Image Courtesy Of @celeryjuicebenefits
Celery juice is one of the top wellness and weight loss trends of 2019! Whether you’re a celery juice connoisseur or you’re looking to try it out for the first time, we’ve got the best tips for how to choose, store, clean and prep your celery stalks for delicious celery juice!
How to Choose Your Celery
First things first! You’ll want to find a beautiful bunch of celery. The University Of Nebraska says, “choose celery with straight, rigid stalks and fresh leaves.” They also suggest avoiding any bunches that appear to be limp or woody. Find the freshest bunch by sniffing the celery! You’ll immediately know if your celery isn’t fresh from just one whiff!
How to Store Your Celery
Washington State University recommends removing the celery stalks from their plastic bags once you get home. Wrap the stalks in aluminum foil and store them in the crisper drawer in your fridge. According to the university the celery stalks will stay fresher, for longer this way. Wrapping the stalks in foil will help the ripening hormone, ethylene to escape.
Leaving the celery in plastic bags will prevent ethylene from escaping, increase the loss of moisture and speed up spoilage. If you leave the celery stalks in their plastic bags be sure to use it quickly to save money and prevent waste.
How to Clean Your Celery
Celery may be on the the top of wellness and weight loss lists in 2019, however, in 2018 it topped the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) “Dirty Dozen” list. The EWG reported that “More than 95 percent of conventional celery samples tested positive for pesticide.”
The United States Department Of Agriculture (USDA) recommends separating each celery stalk from the bunch and washing each stalk individually. Wash each stalk in cold water and rub them with a vegetable brush or your fingers to remove any dirt or grit. If you have a fruit and vegetable wash, you can use that as well to ensure that you have super clean celery for your juice!
How to Prepare Your Celery
Properly prep your celery for juicing by cutting off the leafy part at top and the root at the bottom. These parts can be used later in broth for soups or you can compost them! Happy juicing!
