We all have our favourite vegetables. Whether you prefer them for their taste, texture or what they bring to a dish, (mostly) everyone has one they enjoy. Some are less FODMAP friendly than others, though, so today we’re asking: is celery low FODMAP?
An important note, before we begin. This is article is not a substitute for appropriate medical advice. Any elimination diet should always be worked through with a doctor or a dietician before you begin.
Is celery low FODMAP?
Unfortunately, celery is high FODMAP (specifically, mannitol) in all but very small servings. A low FODMAP serve of celery is 10g, or less than 1/3 of a single stalk. In 15g serves (approximately 1/3 of a stalk) it contains moderate amounts of mannitol. In 75g serves (approximately 2 medium stalks) it contains high amounts of mannitol.
If you are in the elimination phase or have ascertained that you malabsorb mannitol, it is best to avoid celery. However, if you have completed the elimination phase and find that you can eat mannitol with no issues, then you are free to eat as much celery as you can tolerate.
More low FODMAP resources
- Low FODMAP nuts and seeds
- Low FODMAP protein powders
- 50+ low FODMAP vegan recipes
- Low FODMAP breakfast recipes
- Low FODMAP bread recipes
How to replace celery in low FODMAP recipes
Whether you’re replacing fresh celery or cooked celery, my answer is the same: fennel. Fennel has that crunchy, fresh taste that celery does. If you use the stem section towards the fronds, it also has the same half moon shape as celery, which means it will work in a sandwich or salad. If you’re replacing it in a soffritto, fennel offers a depth of flavour and texture. I like to make a low FODMAP soffritto with chopped carrots, fennel and a garlic infused oil, garlic infused ghee or asafoetida powder.
Fennel is low FODMAP in 48g serves, which is approximately 1/5 of a fennel or around 1/2 cup chopped fennel. This gives you more leeway for a low FODMAP serve than celery does.
Low FODMAP alternatives to celery
If you don’t enjoy or don’t tolerate fennel, here are some other low FODMAP alternatives to fennel.
- Cucumber (raw applications)
- Jicama (raw or cooked) – a crispy bulbous vegetable that tastes akin to an apple with less sweetness. Jicama are low FODMAP in 75g serves. In serves of 250g or more, they contain moderate amounts of fructans. This suggests that there is some space as to what constitutes a low FODMAP serve, making it a great crunchy alternative to celery.
- Water chestnuts (raw or cooked) – low FODMAP in serves of 75g, moderate fructans in serves of 335g or around 3 cups. This suggests a low FODMAP serve could be considerably higher than 75g, which makes water chestnut another great option.
Low FODMAP recipes that use celery alternatives
Low FODMAP vegan bolognese
This vegan, low FODMAP bolognese initially used fennel and carrot as the soffritto base. I changed the recipe to include just carrot, in order to keep the FODMAP content down. However, this should give you an idea of what using fennel in a low FODMAP soffritto could look like.
Crispy tofu with ginger satay and green fennel salad
This crispy, refreshing green salad uses cucumbers and finely shaved fennel for crunch and texture. They pair beautifully with crispy tofu and gingery peanut satay.
Cucumber salad with tomatoes, feta and oregano quinoa
This fresh summery salad is a delicious way to use up some cucumbers. You can make it as a light side dish without the quinoa, or use the quinoa for a hearty and filling meal.
Spinach and water chestnut dumpling filling
This low FODMAP spinach and water chestnut dumpling filling is a recipe from my cookbook, Intolerance Friendly Kitchen. It’s a delicious way to fill the gluten free dumpling wrappers that are also in the cookbook.
Low FODMAP pico de gallo
This low FODMAP pico de gallo uses fennel to replace the crunch and aesthetic of onion in traditional pico de gallo. It also uses spring onion greens for that fresh onion flavour (and it pairs incredibly well with my low FODMAP jackfruit tacos).
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