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Celeriac nutrition facts

Celeriac or root celery is a closely related variety of common leaf celery, grown for its knobby underground root. Root celery is popular winter-season root vegetable as mashed, in soups, and stews, especially in the countryside of Eastern and North European region. It belongs to the carrot or apiaceae family, of the genus; Apium and known scientifically as Apium graveolens var. rapaceum.

Fresh root celery in a market. Photo courtesy: nostri-imago

Celeriac is a biennial or perennial and has similar growth habit and appearance like celery. It requires full sun and enough moisture in the soil to flourish. The unique feature, however, is that it develops wide root base extending to turnip like large, gray, globular tuber just underneath the ground surface. Its celery-like leaves feature long, hollow petioles and rarely used in recipes unlike as in celery.

The root features coarse, knobby, outer surface with small rootlets. Inside, white smooth flesh has celery-like flavor. It measures about 3-4 inches in diameter and weigh about 1-2 pound.

Health benefits of Celeriac

• Celeriac is very low in calories. 100 g root contains just 42 calories, slightly higher than its leaf-tops. Its smooth flesh has some health benefiting plant-nutrients, minerals, vitamins, and dietary fiber.

• Like in carrots and other members of apiaceae family vegetables, celeriac too contains many poly-acetylene anti-oxidants such as falcarinol, falcarindiol, panaxydiol, and methyl-falcarindiol.

• Several research studies from scientists at University of Newcastle at Tyne found that these compounds have anti-cancer function and offer protection from colon cancer and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

• Celeriac is very good source of vitamin K. 100 g root provides about 41 mcg or 34% of recommended daily intake. Vitamin-K help increase bone mass by promoting osteotrophic activity in the bones. It also has established role in Alzheimer's disease patients by limiting neuronal damage in the brain.

• The root is very good source of some of essential minerals such as phosphorus, iron, calcium, copper, and manganese. Phosphorus is essential for cell metabolism, buffer system, bone and teeth. Copper helps restore immunity, prevents anemia, and required for bone metabolism.

• Further, it contains some of valuable B-complex vitamins such as pyridoxine, pantothenic acid, niacin, riboflavin, and thiamin. Fresh root also provides moderate amounts of vitamin C (8 mg per 100 g).

Selection and storage

If grown in the backyard, celeriac will be ready to harvest by August; and available until December. In the stores, Celery roots are readily available in the native farm markets and in some up-markets from September to April. Buy medium size tubers measuring about 3-4 inches in diameter. Look for smooth, even surface roots, as they are easy to peel and have subtle flavor. Avoid large, over-matured roots and roots with surface cracks. 

Once at home, store celeriac as you would do for turnips and carrots. It has very good keeping quality and keeps well for 3-4 months if stored between 0°C and 5°C and not allowed to dry out. So keep it in a plastic bag inside the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator. Do not keep in the deep freezer.

Preparation and serving methods

To prepare, just scrub and wash the root in cold running water to remove off surface sand and soil. Mop dry using absorbent cloth. Trim off top and base. Then cut the entire tuber into four quarters. Slice off the outer skin using thick knife. Like potato, it turns brownish discoloration upon exposure to air. Just rub a lemon or orange slice over the cut surface to prevent it. Chop the white flesh into cubes, slices as you desire before adding to the recipes. Boiled celeriac can be mashed and added to vegetables.

Here are some serving tips:

Plaice served with green peas, broad beans and mashed celeriac. Photo courtesy: adactio

• Celeriac is used as you use other root vegetables. It imparts delicate celery flavor to the recipes it is added.

• It can be used raw in salads, coleslaw, French celeriac remoulade, as a garnish (grated)…etc.

• Boiled and mashed celeriac can make delicious mix with mashed potato. It can then be served with fish, meat, and with other root vegetables like potato, beets, kohlrabi, turnip, carrots…etc.

• Root celery can also be used in soups, sauce, pie, casseroles…etc.

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