The long stalks are tapering to leaves; celery indeed is an attractive vegetable making it a perfect addition to our diets.
Celery is often called a superfood and rightly so due to its innumerable health benefits and a refreshingly fresh taste. Irrespective of the type of celery you chose the nutrient benefits of this plant are spread all across its body including the leaves, roots, stem, seeds, and stalks.
Globally celery is served as a plate vegetable, and its various varieties are often cultivated for its large stalk. While buying celery chose the one which is crispy and snaps easily when pulled apart.
The leaves of the plant that you select should be dark green with no yellow or brown patches, and lastly, the celery with seeds stem are more bitter than others.
Types of Celery
1) Green or Pascal Celery
The Pascal celery is the most common and popular type of celery in the U.S.A. It has thick and crunchy stalks with goldish hue and gets ready to harvest in about 130 days. It easily endures the cold climatic conditions. A few examples of pascal celery are:
- Golden Boy Celery
- Monterey
- Tall Utah
- Conquistador
2) Celeriac
Celeriac is majorly grown for its delectable root rather than the stalks. The root can be peeled and consumed raw and can also be cooked. When the celeriac is fool grown, they can be as big as a mature potato. This celeriac is mild in flavor and taste. The celeriac is available in many types, namely:
- Giant Prague
- Brilliant
- President
- Mentor
- Diamante
3) Leaf Celery
This celery often has thin stalks and has amazingly aromatic leaves and seeds. It is the closest you can get to the old world smallage which in itself was an ancestor to celery. It usually delivers a much stronger flavor when compared to the other types of celery. Further, it is available in various varieties namely:
- Par-Cel
- Safir
- Flora 55
4) Golden and Self Blanching Varieties
This celery has thin petioles which are less fibrous and have much less storage than the greener ones. This celery produces white stalks which have a sweet flavor. Some examples of this type are:
- Lathom Blanching
- Jason
- Golden Plume
5) Celery Stalks
This type of celery generally grows well in most of the U.S.A and is one of the traditional forms of celery.
These were the basic classification. Further, a few common varieties have been mentioned below with their prominent features:
1) Redventure
It is a famous celery variety and has a reddish appearance due to their stems being red. These usually are very rich and deep in their flavor and have a nutty taste to them.
2) Ventura
This type of celery has large stems which are usually green and upright.
3) Utah
The Utah variety has green stringless stalks. It is usually sown during spring and harvested in fall.
4) Brilliant
This is a type of celeriac and generally produces fibreless roots which are white.
5) Ehud
Another celeriac knew which has dense and almost fibreless roots with ivory white color to them.
6) Par-Cel
This celery has curly leaves and grows almost up to 3 feet.
7) Cutting Leaf Celery
This celery has dark green and rounded stalks with dense leaves. The stalk is usually flexible and thin. It can be a perfect choice for your container gardens.
8) Wild Celery
It is not an edible variety and grows underwater only.
Health Benefits of Celery
Celery does not just look spectacular added on the plates of our various food items but is immensely healthy and is known to have healing properties.
Ogden Nash had once quoted “Celery Raw, Develops the jaw,” which indeed was just a way to highlight one of the many benefits offered by this amazing food item.
Some of its other well – known benefits include:
1) Celery possesses some of the best chemopreventive properties and thus, protects us from the risk of cancer.
2) Phytonutrients are an essential component of celery which possesses anti-inflammatory properties. It is a well – fact the celery extract helps in reduction of certain proteins that cause inflammation.
3) Due to the abundant fiber content celery aids digestion and also lowers the body’s cholesterol levels.
4) Celery contains phytochemical named phthalides. Its main function is to relax the walls of our arteries and to increase the blood flow which in turn reduces the blood pressure. The same phytochemical is known to be a relaxant for the smooth muscles around your blood vessels.
5) In traditional medicine history, celery was known for being hypertensive.
6) Celery is full of vitamin C, and the same vitamin is responsible for our healthy immune system, and so, celery helps in promoting a healthy immune system.
7) The essential oils contained in celery are known to calm the nervous system, while its high magnesium content helps in regulating our sleep cycle and provides relaxation to our mind, body, and soul as a whole.
8) Vitamin A deficiency can cause many vision impairments but, celery is a great source of vitamin A and helps in preventing our eyes and eyesight for all such damage.
9) As celery is rich in flavonoids, it thus inhibits the production of certain bacteria which help in maintaining a healthy stomach and esophageal lining.
10) Due to its high vitamin and mineral content celery is considered very useful for our skin. It prevents aging and also protects against damage from free radicals. Celery also helps in cleansing our face and prevent the break out of pimples and acne.
11) One of the major problems faced globally is a migraine and tinctures of celery seeds are known to be helpful in getting relief from the same.
12) As celery has 95% water content. Thus, it keeps you hydrated and prevents dehydration.
13) Luteolin is known for its positive effects in the cure of kidney stones, and the same is present in celery.
Conclusion
Celery is not just. Crunchy, low-calorie vegetable but also a trunk load of goodness for your body. Its unique structure is appreciated all around the globe. The benefits mentioned above for sure can please you enough to add this healthy food to your routine diet.
The best part is that even boiling and steaming does not affect the nutritional content of the stalky vegetable.
One last point to be noted will be the fact that there can be a possibility that you might be allergic to celery, so make sure when you consume it for the first time, note if you feel anything odd.