The next time you make a trip to the produce aisle, you might want get yourself a few celery sticks. This underrated veggie adds crunch to salads, subtle depth to soups, and freshness to stir-fries. However, there’s more to what meats they eye.
A recent Health For Mzansi article highlights the versatile and numerous health benefits of celery, often overlooked in everyday cooking.
It explores how celery, beyond its common uses in salads, soups, and stir-fries, can be a key component in juices and smoothies, providing hydration and essential nutrients.
Cape Town horticulturalist Nomfusi Ntsobi explains that celery is low in calories but rich in volatile oils, carotenoids, flavonoids, essential oils, beta-carotene, vitamins, and minerals such as potassium, magnesium, and calcium.
“Every part of celery has been used in folk healing systems as homemade remedies and also serves as a food flavouring,” Ntsobi explains.
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How to use celery in recipes
Meanwhile, Nondyebo Mgoboza, head chef at Bertha House, Cape Town, elaborates on celery’s culinary benefits, noting its ability to enhance the flavour and texture, and different ways to use it in dishes.
“We include celery in our vegetable stocks, not only for its flavour but also for its texture, aroma, and numerous health benefits,” Mgoboza shares.
The article also explores celery sticks as a healthy snack, how it can transform sandwiches and egg, mayo and chicken dishes.
This article was first published on Health For Mzansi and written by Vateka Halile.
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