Celery Nutrition Facts: Calories, Vitamins & Health Benefits

One cup (101g) of chopped celery contains just 16 calories, provides 14% of your daily vitamin K needs, and delivers valuable amounts of vitamin A, potassium, and dietary fiber. This crunchy vegetable offers hydration benefits with 95% water content while contributing antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds that support heart health and digestion.

Why Celery Deserves a Place in Your Daily Diet

When you're searching for "celery nutritional value," you're likely looking for more than just basic numbers. You want to know how this common vegetable actually benefits your health and whether it's worth incorporating into your meals. The truth is, celery's nutritional profile punches far above its weight class despite its reputation as a "negative calorie" food.

Celery's Complete Nutritional Profile

Understanding celery's nutritional composition requires looking beyond just calorie counts. This versatile vegetable offers a spectrum of essential nutrients that contribute to overall wellness. Let's examine what makes celery nutritionally valuable.

Nutrient	Amount per 1 Cup (101g)	% Daily Value
Calories	16	1%
Total Fat	0.1g	0%
Sodium	80mg	3%
Total Carbohydrate	3g	1%
Dietary Fiber	1.6g	6%
Sugars	1.3g	-
Protein	0.7g	1%
Vitamin A	453 IU	9%
Vitamin C	3.1mg	5%
Vitamin K	32.2mcg	27%
Potassium	260mg	7%
Folate	36.4mcg	9%

Data source: USDA FoodData Central

Health Benefits Backed by Science

Celery isn't just a low-calorie snack—it contains powerful plant compounds that deliver measurable health benefits. Research from the National Institutes of Health shows that celery's apigenin and luteolin flavonoids have significant anti-inflammatory properties.

Heart Health Support

The potassium content in celery (260mg per cup) helps regulate blood pressure by counteracting sodium's effects. A study published in Hypertension found that increased potassium intake correlates with reduced cardiovascular disease risk.

Digestive Benefits

With 1.6g of dietary fiber per cup and high water content, celery promotes healthy digestion. The insoluble fiber adds bulk to stool while soluble fiber feeds beneficial gut bacteria. Unlike some high-fiber foods, celery rarely causes bloating or gas when consumed in moderate amounts.

Hydration and Electrolyte Balance

At 95% water content, celery contributes significantly to daily hydration needs. Its natural sodium-potassium balance makes it particularly effective for rehydration after exercise, outperforming many sports drinks for natural electrolyte replacement.

Maximizing Celery's Nutritional Value

How you prepare celery dramatically affects its nutritional benefits. Research from the Journal of Food Science and Technology reveals that:

• Consuming celery with its leaves provides 3x more vitamin K and calcium than stalks alone
• Light cooking (steaming for 5 minutes) increases antioxidant availability by 25%
• Pairing celery with healthy fats (like olive oil) enhances absorption of fat-soluble vitamins
• Storing celery in water preserves crunch and nutrient content longer than dry storage

Celery Compared to Other Vegetables

While celery isn't the most nutrient-dense vegetable, it offers unique advantages in specific contexts:

Nutrient	Celery	Cucumber	Carrot
Calories (per cup)	16	16	52
Vitamin K (%DV)	27%	10%	16%
Potassium (mg)	260	152	410
Dietary Fiber (g)	1.6	0.5	3.6
Unique Compounds	Apigenin, Luteolin	Cucurbitacins	Beta-carotene

This comparison shows celery's advantage in vitamin K content and unique phytonutrients, though carrots provide more fiber and beta-carotene. Cucumber shares similar hydration properties but lacks celery's distinctive antioxidant profile.

Practical Ways to Incorporate Celery Daily

Forget the tired celery-and-peanut-butter snack—modern nutrition science reveals more effective ways to leverage celery's benefits:

Morning Hydration Boost

Start your day with celery juice (made from whole stalks including leaves) for maximum nutrient extraction. Unlike store-bought versions, homemade celery juice retains all fiber and enzymes. Add lemon for enhanced vitamin C absorption.

Cooking Applications

Use celery as a flavor base in soups and stews (mirepoix), but add it during the last 10 minutes of cooking to preserve nutrients. The leaves make an excellent garnish for fish dishes, providing both flavor and nutritional benefits.

Snacking Strategies

Pair celery sticks with hummus or Greek yogurt dip to increase protein content and fat-soluble vitamin absorption. For a metabolic boost, try celery with almond butter and a sprinkle of chia seeds.

Important Considerations and Limitations

While celery offers numerous benefits, it's essential to understand its limitations:

• Celery lacks significant protein and healthy fats, so pair it with complementary foods
• People with celery allergies (common in pollen-food syndrome) should avoid raw celery
• The sodium content (80mg per cup) matters for those on strict low-sodium diets
• Celery's oxalate content may be problematic for individuals prone to kidney stones

According to the FDA Food Allergen Education, celery ranks among the top 10 food allergens in Europe, though it's less common in the United States.

Conclusion: Celery's Role in Balanced Nutrition

Celery's nutritional value extends far beyond its low-calorie reputation. When incorporated thoughtfully into your diet, it provides valuable hydration, specific vitamins and minerals, and unique plant compounds that support multiple aspects of health. The key is understanding how to maximize its benefits through proper preparation and strategic pairing with other nutrient-dense foods.

Does celery really have negative calories?

No, the concept of 'negative calorie' foods is a myth. While celery is very low in calories (16 per cup) and requires some energy to digest, the thermic effect of food only accounts for about 10% of calories consumed. Celery provides valuable nutrients despite its low calorie count.

Is celery juice worth the hype for health benefits?

Whole celery provides more fiber and balanced nutrition than juice. While celery juice contains concentrated nutrients, you lose the valuable fiber during juicing. For maximum benefits, consume both whole celery and juice, but prioritize whole food consumption for better digestive health.

Which part of celery has the most nutritional value?

Celery leaves contain significantly higher concentrations of nutrients than stalks, including 3 times more vitamin K, calcium, and potassium. Many people discard the leaves, but they're actually the most nutritionally dense part and can be used like parsley in recipes.

How does cooking affect celery's nutritional value?

Light cooking (steaming for 5 minutes) actually increases the availability of certain antioxidants in celery by 25% while preserving most nutrients. However, boiling for extended periods leaches water-soluble vitamins. For maximum benefit, steam briefly or consume raw with healthy fats to enhance nutrient absorption.