Is Celery Low FODMAP?

Many people on a low FODMAP diet often wonder ‘is celery low FODMAP?’. Incorporating a range of vegetables in your daily life is essential to follow a healthy, balanced diet including plenty of fibre, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals (1).

A minimum of 2 portions of vegetables per day (160g) and up to 6-7 servings per day is recommended on a low FODMAP diet, with no limit on the number of vegetables that you can have in one sitting (2). However, some vegetables can be high in FODMAPs which can cause symptoms in people with irritable bowel syndrome.

In this article, I will explain if celery is low FODMAP including celery seeds, celery leaves, celery juice and celery root. 

P.S. (if you want recipes scroll to the end) – I have also shared some low FODMAP celery root recipes which you may find to be helpful in adding flavour to your meals!

Is celery low FODMAP? 

Fructans and polyols which are classified as sugar alcohols are the main FODMAP’s present in vegetables (3).

Celery contains mannitol which is a type of polyol (3). However, when celery is consumed in small amounts (10g) which is the same as  ¼ of a celery stick (and only one portion per sitting), celery is low FODMAP. When higher amounts of celery are consumed (>10g) this results in a moderate to high increase in the the level of FODMAPs (2). 

A typical portion size of celery within a salad would be 1.5 of a celery stick (90g) (4). Therefore, this amount would be considered high in FODMAPs for people with IBS. Due to the small amounts of celery that are appropriate in the diet for people with IBS, it may be best to avoid celery when following a low FODMAP diet. 

It is also important to note that small amounts of celery (10g) can be reintroduced following a low FODMAP diet to assess your gastro-intestinal tolerance (2).

You can read more about the reintroduction process in our other article.

Are celery seeds low FODMAP? 

Celery seeds are whole, dried seeds of the celery plant available whole or ground. As celery seeds provide a similar flavour to celery alongside an aromatic and bitter taste, they are often used as a spice in salads, dressings, bread making, egg and fish dishes (5). 

Some reports online do suggest that celery seeds are low FODMAP when consumed in small amounts. However, this is misleading as Monash University has not tested the FODMAP content of celery seeds as of yet. Therefore, it is advisable to avoid any foods not listed as low in FODMAPs when following the low FODMAP diet (3). 

Are celery leaves low FODMAP? 

Celery leaves are contained within the outer part of the celery plant. The outer and inner leaves can be used as a flavoursome and fragrant addition to your meals when chopped up into soups, stews, sauces, purees, salads and as a garnish. They can also be dried and used as a seasoning, spice and also pickled (6).

Just as with celery seeds, the FODMAP content of celery leaves has not been tested by the Monash University as of yet either. Therefore, it is advised to avoid them as they are not listed as low in FODMAPs when following the low FODMAP diet (3). 

Celery juice and IBS

If you have IBS then you will likely have heard of the claims around celery juice being a ‘superfood’ for digestive health and your IBS symptoms. Such claims include ‘lowering inflammation, aid healing in digestion, reduce bloating and supporting weight loss’ and so on. 

However, when it comes to celery juice and IBS, the amount of celery used to make just 1 serving of celery juice is considered high FODMAP. This is because larger amounts of vegetables as well as fruits are used within juices compared to eating them on their own. Therefore, it is recommended to avoid celery juice when on a low FODMAP diet. 

To find out more about celery juice and IBS, check out my other post here.

Is Celery Root Low FODMAP? 

Celery root is considered to be low FODMAP and it can often be used as a low FODMAP substitute for celery (1). Less than ¼ of celery root or 75g is considered low FODMAP. Above this amount the mannitol content becomes moderate (2)

Celery root is a root vegetable closely related to celery, parsnips and parsley. It is otherwise known as celeriac, knob celery and turnip-root celery. It has a very similar taste to the upper stem of celery and therefore can be used as a great alternative to celery in a range of meals!

Celery root can be eaten raw or cooked in a variety of ways including mashed, boiled, baked and roasted. The great thing about celery root is that it is a high fibre vegetable with a standard serving of 100g containing 4g of fibre!

Here are my top 10 favourite low FODMAP celery root recipes! 

1. Celeriac Soup
2. Broccoli and Celeriac Soup
3. Winter Vegetable Frittata with Celeriac
4. Haddock Fish Cakes with Celeriac and Squash Mash
5. Roasted Sweet Potato and Celeriac Macaroni
6. Roasted Celeriac and Rainbow Carrots
7. Celeriac Oven Chips
8. Seared Scallops with Celery Root Puree and Green Pesto
9. Pomegranate Celeriac Salad
10. Mashed Celery Root

Testing Foods not on the Monash App 

When it comes to foods that have not been tested for FODMAPs yet, the good news is that according to Monash university, you can test your own tolerance to untested foods following a low FODMAP diet (7).

Visit Monash University Website for more information on how to test your tolerance to foods that have not been tested yet. 

Summary

Only small amounts of celery (10g) can be tolerated in a low FODMAP diet, therefore it is recommended to best avoid celery in people with IBS.

The FODMAP content of celery seeds and celery leaves has not yet been tested, but as suggested by Monash University, you can test your own tolerance of these foods to identify whether they can or cannot be included in your diet and in what amounts.

Lastly, celery root is a great substitute for celery in meals as less than ¼ of celery root or 75g is considered low FODMAP.

Written by Emily Stynes BSc Human Nutrition and Reviewed by Kirsten Jackson