Celery Nutrition

The boring, green leafy vegetable called celery maybe distasteful to some, but it contains several vitamins and minerals essential for the overall well-being of the body. What’s interesting is that celery sticks definitely appeal to individuals who want to lose weight, as it is considered the perfect slimming snack. Sprinkling salt on the stalk of celery and chewing everyday has numerous advantages. In addition, celery can be used as an additive in soups and salads or it can be a part of your favourite stuffing. Derived from the French word ‘celeri’, this stalked vegetable is a biennial plant belonging to the Umbelliferae family that includes carrots, fennel, parsley and dill. In case you wish to extract maximum health benefits from this healthy and aromatic veggie then look into the following sections.

Most experts believe that celery has its origin in Mediterranean basin of northern Africa and southern Europe, although others believe it is native to Sweden, the British Isles, New Zealand and the Himalayan regions of India and China. While, today, it is regarded as a vegetable for consumption, celery was originally used for medicinal purposes, as a flavouring herb and as fodder for horses. Ancient manuscripts, around 850 BC, show that Ayurvedic physicians used it for treating colds, flu, water retention, digestion problems, various types of arthritis and liver and spleen ailments. Woven garlands made of wild celery have been reported to in Egyptian tombs. Similar to the use of bay leaves at the Olympic Games, celery was considered a holy plant in ancient Greece and used as laurels to honour the winners of the Nemean Games in 573 BC. It was only in the 16^th century that France cultivated celery as an edible vegetable for consumption. Soon the Italians followed and started domesticating and using of these stalks. Celery seeds were brought to Michigan by George Taylor from Scotland in the 19^th century and grown there. Although California is the largest producer of celery in the US, it is eaten in several other parts of the world too.

Health Benefits of Ajmud, Randhuni (Celery)

• For people with arthritic and rheumatic problems suffering from sore and swollen or stiff joints, celery proves to be an excellent remedy. It helps in removing salts such as urates that are the main cause of inflammation and stiffness in the muscular-skeletal system.

• When consumed in the juice form with other healthy vegetables, celery is extremely advantageous in lowering blood pressure by relaxing the muscles around arteries. Besides, the stalks of celery act as an agent for reducing the LDL cholesterol.

• One of the important benefits of celery is that it can neutralize the acidity of the bloodstream and fight cancer. They also act as antioxidants and stop the growth of tumourous cells thereby, getting rid of oxygen free radicals.

• Celery is custom-made in fighting halitosis. Munching a stalk after every meal helps in scrubbing bacteria from the back of the tongue and cleaning the teeth. As such, it assists in maintaining good oral and dental hygiene.

• The stalks of celery also contain sodium and potassium in high quantities. Celery has diuretic properties that are responsible in maintaining fluid balance within the body and keeping it free from toxins. This has a great impact on the kidneys since it destroying urinary stones.

• With copious amounts of vitamin C present in celery, it helps in reducing the severity of inflammatory conditions such as asthma, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. In addition, it helps in boosting the immune system and alleviating any symptoms of cold.

• If you have tried and tested all methods of losing weight but failed, then switch to celery as this reduces cravings for high carbohydrates.

• Celery has 40 to 50 phytochemicals and a mixture of anethole, apigenin, kaempferol, luteolin and quercitin, which are excellent in combating menopausal symptoms like hot flashes.

• Other health benefits of celery include curing constipation, catarrh, neuritis, tuberculosis, pyorrhea, diabetes, dropsy, fatigue, improvement of teeth, anemia, insomnia and diseases of the kidneys and pancreas.

Nutritional Value & Calories In Celery

Amount: 1 cup

Total Weight: 120 g

How many calories in celery (per 100 gm)

Celery has about 16 calories per 100 gm of weight.

How to Buy Celery

• Select celery with fresh looking, pale to bright green and unblemished leaves.

• Notice the outer stalk, which should be light green, crisp and firm with no signs of browning or rusting. The inner stem is usually paler and tenderer.

• The stem should be firm and bundled tightly to each other. Any limp or separated stalks indicate a lack of freshness.

• Pick up celery heads and check their weight. Heavy ones must be selected as they have high water content.

Celery Storage Tips

• In order to retain the crispness and freshness, cut out the entire stem end of the celery, about 1 inch from the base, and discard it. Even leafy portions on the inner stalks can be removed. Trim any secondary branches near the top of the stalks too.

• Always wash the leaves and stalks of celery under running water to remove all remnants of dirt and pesticides. Place the washed celery on a towel to drain excess water and wrap them together in paper towels. You may transfer the clean celery stalks to an airtight bag.

• Place the celery in the vegetable compartment of your refrigerator. Make a note of the temperature as fresh celery cannot withstand the cold as it wilts and changes colour.

• If you wish to use celery in the preparation of stews, casseroles and soups, you may freeze it beforehand as the stalks release water on thawing. For this, first wash and dry the stalks, dice them and place in plastic storage containers. Put them in a freezer and use within 6 months.