Celery: Crunchy raw food

Celery and its earthy cousin, celeriac, have been culinary favorites since ancient times, beloved for their versatility and health benefits. From the Romans pairing celery with eggplant dips akin to modern Baba Ganoush to its role as a soup base or cocktail garnish, celery is a true kitchen monarch. Meanwhile, celeriac shines beyond soups—raw, baked, mashed, or as a schnitzel alternative, this rustic root is an all-rounder. Discover how these humble vegetables can elevate your dishes and even offer surprising natural health remedies!

Celery – ideal for regional cuisine

Celeriac (Apium graveolens var. rapaceum) is a vegetable plant with a tuber weighing up to 1 kg, which grows partly underground and partly above ground.

Botanically, this storage organ is a beet, like the carrot or radish. The tuber and the leaves of the plant give off a particularly intense scent thanks to essential oils.

For a long time, the root vegetable led a wallflower existence. It was almost exclusively perceived as a component of the so-called soup greens. But the healing tuber is extremely versatile, can be prepared in a variety of ways and is also a local vegetable – ideal for regional cuisine.

When is the season?

The high season for celery in Australia is from February to November, while in other regions like Germany, the peak season lasts from June to November. From December to March, stock items are used. In Germany, about 85,000 tonnes of the thick tubers are harvested, which corresponds to about one-sixth of the total EU harvest. In Switzerland, the figure is 10,000 tonnes per year.

The celery species

There are around 60 types of celery worldwide. Like fennel, parsley and coriander, they all belong to the large family of Umbelliferae. However, the common celery (Apium graveolens) is primarily used as a vegetable and medicinal plant.

A distinction is made between the following 3 varieties:

  1. celeriac
  2. celery sticks
  3. celery

The three names already indicate which parts of the plant are the focus in the kitchen.

Ingredients: Low-calorie sticks

Like the celeriac, celery contains vitamins of the B group and vitamin E. It also contains minerals such as potassium and calcium and trace elements such as iron. The green varieties also contain considerable amounts of provitamin A. Celery, consists largely of water and is, therefore, is low in calories.

Origin: Dedicated to the god of the underworld

Celery in its wild form originally comes from the Mediterranean region. In ancient Egypt, the leaves and flowers of wild celery were used as grave goods and medicinal plants. The plant was consecrated to the god of the underworld by the Romans and the Greeks. They named the latter “Selinon” after the ancient city of Selinus on the south coast of Sicily. Not only did a lot of celery grow in their vicinity, but a celery leaf was also found in their coat of arms. In Europe, celery was not known until the early Middle Ages and was mainly used as a medicinal plant. Until the 18th century, it was only grown in court and monastery gardens.

Botany: celery stalk forms petioles

The English name of the Umbelliferae Apium Graveolens var Dulce already gives it away: Unlike celeriac, celery does not form a tuber, but leaf stalks. These are erect and fleshy. The green celery tastes mild, the aromas of the light and golden yellow varieties are stronger.

Season: free-range and greenhouse goods

Celery can be bought in any supermarket 365 days a year. Our Celery comes from Western Australia and is one of the highest yielding vegetable crops. Usually grown from transplants produced by specialist seedling nurseries. It is a shallow-rooted crop with high nutrient and moisture requirements

Storage: Relatively good shelf life

Celery sticks can be kept for up to two weeks if they are kept in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.

How is celery prepared?

There are many different ways to prepare the root vegetables deliciously:

1. Raw food – fresh and full of vitamins

The tuber can be wonderfully enjoyed raw.

People who have a sensitive digestive system sometimes react to the raw tuber with flatulence and diarrhea. In general, however, the root vegetable can have a positive effect on the gastrointestinal system.

If you have only eaten the tuber cooked before, slowly approach it raw.

2. Steaming – quick and easy

Steaming is a very advantageous cooking method because the content of heat-labile and water-soluble ingredients is reduced much less than when boiling or frying.

Put 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a pan and sauté the diced celery for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Add 100 ml of vegetable stock or water, bring to the boil and then sauté with the lid closed and at a medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes.

3. Cooking – Soup and Stew

You should only cook root vegetables if you are going to eat the liquid, such as with broth, soup or stew. Otherwise, you would pour some of the water-soluble minerals and vitamins down the drain with the cooking water.

