Celery is moderately high in oxalates, containing about 10 to 20 milligrams of oxalate per cup of chopped raw stalks.
That puts it in the moderate range, meaning it’s not the worst offender out there, but it’s also not a low-oxalate green like lettuce or cucumber.
If you’ve been wondering are celery high in oxalates, the short answer is they contain a noticeable amount, though not enough to scare most people away.
For folks who are sensitive to oxalates or prone to kidney stones, that number matters, and it’s worth paying attention to how much celery you’re eating.
In this post, we’ll look at whether celery is high in oxalates, how it compares to other veggies, and what you can do if you need to keep your oxalate intake low.
Let’s get into it.
Are Celery High in Oxalates?
Celery is considered moderate in oxalates, not high, but not low either.
Here’s why that distinction matters and what’s going on under the surface.
1. The Oxalate Content of Celery
A single cup of raw chopped celery delivers somewhere around 10 to 20 milligrams of oxalates.
To put that in perspective, foods that are truly high in oxalates, like spinach, rhubarb, and beet greens, can pack 100 to 700 milligrams per cup.
So while celery isn’t an oxalate bomb, it’s certainly not oxalate-free, and it does add up if you’re munching on it all day.
2. Why Some Sources Call Celery High in Oxalates
You’ll sometimes see celery listed on high-oxalate food charts, and that’s where the confusion starts.
Those charts often group foods into broad categories, and celery tends to land in the “moderate to high” bucket depending on who’s doing the listing.
The truth is that celery’s oxalate content is lower than spinach but higher than a lot of other salad veggies.
So if you’re asking are celery high in oxalates, the honest answer is they’re borderline, and it depends on your specific health situation.
3. Oxalates Vary by Part of the Plant
Here’s a fun fact: the leaves of celery actually contain more oxalates than the stalks.
That means if you’re tossing the leaves into soups or smoothies, you’re getting a bigger dose than if you just ate the crunchy stalk.
The stalks themselves are milder, which is why most low-oxalate diets allow celery in small amounts.
How Celery Compares to Other Vegetables
Knowing where celery stacks up next to other foods helps you decide how much to eat.
1. Celery vs. Spinach and Rhubarb
Spinach and rhubarb are the classic high-oxalate superstars, and celery doesn’t even come close.
A cup of cooked spinach can hit 700 milligrams or more, while celery sits way down at 10 to 20 milligrams.
So in the grand scheme of things, celery is a much safer pick if you’re watching oxalates.
2. Celery vs. Lettuce and Cucumber
On the flip side, lettuce and cucumber are genuinely low in oxalates, usually under 5 milligrams per cup.
That makes celery slightly higher than those ultra-low options, but still far from dangerous for most people.
If you’re on a strict low-oxalate diet, you might swap celery for cucumber in your salads, but you don’t have to avoid it completely.
3. Celery vs. Carrots and Beets
Carrots are low to moderate, and beets are high, especially the greens.
Celery lands somewhere in the middle, which is why it’s often described as a “sometimes” food rather than a “never” food.
4. What This Means for You
If you’re just a casual celery snacker with no kidney issues, you probably don’t need to worry about the oxalates in celery at all.
But if you’ve had calcium oxalate kidney stones or your doctor told you to watch oxalates, then knowing that celery is moderate helps you plan your meals.
Tips If You’re Sensitive to Oxalates
You don’t have to give up celery entirely just because it has some oxalates.
Here are a few practical ways to enjoy it without overdoing it.
1. Keep Portions Reasonable
A stalk or two in your soup or salad is generally fine.
It’s the giant celery juice cleanse or munching a whole bunch every day that can push your oxalate intake higher than you want.
2. Pair Celery With Calcium
Eating oxalate-rich foods alongside calcium helps bind the oxalates in your gut so they don’t get absorbed as easily.
So dipping celery in yogurt or adding a little cheese to your salad can actually work in your favor.
3. Cook It Instead of Juicing It
Cooking celery doesn’t remove all the oxalates, but boiling can leach some of them into the water.
Juicing, on the other hand, concentrates the oxalates because you’re using way more celery in one sitting.
So if you’re worried about oxalate levels in celery, cooked is generally a gentler choice than juiced.
4. Stay Hydrated
Drinking plenty of water helps keep your urine diluted, which lowers the risk of oxalate crystals forming.
That’s a simple habit that makes a big difference if you’re prone to stones.
So, Are Celery High in Oxalates?
Celery is not high in oxalates, but it’s not low either, landing squarely in the moderate range at around 10 to 20 milligrams per cup.
For most people, that’s totally fine and celery can stay on the menu without a second thought.
But if you’re sensitive to oxalates or dealing with kidney stones, it’s smart to enjoy celery in moderation, pair it with calcium, and favor cooked over juiced.
Now you know where celery stands, so you can crunch away with a little more confidence and a lot more knowledge.