How to peel celery properly

Fragrant celery is a spicy vegetable that came from the Mediterranean countries. In terms of the content of vitamins and useful microelements, it occupies one of the leading positions among vegetables. Due to the high content of essential oils, it imparts a specific bright aroma to dishes and salads. All parts of the plant are eaten both raw and processed. And in this article, we will analyze the types of celery and how to properly peel it.

Types of celery and its characteristics

Aromatic celery - a biennial herb, with the appearance of leaves very similar to parsley, only much more massive. In the first year, the plant forms a powerful rosette of dark green leaves with a beautiful gloss, fleshy cuttings and a strong white root or even a root vegetable. In the second year, in early spring, green leaves appear, and by mid-July the plant is already blooming, in August the seeds ripen and the celery dries up almost immediately.

The appearance of celery depends on the variety to which it belongs: leaf, petiole, root.

Leafy celery is grown for aromatic greensrich in vitamins. It is eaten fresh, in salads, as a seasoning for soups and other dishes.

Petiolate celery is cultivated for stalks and leaves. The petioles reach a width of 4-5 cm, are very juicy, oily, contain a large amount of essential oils, vitamins, useful minerals. They are used to prepare the first and second courses, dietary low-calorie salads, add to pickles and preserves to add a piquant, bright aroma and pleasant taste.

The root type of celery is grown exclusively for the root crop, similar to large white beets and reaching from 500 to 900 grams of weight. The root vegetable is a real storehouse of vitamins, has a beneficial effect on the human body. It is used both fresh and in salads and hot dishes.

Useful and harmful properties of stems and roots

Stem celery is a valuable food product and has amazing medicinal properties. All the useful qualities of a vegetable would have to be listed for too long, but the most basic are: beneficial effect on the nervous, cardiovascular, digestive systems.

A healthy vegetable contains a large amount of proteins, B vitamins, carotene, vitamins E, K, C, valuable amino acids - nicotinic, asparagine, tyrosine, essential oils, trace elements - potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, manganese.

Celery has the following effects on the human body:

• slows down the aging process, helps to fight senile dementia;
• helps to restore water-salt balance;
• essential oils relieve nervous tension, increase efficiency, vitality, resistance to stress;
• has a beneficial effect on the walls of blood vessels, thereby restoring blood circulation and normalizing high blood pressure;
• due to the high content of vital minerals, vitamins B, PP, E, C, it has a positive effect on the condition of the skin, hair, lips and eyes;
• the root vegetable has a diuretic effect, daily use cleanses the kidneys and urinary tract;
• salads from raw vegetables with the addition of grated root vegetables should be consumed during diets, patients with diabetes mellitus, vegetarians;
• regular consumption of celery greens relieves heartburn, flatulence, constipation, stomach cramps, as it promotes the digestion of food and removes toxins from the body.

These are far from all the beneficial properties of the miracle vegetable.

But such a powerful remedy cannot be equally useful for everyone, therefore there are contraindications:

• with urolithiasis in order to avoid the movement of stones and exacerbation of the disease;
• with varicose veins, blood clots;
• due to the high content of essential oils, it is not recommended during pregnancy and lactation, with colitis and enterocolitis.

How to eat a stem vegetable

All parts of the plant are equally useful and suitable for food. But since most of the essential compounds, vitamins and trace elements are destroyed during heat treatment, celery is eaten raw, peeled beforehand. Young green leaves - as a seasoning for salads, fish and meat dishes.

How to peel the petioles

Juicy, crispy, aromatic petiole pulp is an excellent ingredient for salads, appetizers, sauces. But not many people know that in order to fully enjoy the taste and aroma of green stems, they must be thoroughly cleaned.

The top layer of the petioles consists of tough, long fibers that make it difficult to chew the vegetable... Therefore, before eating, cutting into salads, etc. you need to cut off the top layer with a regular or economy knife.

Ways to cook food correctly

Dishes made from celery stalks and root vegetables may not be as rich in vitamins and fiber, but they will certainly have a piquant taste and aroma. The vegetable is used to make soups, vegetable stews, side dishes, as a filler or additive to sauces. It can be boiled, stewed or fried in sunflower or olive oil.

Without a doubt, celery is exactly the vegetable that should be constantly on our table in any form. Such a useful product cannot be excluded from the diet. According to nutritionists, daily use of the product will have a positive effect on the entire body, the functioning of internal organs, the condition of hair, nails and skin.