When cut into larger cubes, the vegetables need about 20 minutes to cook, as in our celery cream soup with coconut milk.

4. Roast – crispy from the pan

The fried root vegetables taste particularly spicy. Cut the prepared tuber into 1 cm thick slices and then into bite-sized pieces, which you then fry in a little fat until crispy, just like you would with fried potatoes.

Do not add salt to the fried slices until they are fully cooked, otherwise the vegetables will absorb water. Apart from salt and pepper, spices such as paprika, chili or fresh parsley are suitable for flavouring the dish.

5. Baking – from the oven with potatoes and mushroom sauce

With this cooking method, the root vegetables are not peeled but baked whole in the oven and then served with potatoes and a fine mushroom sauce.

6. Puree – delicious puree

A delicious puree can be made not only from potatoes, but also from cauliflower, peas or celery. Cut the prepared (cleaned and peeled) tuber into cubes and cook them in vegetable stock until soft (approx. 20 minutes). Then do a bite test; the root vegetable should be nice and soft.

Now strain the vegetables with a sieve and save the broth. Instead of animal fats such as whipping cream or butter, you can add margarine, cashew butter or almond cream to ensure the desired creaminess.

Now process everything with the hand blender until it becomes a creamy puree. If the consistency is too thick, you can dilute the puree with the vegetable stock and blend it again. Then refine the dish with spices of your choice, e.g. black pepper and nutmeg.

7. Frying – Crumbed Vegetable Schnitzel

Wiener schnitzel is one of many people’s favorite dishes. But it doesn’t necessarily have to be made with meat. After all, what makes it special is the delicious, crispy crumbs – and celeriac can also be crumbed.

Can you eat the leaves?

The celery greens are particularly rich in micronutrients and can be used for seasoning.

Wash the leaves thoroughly, shake them dry and sprinkle them chopped or cut into fine strips over sauces, soups, salads, stews or fried potatoes.

The young leaves in particular are perfect for creating smoothies or – in combination with pine nuts and garlic – a special kind of pesto.

What should I consider when shopping?

Celeriac is available all year round in practically every supermarket, organic store and at farmers’ markets.

A fresh or well-stored tuber is hard and dry. It has a yellowish, brownish skin and the flesh is white to cream-colored.

Strong, green leaves, if present, are also a sign of freshness. You should definitely avoid specimens with dark brown spots and damaged skin.

What is the best way to store the tuber?

If stored correctly, the tuber will last for months. To do this, cut off the roots and leaves before the frosts in October and November, place the tuber(s) in boxes with sand (the upper part of the tuber should be exposed) and store them in a cool but frost-free place (ideal temperature 0 to 1 °C) with high humidity (preferably in the cellar).

The vegetables will last for about 2 weeks in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator, for example in a paper bag. Plastic bags are not recommended as there is a risk of rotting.

How to freeze and thaw?

Freezing is also possible without any problem. To do so, proceed as follows:

  1. Peel the tuber rather generously (remove the peel to a thickness of about ½ cm).
  2. Cut the vegetables into slices, cubes or sticks.
  3. Fill it in portions into labelled freezer bags – carefully squeeze out the air and place in the freezer.

Frozen raw celeriac will last for about 6 months, cooked celeriac for 3 months.

When you want to use the vegetables, you do not need to defrost them. You can add them to the hot pan or pot while still frozen.

The nutritional value

The nutritional value of the root vegetable is as follows (per 100 g raw):

  1. 19 kcal / 81 kJ energy
  2. 90 g of water
  3. 0.3 g fat
  4. 2 g protein
  5. 2 g carbohydrates (of which 0.04 g glucose and 0.09 g fructose)
  6. 4 g fiber (0.84 g water-soluble and 3.36 g water-insoluble fiber)

The vitamins

You often read that the tuber is a true vitamin miracle. The root vegetable is not that well-stocked overall, but it can score points when it comes to a few vitamins. Also keep in mind that even small amounts of a micronutrient are important, as the vital substances influence each other.

