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Celery
Every knowledge on vegetables, health and nutrition.
Scientific Name
Apium graveolens L. variety dulce (Umbelliferae family).Common name
Apium, marsh parsley, smallage, wild celery.
Varieties and seasons
There is a difference between Branch Celery or Ribbed Celery and Lead Celery. For the first type (A. graveolens var. dulce), we eat the leaves and highly developed stalks, in salads and as a vegetable. As for"Leaf celery", (A. graveolens var. secalinum), it is best prepared finely chopped and used for seasoning.
Vegetable garden: Growing branch celery
Branch celery is a biannual plant and has small white, yellow or greenish flowers forming umbels.
It grows wild in salty marshland in Mediterranean coastal areas. Celery is sown in nurseries between March and April. After three months, the plants are replanted in the fields. The celery harvest is between September and October. Branch celery grows 30 to 40 cm above the soil.
Its fleshy, ribbed stalks, joined at the base, form a "foot". The interior of the celery plant, called the heart, is the most tender part.
There are several varieties of celery with fairly green or whitish stalks.
Production
In E.U., 90% of the production of branch celery comes from 4 countries: Italy, U.K., Spain and France. The other producers are: Belgium, Greece and Netherlands.
Consumption
Although far from the most popular vegetable in Europe, it still plays a significant role in our diet and is set to increase in popularity, in particular tinned "celery hearts" and ready-packed product displays.
Nutritional values (per 100 g)
Raw* | Tinned* | Cooked* | RDI*** | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Energy | 11 kcal | 9 kcal | 9 kcal | |
Proteins | 0.9 g | 0.8 g | 0.8 g | |
Carbohydrates | 1.5 g | 1.3 g | 1.2 g | |
Fat | 0.1 g | 0.1 g | 0.1 g | |
Fibres | 2 g | 2.3 g | 2.2 g | 30 g |
Sodium | 110 mg | 343 mg | 81 mg | |
Potassium | 305 mg | 283 mg | 265 mg | 2,000 mg |
Vitamin C | 8 mg | 6 mg | 6 mg | 80 mg |
Vitamin B9 | 18 µg | 22 mg | 13 µg | 200 µg |
* Ciqual 1995 *** RDI recommended daily intake |
What is about portions...?
-a child portion : three long finger-sized bits
-an adult portion : five long finger-sized bits
Cooking and nutrition: tasty combinations
-Branch celery as an appetizer: serve celery sticks with light, slightly spicy sauces (fromage frais + mustard; fromage frais + tomato sauce, etc.) for a healthy, slimming appetizer.
-Celery is also ideal for snack-sized starters: simply spread the stalks with a fresh cheese (goat, ewe) and shelled walnuts. Fibre, vitamins and energy guaranteed.
Celery hearts in meat juices : this recipe is so tasty, it’s guaranteed to turn anyone into a celery lover. Put to one side the cooking juices from a roast chicken or meat joint, taking care to remove the fat. They make a great accompaniment to oven-braised celery hearts. A light, tasty meal, guaranteed.
