Parsley Benefits

Parsley benefits are not known by many people and they see it as just a garnish and something to be thrown away. 

Parsley can actually be quite tasty and nutritious, it is way beyond being just a garnish with as many as thirty varieties cultivated across Europe, and the pungent flat leaf parsley has the most flavour.

It has been used in cooking many popular dishes in Mediterranean cuisine for thousands of years. Along with other herb and spicy items, it is being used as flavoring agent in the preparation of vegetable, chicken, fish and meat dishes and as a great addition to different salads.

It can be kept fresh in the fridge for quite a while or dried on the spice rack for much longer periods of time. Either way, it’s always a good idea to have some parsley on hand for use in recipes that call for it or whenever you feel like adding a little bit of extra nutrition to a favorite dish, to reap parsley benefits.

The latin name used for parsley Petroselinum hortense, is formed from two Greek words: “petros” which means “stone” and “selinon” which means “celery”. Parsley seems to be native to the East Mediterranean part from Southern Europe, even though in the Middle Ages parsley was one of the most known spices, used even in Northern Europe. Currently the United States along with Canada and Europe are the main growers of parsley. 

Amazing Parsley Benefits:

Raw parsley cleanses the blood, dissolves sticky deposits in veins, maintains elasticity of blood vessels, facilitates removal of moderately sized kidney and gallstones, treats deafness and ear infections, and benefits the sexual system. Chewing parsley prevents bad breath!

A regular garnish of parsley can help ward off cardiovascular diseases, such as heart attack, stroke, and atherosclerosis. Homocysteine, an amino acid that occurs in the body, threatens the body’s blood vessels when its levels become too high. Luckily, the folate- vitamin B9 found in parsley helps convert homocysteine into harmless molecules.

Two tablespoons of parsley have a whopping 153% of the RDA of vitamin K, which is necessary for the synthesis of osteocalcin, a protein that strengthens the composition of our bones. Vitamin K also prevents calcium build-up in our tissue that can lead to atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease and stroke.

The herb is a good source of minerals like potassium, calcium, manganese, iron, and magnesium. Potassium in an important component of cell and body fluids that helps control heart rate and blood pressure by countering the effects of sodium. Iron is essential for heme production inside red blood cells. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase.

It is also rich in many antioxidant vitamins including vitamin-A, beta-carotene, vitamin-C, vitamin-E, zea-xanthin, lutein, and cryptoxanthins. Zea-xanthin helps prevent age related macular degeneration (ARMD) in the retina of the eye in the old age population through its anti-oxidant and ultra-violet light filtering functions.

It contains more vitamin C than any other standard culinary vegetable, approximately three times as much as oranges and about the same as blackcurrants. The iron content is exceptional (twice as much as spinach) and the plant is a good source of manganese, calcium and potassium. It also contains flavonoids that act as antioxidants.

Vitamin A in parsley is well-known for its effects on vision, plus can mitigate risks of atherosclerosis and diabetes.

Parsley is also good as a topical remedy for bruises. Next time you have a bruise, crush up some parsley leaves and apply straight to the affected area.

The essential oil, Eugenol, present in this herb has been in therapeutic use in dentistry as a local anesthetic and anti-septic agent for teeth and gum diseases. Eugenol has also been found to reduce blood sugar levels in diabetics, however, further detailed studies are required to establish its role.

 

Nutritional Values of Parsley per 100g:

Energy 36 Kcal 1.5%

Carbohydrates 6.33 g 5%

Protein 2.97 g 5%

Total Fat 0.8 g 3%

Cholesterol 0 mg 0%

Dietary Fiber 3.3 g 8.5% Folates 152 mcg 38%

Niacin 1.313 mg 8%

Pantothenic acid 0.400 mg 8%

Pyridoxine 0.090 mg 7%

Riboflavin 0.098 mg 7.5%

Thiamin 0.086 mg 7%

Vitamin A 8424 IU 281%

Vitamin C 133 mg 220%

Vitamin E 0.75 mg 5%

Vitamin K 1640 µg 1366%

Sodium 56 mg 4%

Potassium 554 mg 12%

Calcium 138 mg 14%

Copper 0.149 mg 16.5%

Iron 6.20 mg 77.5%

Magnesium 50 mg 12.5%

Manganese 0.160 mg 7%

Phosphorus 58 mg 8%

Zinc 1.07 mg 10%

Carotene-ß 5054 µg —

Crypto-xanthin-ß 0 µg —

Lutein-zeaxanthin 5561 µg

(Source: USDA data base- Parsley Benefits and Nutrititon) 

Potential Side Effects of Parsley:

Despite amazing parsley benefits, it should not be consumed as a drug or supplement by pregnant women. Parsley as an oil, root, leaf, or seed could lead to uterine stimulation and preterm labor.

This herbal plant is very high in oxalic acid, 1.70 mg per 100 g. Prolonged consumption of foods high in oxalic acid results in gouty arthritis, kidney stones and mineral-nutrient deficiencies.

Parsley oil contains furanocoumarins and psoralens, which may lead to extreme photosensitivity if used orally. 

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