Celery Calories: 6 Facts You Need to Know

One medium celery stalk (about 40g) contains just 6 calories, making it one of the lowest-calorie vegetables available. This crisp vegetable is 95% water and provides essential nutrients like vitamin K, potassium, and fiber with virtually no caloric impact.

Why Celery Is a Calorie Counter's Best Friend

When you're tracking your daily calorie intake, finding foods that deliver flavor and texture without significant caloric cost is essential. Celery stands out as a nutritional powerhouse that barely registers on your calorie counter. But understanding why celery has so few calories requires examining its unique composition.

The Science Behind Celery's Negligible Calorie Count

Celery's remarkably low calorie profile stems from its simple biochemical structure. Unlike starchy vegetables that store energy as complex carbohydrates, celery consists primarily of water and indigestible fiber. When you consume celery, your body expends nearly as many calories breaking it down as the vegetable provides.

Nutrient	Per Medium Stalk (40g)	Daily Value %
Calories	6	<1%
Total Carbohydrate	1.2g	<1%
Dietary Fiber	0.6g	2%
Vitamin K	13mcg	16%
Potassium	104mg	3%

This nutritional breakdown comes directly from the USDA FoodData Central database, the most authoritative source for nutritional information in the United States. The data shows that while celery provides minimal calories, it delivers meaningful amounts of essential nutrients, particularly vitamin K which supports blood clotting and bone health.

Practical Applications for Weight Management

Understanding celery's calorie profile is one thing, but implementing it effectively in your diet is where the real value lies. Nutritionists often recommend what they call the "crunch strategy"—using high-volume, low-calorie foods like celery to create satiety without excess calories.

Here's how to maximize celery's benefits:

• Pre-meal crunch: Eat 2-3 celery stalks 15 minutes before meals to reduce overall calorie intake
• Smart snacking: Pair celery with 1 tablespoon of natural peanut butter for a 100-calorie snack with balanced nutrients
• Hydration boost: The high water content helps meet daily fluid needs while providing structure and texture
• Flavor carrier: Use celery as a base for soups and stews to add depth without calories

Debunking the Negative Calorie Myth

You've probably heard claims that celery has "negative calories"—meaning your body burns more calories digesting it than it provides. While this makes for catchy headlines, the reality is more nuanced.

According to research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the thermic effect of food (calories burned during digestion) for celery is approximately 8-10% of its caloric content. This means you'd burn about 0.5 calories digesting a 6-calorie celery stalk—not enough to create a true negative calorie effect, but still exceptionally low-impact.

Celery in Context: How It Compares to Other Vegetables

When evaluating celery's place in a healthy diet, comparison with other common vegetables provides valuable perspective:

Vegetable	Calories per 100g	Fiber (g)	Water Content
Celery	16	1.6	95%
Cucumber	15	0.5	96%
Lettuce	15	1.3	95%
Spinach	23	2.2	92%
Broccoli	55	2.6	91%

While celery isn't the absolute lowest-calorie vegetable, its combination of minimal calories, moderate fiber content, and high water percentage makes it exceptionally valuable for weight management strategies. Unlike some very low-calorie vegetables that lack significant nutrients, celery provides meaningful amounts of vitamin K and potassium.

Maximizing Nutritional Benefits Without Extra Calories

Many people undermine celery's low-calorie advantage by loading it with high-calorie additions. To maintain its diet-friendly profile while enhancing flavor:

• Use lemon juice and herbs instead of creamy dressings
• Add celery to vegetable-based smoothies for texture without significant calories
• Stuff celery with a small amount of Greek yogurt instead of traditional cream cheese
• Create vegetable broth using celery as a base for zero-calorie flavor enhancement

The U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend filling half your plate with vegetables at meals—a goal easily supported by incorporating low-calorie options like celery that add volume without excess energy.

When Celery Might Not Be the Best Choice

While celery's low calorie count makes it excellent for weight management, it has limitations in certain dietary contexts:

• For athletes needing quick energy: Celery lacks the carbohydrates needed for rapid energy replenishment
• For those with specific nutrient deficiencies: While good for vitamin K, it doesn't provide significant iron or vitamin C
• For kidney stone prevention: Contains moderate oxalates, so those prone to calcium-oxalate stones may need to moderate intake

Nutrition science shows that dietary variety matters more than any single food. The National Institutes of Health emphasizes that a balanced approach incorporating multiple vegetable types delivers the best health outcomes.

Practical Integration into Daily Eating Patterns

Research from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health shows that people who successfully maintain weight loss incorporate low-calorie density foods like celery into their regular eating patterns. Here are evidence-based strategies:

• Meal starter technique: Begin meals with a small celery-based salad to reduce overall calorie consumption
• Flavor foundation: Use celery in mirepoix (with onions and carrots) as the base for soups and sauces
• Hydration enhancer: Add celery slices to water for subtle flavor without calories
• Crunch replacement: Substitute celery for higher-calorie crunchy snacks like crackers

These practical applications demonstrate how understanding the caloric profile of foods like celery translates to real-world dietary success. The key isn't just knowing that celery has 6 calories per stalk—it's understanding how to leverage that information effectively in your daily eating habits.

How many calories are in one cup of chopped celery?

One cup (about 100g) of chopped celery contains approximately 16 calories, making it an excellent low-calorie option for adding volume to meals without significant caloric impact.

Is celery really a negative calorie food?

No, celery is not technically a negative calorie food. While it contains very few calories (about 6 per medium stalk), the energy required to digest it is only about 8-10% of its caloric content. This means you'd burn approximately 0.5 calories digesting a 6-calorie celery stalk, not more than it provides.

How does celery compare to other low-calorie vegetables?

Celery (16 calories per 100g) is comparable to cucumbers (15 calories) and lettuce (15 calories), but slightly lower than spinach (23 calories) and significantly lower than vegetables like broccoli (55 calories). What makes celery particularly valuable is its combination of low calories, moderate fiber content, and high water percentage (95%).

Can eating celery help with weight loss?

Yes, celery can support weight loss efforts when used strategically. Its high water content and fiber promote satiety while adding minimal calories. Nutritionists recommend using celery as a pre-meal snack or incorporating it into meals to increase volume without significantly increasing calorie count, helping create a calorie deficit necessary for weight loss.

What nutrients does celery provide besides being low in calories?

Despite its low calorie count, celery provides valuable nutrients including vitamin K (16% of daily value per stalk), potassium (3% of daily value), and dietary fiber. It also contains antioxidants like apigenin and luteolin, which have anti-inflammatory properties according to research published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.