A slender annual or biennial plant well known within most household kitchens, the humble celery plant naturally grew in warm and temperate zones in the north. Cultivated throughout ancient China, Egypt, Greece and Rome, the earliest records of its medicinal use dates to over 3000 years ago. From the likes of Dioscorides to Pliny and the Hippocratics in history, this ancient food and medicine was even featured in Homer’s The Iliad and The Odyssey epics. It has become naturalised from cultivation, and now grows wild throughout the Mediterranean basin of Europe.

Celery seeds find their primary use in supporting joint health, thanks to its diuretic and alkalising actions. The herb features a mild flavour and has traditionally been used as a spring cleanser after the heavier or saltier foods of winter. This is consistent with its dual historical use to support digestion and reduce bloating.

Traditional uses include:

To reduce swelling of the joints

For mild rheumatic aches and pains

To decrease mild joint pain and soreness

To aid flushing of the urinary tract

To reduce symptoms of occasional episodes of gout