Is Celery a Superfood?

Dr. Lindsey Mcilvena, MD

In her day job, treating patients living with chronic disease, nutrition and lifestyle are not after-thoughts, they’re central to helping her patients get well. She’s also our go-to expert on plant-based diets.

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Have you been wondering if celery is worth anything from a nutrition standpoint? Or is it just a bunch of water disguised as a green vegetable? Let’s dig into this a little deeper and see where science sits on this issue.

According to the USDA, one cup of chopped celery contains quite a few vitamins and minerals—small amounts of vitamin B6, niacin, riboflavin, vitamin C, and vitamin E. As for minerals, not too shabby, small amounts of iron, magnesium, phosphorous, zinc, copper, manganese, and selenium. It’s low calorie, low fat veggie, with a little fiber and protein to round it out.

What is even more impressive, is that same serving of celery contains 10% of the daily recommended value of potassium, folate, and vitamin A. But here’s the kicker: One cup of celery is packed with 37% of the daily recommended value of vitamin K. Yep, you can thank celery for helping you to not bleed to death when you get a cut—owing to its vitamin K content.

What about phytonutrients? Glad you asked. Celery happens to be high in luteolin, a flavone that has shown promise in preventing colon cancer cells from replicating. Celery is also a significant source of butylphthalide, which is anti-inflammatory, and shows promise in decreasing cholesterol and blood pressure, and slowing dementia.

While celery can’t be classified as a nutritional powerhouse like the other SuperFoods, it is really a great addition to your diet. So don’t be shy the next time you’re in the grocery store — buy the celery, it does a body good.

Sources: BMC, USDA, The Journal of Neuroscience