The theory is that some foods contain so few calories that when you chew and digest them, this requires more energy than the body absorbs. A celery stick contains only 10 calories, and much of this consists of cellulose which passes through the body undigested. Chewing a celery stick is a wiser choice than eating chips. However, if we eat too much celery, it can cause problems that outweigh any health benefits because it is high in insoluble fiber and sodium.

While a diet high in fiber has numerous health benefits, a sudden increase in fiber can cause gas, constipation and pain. Too much sodium is bad for our blood pressure. We need a mix of healthy vegetables to get the required nutritional benefits and eating celery alone doesn’t make us healthy. Conventionally grown celery is one of the foods most likely to contain residual pesticides, according to the Environmental Working Group.