There are few among us who are unfamiliar with celery. The stalks of this root vegetable are one of the most common, basic staple ingredients in Western cuisine. Added to the base of many delicious sauces, or dressed up with peanut butter and raisins as a kids’ snack, this fibrous vegetable is often found in veggie dip trays and as a part of other snacks.
Though we all know the green stalks of celery, not as many of us are familiar with celeriac, or celery root. While celeriac (apium graveolens) may not make an appearance as often as celery stalks, the healthy, knobby root of this common vegetable can be an extremely nutritious and flavorful component of many dishes.
Celeriac can be found everywhere on the plate from a simple garnish to adding a bit of flavor to a side dish or even helping round out the flavor of a casserole or other main dish. They can even be found in purees and sauces such as remoulade. Despite its versatility, celeriac is not a well-known ingredient to many consumers. This can be a blessing in disguise, as dishes flavored with this versatile root vegetable can carry subtle flavors not as easy to replicate at home.
What is the Health Benefit of Celery Root?
Celery root, also known as knob celery or turnip-rooted celery, has many benefits to offer through its high levels of certain nutrients. One of these is vitamin K, which helps promote bone health. Even if you have all the calcium you need in your diet, if you are not getting your full complement of vitamin K, you could be at an increased risk of bone fractures.
The high levels of vitamin K found in knob celery are also a powerful component of vascular health. Vitamin K is essential for proper blood clotting behavior, so fitting in foods like celeriac that are high in this nutrient can be highly beneficial. You should be careful with your vitamin k intake, though, if you have been placed on blood thinning medication by your doctor.
Celery root is also seen as a great component of a weight loss diet. As a good source of dietary fiber, low in total fat, and comparatively low in carbohydrates, celery root can add bulk and nutrients to food while not being high in the fats, sugars, or carbs many people are trying to avoid if they are losing weight.
Nutrition Facts About Celeriac
Unlike some other starchy root vegetables that have a less impressive nutrition profile, knob celery is rich in antioxidants such as vitamin B6. This makes it a great addition to your diet if you are looking for ways to reduce the oxidative stress on your body from free radicals. Red cabbage, broccoli, and leafy green vegetables like kale all fall into this category of antioxidant-rich foods that can bring about significant health benefits when added to your diet.
Celeriac is a naturally low-carb food, but there are some carbohydrates to be found. As such, if you are on a diet that bans every form of carb, you may want to avoid celeriac. Celery root can provide you with measurable amount of your recommended daily value of several nutrients including:
- vitamin K
- vitamin C
- phosphorus
- potassium
- dietary fiber
- manganese
- magnesium
Is Celery Root Better than Celery?
Whether celery root is better than the celery stalks we are most familiar with is a difficult question to answer. In part, this depends on what you are trying to cook and what you are looking for out of your food. If you are after a quick low-calorie snack to help you feel full while adding the fewest possible calories to your diet, celery stalks might be the way to go.
If, on the other hand, you are willing to do the work of peeling and preparing celeriac, and you are looking to add a little more nutritional punch, or some celery-like flavor to a dish, celeriac can pair well with parsnips and other winter root vegetables. This is one of the many advantages of working with Silva when you are sourcing ingredients: our celery root is already peeled and ready to integrate in any application.
Working with Celeriac
Celeriac is not a difficult vegetable to cook with, but preparing it does take a little more work than simply washing and slicing the stalks. It can be eaten raw in salads, but it is often found in casseroles or soups. Getting the balance of flavor and texture in soups can be difficult, which is why, like all our ingredients, Silva offers celery root in flake, cut, and powder sizes.
For many home chefs, tackling a new vegetable can be intimidating. For restaurant or commercial kitchens, though, adding new and nutritious ingredients is part of the magic that makes your food stand out from the crowd. That is part of why so many producers trust Silva to help them continue to create new and innovative recipes that will continue to capture consumer interest.
In addition to the variety of ingredients and flavors, the quality and consistency of everything that goes into your food matters immensely. This is why Silva works hard to source ingredients from only the best providers around the globe. It is also why we continue to refine and improve our processes to always ensure you have nothing but the highest quality ingredients that have been cleaned and sanitized to prevent contamination.
If you are interested in learning more about our extensive product line, or how Silva could help you create crave-worthy products to keep your customers coming back again and again, contact a member of our customer relationship team today.