📊 Full nutrition facts — per 100g
| Nutrient | Amount | % Daily value | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 16 kcal | 1% | |
| Carbohydrates | 3.0g | 1% | |
| Dietary fibre | 1.6g | 6% | |
| Sugars | 1.8g | — | |
| GI (Glycaemic Index) | ~15 — Near zero | — | |
| Protein | 0.7g | 1% | |
| Vitamin K | 29.3µg | 24% | |
| Folate | 36µg | 9% | |
| Potassium | 260mg | 6% | |
| Vitamin C | 3.1mg | 3% | |
| Phthalides | present | — | |
| Apigenin | present | — |
Based on Australian NRV. Source: FSANZ Australian Food Composition Database.
📈 Glycaemic index (GI)
💊 Key vitamins & minerals
✅ Health benefits
Celery contains phthalides — a class of phytonutrients unique to the Apiaceae family — that relax the smooth muscle of arterial walls and reduce stress hormone levels, resulting in measurable blood pressure reduction. Clinical research by the University of Chicago found that 4 stalks of celery daily reduced blood pressure by approximately 12–14% in subjects with elevated blood pressure. The effect is attributed to 3-n-butylphthalide (3nB), now used as a pharmaceutical ingredient in some blood pressure medications.
At 29.3µg of vitamin K per 100g, celery is a meaningful source of this bone-critical vitamin. Vitamin K activates osteocalcin, the protein that anchors calcium into the bone matrix, and is essential for normal blood clotting. Celery's vitamin K content is significant relative to its near-zero caloric cost — making it one of the most calorie-efficient vitamin K sources available.
Celery is 95% water with a natural sodium (80mg/100g) and potassium (260mg/100g) content that supports electrolyte balance during hydration. Celery juice has become popular as a hydration aid and electrolyte source post-exercise. The natural sodium-potassium balance mirrors what is needed for cellular fluid regulation.
Celery is one of the richest food sources of apigenin — a flavonoid with well-documented anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and neuroprotective properties. Research has shown apigenin reduces levels of inflammatory cytokines, inhibits NFkB signalling and may protect against neurodegeneration. Luteolin, another celery flavonoid, has demonstrated similar anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties in laboratory studies.
⚠️ Who should limit or avoid
Celery allergy is one of the most common food allergies in Central Europe and is a declared allergen under EU food law. It can cause anaphylaxis and is strongly cross-reactive with birch pollen, mugwort pollen and carrot (the 'celery-mugwort-birch-spice syndrome'). Celery allergy is less common in Australia than Europe but documented cases exist. Celery-allergic individuals must avoid all celery-containing products including celery salt, celery seed and many pre-made soups and stock cubes.
Celery provides 24% of daily vitamin K per 100g. People on warfarin (anticoagulant therapy) must maintain consistent celery intake — sudden increases can reduce warfarin effectiveness and increase clotting risk, sudden decreases can increase bleeding risk. Celery and all high vitamin K vegetables should be consumed consistently, not avoided entirely, when on warfarin.
Celery and related plants (parsley, parsnip, dill) contain psoralens — compounds that cause photosensitisation when in contact with skin and exposed to UV light. Harvesting large quantities of celery with bare hands in sunlight can cause contact dermatitis and blistering. This is an occupational hazard for farm workers but not typically a concern for home cooking.
🛒 How to select & buy celery
Fresh celery stalks should be rigid and snap crisply when bent — not flexible or rubbery, which indicates dehydration and age. The leaves should be bright green and fresh-looking, not yellow or wilted. Avoid bunches where the stalks are spreading widely apart — they should be tightly packed. Check the base cut for freshness — it should look moist, not dried out or brown.
Fresh celery has a clean, bright, herbal aroma from its phthalide compounds. Old or poor-quality celery smells faint or slightly musty. The stronger the characteristic celery smell, the higher the phthalide content and the fresher the product. Pre-cut celery sticks in plastic bags have reduced phthalide content due to processing and are less nutritious than whole stalks.
Standard Pascal celery (the common green variety) is ideal for cooking, snacking and juicing. Chinese celery (available from Asian grocers) has thinner, more aromatic stalks and stronger flavour — excellent for stir-fries and soups. Celeriac (celery root) is a different Apium variety valued for its root — excellent roasted or in soups. All are nutritionally similar with phthalides and apigenin present.
🧊 Storage tips & shelf life
Celery wilts rapidly at room temperature due to its high water content. If leaving on the bench briefly, stand stalks upright in a jar with 2cm of water — this keeps them hydrated. Only suitable in cool conditions. Always refrigerate in warm Australian weather.
The best storage method for whole celery is to wrap the entire bunch tightly in aluminium foil — this dramatically outperforms plastic wrap by allowing ethylene gas to escape while retaining moisture. Cut celery sticks keep crisp for up to 1 week submerged in water in a covered container in the fridge.
Frozen celery loses its crunchy texture completely and is only suitable for cooked dishes (soups, stews, stocks). Chop into 1–2cm pieces, blanch in boiling water 3 minutes, cool in ice bath, drain and freeze in zip-lock bags. Excellent for adding to soups and casseroles directly from frozen.
📖 About celery — complete guide
Celery has been cultivated since at least 850 BCE — ancient Egyptian records document it as a medicinal plant, and it appears in Homer's Odyssey as selinon. For most of European culinary history, celery was primarily a medicinal herb rather than a food vegetable, with the stalks considered bitter and unpalatable. The transformation into the mild, crisp Pascal variety now sold in supermarkets was achieved through selective breeding beginning in the 17th century in Italy and France. By the 19th century, celery had become a prestigious dinner party vegetable in England and America — served in special celery vases as a table centrepiece — before becoming the ubiquitous everyday vegetable it is today.
The most pharmacologically interesting aspect of celery is its phthalide content — a class of compounds unique to the Apiaceae (carrot/parsley) family that has attracted serious pharmaceutical attention. 3-n-butylphthalide (3nB) was originally isolated from celery as the compound responsible for its blood pressure-lowering effects and is now used as an active ingredient in pharmaceutical blood pressure medications in China. Research at the University of Chicago Medical Center demonstrated that consuming the equivalent of four celery stalks daily reduced blood pressure by approximately 12–14% in a clinical setting. This effect — combined with celery's near-zero caloric cost — makes it one of the most cost-effective blood pressure foods available.