Fresh celery (Apium graveolens) is a crisp, aromatic vegetable in the Apiaceae family, alongside parsley, carrots, fennel, and parsnips. Its pale green stalks have a fresh, slightly salty flavor and contain a distinctive mixture of flavonoids, phenolic acids, and aromatic compounds called phthalides. Celery is particularly notable for apigenin, along with luteolin, kaempferol, caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, and ferulic acid. With its high water content and crisp texture, celery is refreshing eaten raw but equally valuable as an aromatic base for soups, stews, stocks, sauces, and braised dishes.