Jessica Alba Said She's Not A Fan Of The Celery Juice Trend & Her Reasoning Is On-Point

Deciphering what’s actually sound health advice from what’s blindly buzzing on social media can be challenging. As far as I’m concerned, there are going to be plenty of so-called “wellness” trends that make your eyebrows scrunch and your mouth gape open, so if something makes you go “huh?” or “no way,” trust your gut and scroll onward. Sometimes it’s not even about whether a trend is “right” or “wrong,” though. Rather, it becomes a question of what’s right or wrong for your body. For example, Jessica Alba explained why she isn’t fan of the celery juice trend in a recent interview with Health, and the reasoning behind her disapproval was simply rooted in her own self-evaluation.

Before I jump into Alba’s epic response to the celery-juice scene (she somehow managed to make me laugh and cringe simultaneously), let’s chat puréed celery, because if for some reason you aren’t up to speed, you might be wondering what the big deal is. After all, celery juice is just another green juice, right? Eh, sort of.

According to Shape, the celery juice trend came to fruition when New York Times bestselling author, Anthony William, otherwise known as “the Medical Medium,” sneakily dropped a few mentions of celery juice into his books about holistic, natural food “cures.” William claimed that the beverage boasts some pretty significant healing properties, such as fixing a leaky gut, clearing up acne-prone skin, and even fighting cancer. But there’s one major detail to consider here: Per Shape, William has no medical or nutrition certifications to his name, and had little to no reliable evidence to back up the claims he was making about celery juice.

So is there any truth to this celery juice phenomenon? Is celery the cure-all hero the world needs, but doesn’t deserve? During an interview with MindBodyGreen, Rachel Goodman, RD, owner of the Brooklyn-based private practice Rachel Good Nutrition, relayed to the outlet that, yes, celery does boast some health benefits.

“Celery is a good source of potassium, vitamin K, and flavonoids—compounds that have been shown in studies to help keep electrolyte balance, function as antioxidants, and can help lower blood pressure and inflammation,” Goodman explained. Is it the answer to all your health woes? In short, no.

“[Celery] hasn't been studied as well as other fruits and vegetables that show benefits to our health, such as beets, blueberries, and avocado," Goodman said. So while celery can definitely help with digestion, reduce bloating, and boost your energy levels, it’s hardly the end-all-be-all of nutrition.

“If you enjoy celery juice, it can be part of a healthful eating pattern, but it should be part of the bigger picture and should not replace intake of all other vegetables and fruits,” Goodman told MindBodyGreen, and I think the key phrase there is “if you enjoy celery juice.” Those who like the taste of celery juice, or can at least tolerate it for the sake of reaping whatever benefits it does offer, seem to be all for the latest juice trend. Jessica Alba is not one of them.

During her recent interview with Health, the mama of three made her stance on the celery juice trend very clear: She doesn’t like it, and therefore, she doesn’t follow it. “I tried celery juicing, and it empties your bowels in a very violent way all day long,” she told the outlet (cue my cringe), adding “I like things that taste good, and that just doesn’t taste good,” (cue my giggles). Clearly, at 37 years old, if there’s anything Alba isn’t, it’s inauthentic.

As the interview went on, and the L.A.’s Finest co-star talked all things exercise (it's not her favorite thing to do, but she said she feels it’s necessary for her mental health), food (she’s not into celery juice, but she is a fan of plant-based meals), and her favorite form of self-care (which is sleep — and TBH, same), I noticed a very clear pattern in Alba’s approach to wellness, and just life in general: Above all things, she seems to abide by her body and what it needs, not necessarily what the gurus prescribe.

To wrap up the interview, Alba was asked to speak about the accomplishment she’s most proud of. In true girlboss fashion, the actor-turned-entrepreneur said she was most proud of how she navigated the “challenges” and development of The Honest Company, a lifestyle brand that offers a variety of safe-for-the-family products, from diapers to cleaning sprays.

“I was really proud of my perseverance through the challenges and not letting things hold me back,” Alba told Health in regards to the development process — a lesson that, at least IMO, can be applied to life in general. “And it’s not going to be perfect," she continued, "and it shouldn’t be, but once you’re 70 or 80 percent there, you [launch] and tweak as you go.”

In a nutshell, it sounds to me like Alba's got life pretty much figured out. Once you get to a place where you feel genuinely comfortable with yourself, life really is just a learning process from there on out. Take a page from Alba's book and embrace what serves you, not what people tell you should serve you.