Celery

🌿 What Is Celery?
Celery is a crunchy, low-calorie vegetable from the Apiaceae family, commonly used in soups, salads, and snacks. It naturally contains vitamins K, C, and A, as well as antioxidants, fiber, and natural electrolytes.

🤔 Why Might a Sensitivity to Celery Occur?
A sensitivity to celery might occur due to several natural components:

• Plant proteins: Celery contains its own unique proteins that may be more noticeable to certain individuals.

• Cross-reactive plant families: Celery belongs to the Apiaceae family, which includes carrots, parsley, fennel, and coriander, and individuals may notice overlapping patterns.

• Psoralens: These naturally occurring plant compounds may be more stimulating in sensitive individuals.

• Fibrous structure: Celery contains dense, stringy fibers that may be more difficult to process for some.

🛠️ What Can I Do About It?

• Avoid celery for 8 weeks to allow your system to settle.

• Check prepared foods—soups, broths, sauces, seasonings, and spice blends often contain celery.

• After 8 weeks, reintroduce celery slowly and observe your response before retesting.

💊 Supportive General Supplements

• Digestive enzymes – May support the breakdown of fibrous plant components.

• Probiotics – May support overall gut balance.

• Quercetin – Often used for general support with plant-compound responses.

• L-Glutamine – Commonly used to support the gut lining and overall digestive comfort.

🌟 Why Might a Sensitivity to Celery Occur but Not to Other Vegetables?

• Unique protein composition: Celery contains proteins not shared by many other vegetables.

• Apiaceae plant-family overlap: Individuals who notice patterns with carrots, parsley, fennel, or coriander may experience similar responses with celery.

• Fiber density: Celery fibers are more rigid and may be harder to digest than softer vegetables.

• Psoralen content: Celery naturally contains psoralens, which are not present at the same levels in most vegetables.

🍽️ Popular Dishes That Contain Celery

• Celery sticks with dips

• Soups and stews

• Mirepoix (celery, carrots, onions)

• Celery-based salads

🍽️ Alternatives (if tolerated)

• Cucumber

• Zucchini

• Carrots

• Bell peppers