper education can be more harmful than supportive—especially if someone has a chronic illness such as thyroid disease. For example, for someone who has had their thyroid gland removed surgically or using radioactive iodine – or whose thyroid gland has atrophied due to Hashimoto’s – replacing essential thyroid hormone medication with celery juice could actually be life-threatening!
None of this is to say that celery juice is harmful in and of itself—after all, it’s just vegetable juice!
The claim behind the benefits of juicing celery is that juicing retains the taste and concentrates the nutrients. However, when a fruit or vegetable is juiced, it loses much of its fiber content. Fiber is essential because it helps stabilize blood sugar, maintain regular bowel movements, and support a healthy gut microbiome. A healthy gut microbiome is vital for those with autoimmune conditions like Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. So, if you want to get all the nutritional value of celery, you shouldn’t juice it. (Note that celery juice may not be a good fit for you if you have irritable bowel syndrome. It can cause you to be bloated and have abdominal pain. )
Followers of the celery juice trend share anecdotally that it has reduced their symptoms and contributed to healing their illness. Still, I believe that what moves the needle is not the celery juice alone; it’s a general awareness and commitment to making healthier lifestyle choices. I can almost guarantee that people who drink celery juice daily also focus on sleeping well, eating a well-balanced diet, proactively managing stress, and staying on top of their health.
If you genuinely enjoy drinking celery juice, then enjoy drinking it! Personally, I like to add whole celery to my smoothies or munch on it in a salad or with a side of hummus. The fiber found in fruits and vegetables is incredibly nutritious. This nutritional fiber goes to waste when fruits and vegetables are juiced, and their pulp is thrown out.
No one food item – including celery – can meet our daily nutritional requirements or support thyroid health. Research has continually shown that having various foods from each food group contributes to and promotes overall health, well-being, and healthy thyroid function. In addition to nutrition, we also should look at our lifestyle and build supportive behaviors for optimal health.
Thyroid-healthy lifestyle behaviors include:
- A focus on sleep habits and having a restful nighttime routine
- Eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, lean protein, complex carbohydrates, (gluten-free) grains, healthy fats, ferments, herbs, and spices
- Finding ways and modalities to address areas of stress and cultivating practices that help to minimize symptoms of overwhelm
- Surrounding yourself with a community of people that is supportive, loving, and compassionate
- Incorporating movement into your daily routine, even as simple as a daily walk
- Being exposed to and having contact with nature daily - sunshine, grounding
- Supporting your body through proper supplementation via the guidance of your healthcare provider
These practices will help you to support your overall health and, in tandem, support living well with thyroid disease.
Celery juice has beneficial properties. However, it is not a cure for hypothyroidism or other thyroid conditions. It can reduce chronic inflammation and boost hydration, which helps manage your thyroid condition. However, you should not discontinue working with your thyroid doctor or treatment to favor a celery juice regimen.
Similarly, if you choose to drink celery juice, you should integrate it into your thyroid-healthy lifestyle. Paloma’s knowledgeable thyroid nutritionists can help you incorporate thyroid-healthy foods into your diet and nutritional plan.
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