Celery (Apium graveolens L.) or ache des marais or parsley, is a biennial herbaceous plant of the Apiaceae family, cultivated as a vegetable for its leaves and its tuberous root consumed as vegetables.
In the wild, it grows near streams and in humid places.
It is one of the plants whose cultivation is recommended in royal domains by Charlemagne in the chapter house De Villis (late 8th or early 9th century).
Medicinal
The nutritional properties of celery are well known, but there are also medicinal properties: the leaves and roots are depurative, diuretic, carminative, stomachic, invigorating. The plant is also said to be an aphrodisiac.
An aspect rarely mentioned is its photo-sensitizing property, in particular for UV radiation. Celery leaves contain phototoxic furanocoumarins (psoralen and its methoxylated forms xanthotoxin and bergaptene). Prolonged contact with the plant followed by exposure to the sun can cause skin accidents. Acute dermatitis is mostly seen in farmers or workers in the processing industries. The risks of phototoxicity after ingestion are more limited. However, it is sometimes dangerous to expose yourself to the sun after eating celery. The risk is severe burns. The dangerousness depends on the dose consumed and the UV index of the moment.
Celery is rich in nitrates which turn into nitrites thanks to bacteria in the mouth. According to a study in 2010, these nitrites are involved in vasodilation and thinning of the blood, which improves the flow of blood to certain areas of the brain which, over time, are less perfused. A daily dose of celery can potentially prevent dementia and cognitive impairment by improving this cerebral blood flow. The health effects of nitrates and nitrites can also be negative.
FoodCelery (roe and leaf) is used in cooking both as a condiment and as a vegetable; we also make it a juice. It is allergenic for some people.
Celery is very low in calories (between 12 and 20 kilocalories per 100 grams, or about 50 to 100 kilojoules). According to some authors, its digestion consumes more calories than the food provides.
Its tender, finely chopped leaves can be used to spice up various preparations, including soups and sauces. Their taste, stronger than that of parsley, is reminiscent of lovage.
The celery branch ribs are eaten cooked, most often sautéed in white sauce or cream or in gratin (a vegetable similar to Swiss chard ribs). They can also be eaten raw, finely cut, in salads.
The celery root, with a slightly spicy flavor, is eaten raw, grated in a remoulade, or cooked, for example in gratin, soup, mashed or sautéed.
The seeds are used to flavor fish and cauliflower, and can, when infused in brandy, give a liquor.
Ribs and peels are sometimes added to the bouquet garni.
Salt with celery seed or seeds, dried and crushed, is a condiment known as "celery salt". This seasoning can replace table salt, flavor fresh vegetables, soups and especially tomato juice as well as many cocktails.
Nomenclature and etymology
The term "celery" is originally a word borrowed from an Italian dialect, Lombard, seleri which derives from the Latin selinon, word originally designating the plant in Greek.
This species is designated by many common names: celery, also written celery, swamp ache, fragrant ache, smelly ache, swamp parsley, fragrant parsley, Italian celery ... to which must be added the names of the varieties below .
from: Staudensellerie, Stielsellerie, in: celery, es: apio, apio bastardo.
In Antiquity, the plant was known as "Selenon", or "plant of the moon". To be compared to Selene, the Greek goddess of the Moon.
There are four main varieties in this species, three of which are commonly cultivated:
- Apium graveolens var. graveolens: the ache of the marshes;
- Apium graveolens var. dulce: celery stick or ribbed celery;
- Apium graveolens var. rapaceum, celeriac or celery turnip;
- Apium graveolens var. secalinum: cut celery, or Chinese celery.