🕌Persian Medicine🏜️North African & Amazigh Medicine

Celery (Karafs)

vegetable

Celery (Karafs)

Celery is a cultivated plant belonging to the species Apium graveolens in the family Apiaceae that has been used as a vegetable since ancient times.

Conditions addressed

High Blood PressureDigestive IssuesKidney SupportInflammationCholesterol

How to use

1–2 cups cooked or raw daily
  • Eat steamed, roasted, stir-fried, or raw in salads.
  • Lightly cooking increases digestibility.

Pregnancy, Breastfeeding & Children

Pregnancy

Avoid

Celery seed has a well-documented traditional history as an emmenagogue and uterine stimulant — contraindicated in pregnancy at medicinal doses (culinary use of the vegetable itself is unrelated and fine).

Breastfeeding

Use Caution

Limited formal safety data at medicinal doses during breastfeeding; generally used cautiously.

Children

Use Caution

Medicinal/concentrated celery seed extract is not typically used in children; culinary celery is fine.

Interactions & contraindications

Diuretics, blood thinners, thyroid medication, sedatives

May affect all four at therapeutic (non-culinary) doses.