Cucumbers and celery are popular additions to green juices. While both offer health benefits, you may wonder which is best for meeting daily hydration needs and boosting digestive health. We spoke with a nutrition expert to see how celery juice and cucumber juice stack up in terms of hydration, gut health, and beyond.
“Both cucumber juice and celery juice support hydration, but cucumber juice has a slight advantage due to its exceptionally high water content,” Eric Finley, MS, RD, dietitian at South Dakota State University, told Health.
Cucumbers contain slightly more water, about 96%, while celery is close behind at around 95%. This makes cucumbers a smart choice for juicing.
However, when it comes to electrolytes, which are minerals that play essential roles in fluid balance as well as muscle function and proper nerve signaling, celery is a better choice.
Celery is much higher in sodium and potassium, electrolytes that help regulate fluid balance. However, celery juice has a stronger, more bitter flavor than cucumber juice, which may make it harder to drink in large amounts. Cucumber juice has a mild taste and high water content, which may feel more refreshing and easier to consume in larger volumes.
When it comes to gut health, eating whole fruit and vegetables is best because they contain fiber, a nutrient that helps keep bowel movements regular and comfortable while fueling beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract.
“Neither cucumber juice nor celery juice is a strong contributor to gut health because juicing removes most of the fiber that supports beneficial gut bacteria,” noted Finley.
However, juice contains other compounds that may support gut health. Celery juice is high in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds, such as flavonoids like apigenin and luteolin, that may help reduce inflammation in the digestive tract.
However, unlike whole fruits and vegetables, which have strong evidence supporting their benefits for gut health, there’s little evidence to suggest that drinking celery juice or cucumber juice has a significant impact on digestive health.
Adding cucumber or celery juice to your routine may offer a range of health benefits.
Cucumber Juice
High water content boosts hydration and supports skin healthContains smaller amounts of electrolytes, like potassium and magnesium, which support fluid balanceLow in calories and sugar, making it a smart alternative to sugary drinksContains antioxidant plant compounds, cucurbitacins, which may support overall health
Celery Juice
A good source of electrolytes, like sodium and potassium, can support optimal hydration
High in anti-inflammatory compounds that may reduce inflammation in the gut
Has a high concentration of water, which can help you meet your daily hydration needs
Low in carbs and calories, making it ideal for those watching their blood sugar
May support heart health by lowering blood pressure when consumed regularly
The nutritional content of celery and cucumber juice varies significantly depending on the extraction method, juice concentration, and other ingredients.
To give you an idea of the nutritional differences, here’s how a 100-gram serving of whole, raw celery and whole, raw cucumbers compare.
Celery
Cucumber
Calories
17
16
Carbs
3.3 grams (g)
2.95 g
Potassium
265 milligrams (mg), 5.6% of the Daily Value (DV)
170 mg, 3.6.% of the DV
Sodium
97 mg, 4.2% of the DV
2 mg, <1% of the DV
The nutritional profile of whole fruits and vegetables, such as cucumbers and celery, differs significantly from that of their juices. Juicing removes most of the fiber found in whole produce, which plays an important role in digestive health and blood sugar regulation.
While drinking cucumber and celery juice can help you meet your hydration needs, if your goal is to improve gut health, Finley suggests opting for whole fruits and vegetables over juice.
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U.S. Department of Agriculture: FoodData Central. Cucumber, raw.
U.S. Department of Agriculture: FoodData Central. Celery, raw.
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