Per 100 g, the fresh, raw root vegetable contains:

  1. Vitamin K: 100 µg (154% of the daily requirement of a healthy adult)
  2. Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid): 510 µg (9%)
  3. Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine): 200 µg (14%)
  4. Vitamin C (ascorbic acid): 8.25 mg (14%)

The minerals

Celeriac contains the following minerals in relevant amounts (all others are present in smaller amounts) – always per 100 g of fresh vegetables:

  1. Copper: 116 µg (9% of the daily requirement of a healthy adult)
  2. Potassium: 321 mg (8% of the daily requirement of a healthy adult)

Good for digestion

Celeriac contains in particular water-insoluble fiber such as cellulose. This differs from water-soluble fiber in that it does not bind water and is hardly broken down by our intestinal bacteria.

Insoluble fiber has the advantage that it is very solid and exerts considerable pressure on the inner walls of the stomach. This increases stool and stomach volume, has a satiating effect, makes stool softer and increases intestinal movement. This stimulates digestion and counteracts constipation.

For a better memory

Root celery is one of the foods with the highest vitamin K content. If you eat just 100 g of the vegetable, you will already be consuming 1.5 times your daily requirement of this vitamin. The fat-soluble vitamin is particularly needed for blood clotting and bone formation.

In the meantime, various studies have shown that vitamin K could also play an important role in the cognitive area.

In 2022, for example, a study showed that those subjects who consumed more vitamin K through their diet had better cognitive function (7). Conversely, those participants with severe memory problems were found to have lower vitamin K intake.

The effect was explained by the fact that vitamin K reduces inflammation, regulates insulin sensitivity and has a direct influence on insulin metabolism. Poorly controlled insulin levels are considered a risk factor for cognitive deterioration.

For the heart and neurological complaints

The phthalides contained in the essential oil are responsible for the typical aroma of celery and many of its healing properties.

Studies have shown that phthalides have anti-inflammatory, antifungal and antibacterial effects (2), protect the heart and have the potential to alleviate certain neurological diseases such as stroke, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

How is the tuber used in naturopathy?

If you want to use the root vegetable for naturopathic purposes, tea, juice and syrup are possible options. Of course, you can also eat the delicious vegetable regularly – ideally raw, as this is when the active ingredient content is at its highest, while the essential oils evaporate when cooking, frying, etc.

Tea

In traditional medicine, celeriac is primarily consumed in the form of tea, as this is when the effect is particularly effective. The tea is said to stimulate kidney function and the flow of bile and saliva, promote digestion and counteract hyperacidity .

According to an old recipe by the Austrian herbalist Hermann Josef Weidinger, the tea is prepared as follows: Pour a quarter liter of boiling water over a heaped tablespoon of the fresh tuber (preferably grated). Cover and let the tea steep for 15 minutes and then strain it.

(Pour the condensation on the lid into the tea, as it also contains the essential oils that evaporated with the steam).

Drink the tea for 2 weeks, preferably in the morning on an empty stomach and in the evening one cup an hour before going to bed. The tea should be used as a treatment for a maximum of 4 to 6 weeks.

Celery juice

Juice ½ finely chopped celery root in your juicer and take 1 tablespoon 2 to 3 times a day before meals to help with coughs, to drain water and to purify. It is important to prepare the juice fresh every day. The daily amount can be covered and stored in the refrigerator.

If you find juicing every day too much work, you can also buy the juice commercially, for example the fresh plant juice from Schoenenberger in health food stores or organic shops.

Celery syrup

To make a syrup, the freshly squeezed celery juice is mixed with the same amount of honey or maple syrup over a low heat. The most important thing is that the mixture does not boil.

Then pour the hot celery syrup into sterilized jars and seal them. The syrup can be stored in the refrigerator for about 3 months.

Indications include persistent coughs, but also physical and mental exhaustion and nervousness. Take 1 tablespoon 3 times a day.

Celery Allergy

According to the Paul Ehrlich Institute, celery allergy is one of the most common food allergies. Symptoms range from mild allergic reactions (3) such as itching and swelling in the mouth and throat to life-threatening anaphylactic shock.

This is why the vegetable is one of the 14 allergens that must be labelled as an ingredient in food according to EU regulations.

For fructose intolerance

Although celeriac has a sweet taste, it is considered to be a particularly low-fructose vegetable with 0.09% fructose (fruit sugar).

It is therefore usually well tolerated by people with fructose intolerance. Details about the intolerance can be found under the previous link.

For histamine intolerance

The tuber is a low-histamine vegetable, which is why it is generally well tolerated by people with histamine intolerance.

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