Celery: Recipes And Benefits
We tell you how to include celery into our diet and the best recipes to enjoy all of its benefits
Editorial
23/05/2019 10:00h
Celery benefits and calories
Celery is a plant of the Apiaceae family, such as carrots and parsley, and is consumed as a vegetable. It can now be found in many parts of the world and has been integrated into many diets of different cuisines.
Its origin dates back to the Mediterranean and North African areas, as the tomb of King Tut contains what is believed to be a variety of celery species. Also, a plant very similar to this one is mentioned several times in the history and myths of the Mediterranean.
Today, celery is grown worldwide and is part of every kitchen in the world, from the United States and Ireland to Japan and Australia.
This vegetable is well known to be low in calories, but its health benefits go beyond its use as a dietetic food. It contains phytonutrients, vitamins, and minerals. Raw celery can be consumed by adding it to sandwiches, cooked dishes, sautées and salads.
Unlike some vegetables, celery retains most of its nutrients, even if steamed. One study compared a vegetable that had been steamed, boiled and blanched and found that 10 minutes of steaming allowed it to maintain 83-99% of their antioxidants.
On the other hand, boiling and blanching caused a loss of antioxidants of 38 to 41 percent. So in order to benefit from all the vitamins and minerals in celery, steaming or eating raw is more recommended.
Celery should be eaten within seven days of purchase, as well as all other vegetables. After five to seven days, significant amounts of antioxidants disappear. Moreover, the healthiest flavonoids are conserved more in the freshly cut vegetable than the one that is cut and stored.
Celery has some properties that have been associated with different health benefits. The best way to get all its nutrients and vitamins is to eat it raw. Next, we tell you all in more detail:
1. Antioxidants source
Celery contains at least 12 different types of antioxidant nutrients found in a single stem. It also contains vitamin C, beta-carotene and flavonoids.
2. May reduce inflammation
Celery seeds and stems contain about 25 anti-inflammatory compounds that can provide protection against inflammation.
3. Promotes digestion
While its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients offer protection to the entire digestive tract, celery can also offer special benefits to the stomach.
Pectin-based polysaccharides found in celery have been shown to decrease cases of stomach ulcers, improve the lining of the stomach, and regulate its secretions. However, it is important to note that these studies have only been conducted in non-human animals.
Moreover, 95% of celery is water and contains generous amounts of soluble and insoluble fiber. About 225 grams of this vegetable contains 5 grams of dietary fiber. All these elements help to have a healthy digestive tract and contribute to the regulation of intestinal transit.
4. It is rich in vitamins and minerals
Celery provides us with vitamins A, K, and C, as well as minerals such as potassium and folate. It is also low in sodium. It also has a low glycaemic index, which means that it has a slow and constant effect on blood sugar.
5. It has an alkalizing effect
With minerals such as magnesium, iron, and sodium, celery can have a neutralizing effect on acidic foods. Also, these minerals are necessary for the vital functions of our body.
How to eat it
This vegetable can be easily found in any supermarket. We have to choose the one that presents a green color, without discoloration, with fresh and crunchy leaves. To keep it optimal for consumption we have to keep it in the fridge and consume it between 5 and 7 days. We cannot freeze it.
For culinary use, it is usually used in soups and salads, or as a garnish for some dishes. Also, it is popular to eat it raw as a sandwich, as it swells quite a lot and is very low in calories.
If you've ever wondered how to eat raw celery, we recommend you to add some chopped leaves to vegetables, meat or fruit salads with nuts. You can also add them to soups and sauces, as they give it a delicious flavor.
To be able to use celery in recipes, we have to know how to cook it. It is important that the stems are cut away from the base, that they are washed and that we chop them if we want to eat them raw. Once it has been washed and chopped, we can serve it with cheese, in salads, in sandwiches, to season stuffings, in soups, in sauces, and in stews.
Whole stems can be steamed or boiled. This vegetable is a very useful winter vegetable which, in a season when fresh herbs are scarce, can also be used for garnishing and seasoning dishes.
4 celery recipes
We should not underestimate celery, because it is a vegetable that although many people only use it for soups, we can make many recipes with it. To inspire you and incorporate this vegetable into your diet, we present some celery recipes that will make you enjoy it.
1. Celery juice
To prepare a celery juice we need 1 kale cabbage leaf, 1 small bunch of spinach, half a banana, half an apple, 1 stem of celery, 1 teaspoon of linseed, 1 glass of water.
Put all the ingredients in a mixer and beat until all the ingredients have mixed perfectly. If we see that the shake has become too thick we can add more water.
2. Celery cream
Cream may be one of the best-known recipes with this vegetable. To make the cream you will need 250 g celery, 1 onion, 1 clove of garlic, 1 potato, white pepper, butter, salt, and olive oil.
Chop the garlic, celery, and onion and poach everything in a pot with oil and a little butter. Peel and dice the potato and add it to the pot with the rest of the ingredients. Turn it over a couple of times and add vegetable broth or water. Let all the ingredients cook for 15 minutes. Once the potato is cooked, blend all the ingredients together.
3. Celery soup
This celery soup recipe is ideal for warming up the winter months. For the recipe, we need 1 onion, 4 celery stems, ground cumin, oil, and salt.
Cut the onion julienne and celery and thin slices. Put oil in the pan and add the cumin and vegetables. Add the water and cook for 10 minutes. When the time has passed, blend everything and serve with fresh leaves.
4. Celery salad
Celery salad is usually eaten during the spring and summer months and is a perfect option for hot weather. To prepare it we need 2 apples, 2 celery branches, 100 g walnuts, 200 g fresh cheese, 100 g raisins, 300 g endive, 1 yogurt, 1 cucumber, mint, salt, lemon juice, and olive oil.
To make the yogurt sauce, peel and blend the cucumber and add it to the lemon juice and salt. Add the yogurt, olive oil and a handful of chopped mint. Stir until we get a smooth texture. Set aside in the fridge.
We laminate the apples without peeling them and cut the cheese into cubes. Place the endive leaves on a plate and add the apple slices, cheese cubes, nuts, and chopped celery. Dress the salad with the yogurt and cucumber sauce.
Check out the original article Apio: recetas y propiedades del apio at viviendolasalud.com