Organic Celery

Celery has a crunchy texture and a special taste. It is available throughout the year but is in season during the summer. It grows to a height of 12 -16 inches and is made of leaf topped stalks that are arranged in conical shape with a common base. Its central stalks are most tender and are called the heart. The celery is a biennial vegetable that, although prized for its stalks, its leaves, roots and seeds are also used as food, as a seasoning and also as a natural medicinal remedy.

The list of agricultural chemicals used on celery is quite extensive. So, it is very important to find organic celery for your cooking.

What to look for?

• Celery should look crisp and snap easily on pulling apart, with a tight and compact stalk.
• Its leaves should be pale to bright, clean and devoid of yellow or brown patches.
• Check for brown or black discoloration by separating its stalks and avoid celery with seed stems as they are bitterer in taste.

Storage and preparation tips:

• Store in a sealed container, plastic bag or damp cloth in the refrigerator and not at room temperature
• Cut or peeled celery have to be dried when storing to prevent drainage of nutrients
• Do not freeze celery as it wilts them
• Clean celery by cutting off its base and leaves and then washing leaves and stalks under water
• Fibrous strings found outside the celery have to be removed by making a thin cut at the end of the stalk and peeling off fibers
• Wilted celery can be sprinkled with water and placed in the refrigerator to regain its crispness

Cooking and use of celery

Celery can be eaten raw with dips or spread with peanut butter, cheese or some other spread for dinner. It is often used in salad as it gives flavor and texture to the salad.

Chunked and diced celery are great for soups and stews. Dried celery leaves can be added to soups and tuna or chicken salad sandwiches.

Cooking celery is possible, but it removes the color. This is solved by cooking celery quickly, cooking with lots of water or by cooking with the lid off so that volatile acids escape into the air.

Celery Nutrition Facts

Celery is a rich source of vitamin C that promotes health, and of compounds like phalides that help lower cholesterol. Its coumarins help in cancer prevention by decreasing cell mutations.