Parsley benefits for health– tremendous!
Parsley benefits for health are numerous. As a matter of fact:
“ It is believed that parsley is one of the world’s seven most potent disease-fighting herbs ” (1)
A super simple self care tip: Pick up a fresh bunch of parsley.
- Place it in a ball jar with fresh water
- Maybe put into a pretty or fun vase*
- Keep kitchen scissors next to it
- Snip fresh parsley onto your meals
- Make a cup of parsley tea
You’ve just instantaneously added the vitamins:
A, C, K, and Folic Acid.
Plus the minerals:
Potassium, Magnesium, Calcium, Iron, and Zinc.
Exponentially increasing the nutritional value of your meal!
Self Care can be that SIMPLE!
* always place parsley in a non-toxic glass container to keep your parsley safe from a vase or vessel that may leach.
Parsley has unique components that contribute to its high level of health benefits.*
Here are a few for you:
➻ Parsley is a Cancer Fighter
Two volatile oils in parsley help fight Cancer. (2) They are:
- Myristicin and
- Limonene
Both inhibit tumor development.
The activity of parsley’s volatile oils qualifies it as a “chemoprotective” food….it can help neutralize carcinogens (like benzopyrenes from cigarette & charcoal grill smoke (6)
Then there is the flavone (there are multiple but we are highlighting):
- Apigenin.
Found to help prevent cancerous cell growth. (3)(4)
Apigenin, a major plant flavone, possessing antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties affecting several molecular and cellular targets used to treat various human diseases. (3)(4) (bold added)
➻ Parsley helps to protect eye health
- Lutein,
- Beta carotene,
- Zeaxanthin
“Lutein, beta carotene, and zeaxanthin are three carotenoids in parsley that help protect your eyes and promote healthy vision.”(8)
➻ Parsley is helpful for cramping, heavy menstrual cycles, bloating, anemia (5)(7)
Ayurvedic uses of the plant parsley include treatment of:
- nose bleeding,
- hematoma,
- skin blemishes,
- halitosis
- alleviating pains of menstruation
Parsley’s compounds myristicin and apiole, are said to be hormone balancers.
The anti-spasmotic action of parsley is said to be how relief is achieved from menstrual cramping, and uncomfortable flatulence.
Making a case for Parsley’s benefits to our health.
I’ll lean on the conclusion of one of the many the studies linked below: Parsley: a review of ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry and biological activities.
“ Parsley has phenolic compounds and flavonoids particularly apigenin, ….. wide range of pharmacological activity including:
- antioxidant,
- hepatoprotective,
- brain protective,
- anti-diabetic,
- analgesic,
- spasmolytic,
- immunosuppressant,
- gastroprotective,
- estrogenic,
- diuretic,
- hypotensive,
- antibacterial and
- antifungal
The activities have been exhibited for this plant in modern medicine.
……Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) is a useful and important medicinal plant with wide range of proven medicinal activity.” (10)
Take advantage of this powerhouse!
Parsley benefits for Health Infographic
Types of Parsley
I personally snip and eat fresh flat parsley almost everyday. I use it as a garnish more often than curly parsley.
Parsley: Snip, Eat or Steep.
Simple ways to include parsley in a meal.
SNIP
1-2 tablespoons of fresh parsley on your warm broths and soups.
The volatile compounds will be released for you to enjoy and benefit from.
EAT
Enjoy 1 – 1.5 cups of parsley mixed with other vegetables for a parsley salad.
Combine Parsley with your rice, noodles, quinoa.
Place a few sprigs of parsley on your potatoes, yams, …or munch on plain!
STEEP
Parsley Tea
Steep. 1 -2 tablespoons of fresh parsley to make yourself another toxin free tea choice! Steep for 3-4 minutes OR to your taste. Maybe you’ll start out with a shorter time so its lighter.
Parsley tea really can be rather bland. Steep too long it can be bitter.
If thats the case steep fewer leaves for less time.
You may enjoy it with a spritz of lemon or honey.
A Simple Self Care Tip that fits into our busy lifestyle.
➻ Can you have TOO much Parsley?
* Yes.
Caution avoid an abrupt large increase of parsley(7)
Eating whole leaf parsley poses no known health risk. You’d get tired of chewing it!
But be sure to avoid an abrupt increase of parsley. For instance:
➻ Consuming parsley in juices. A FEW SPRIGS is all you nutritionally need.
➻ Parsley tea. 1 Cup a day made from 1 -2 TBSPN fresh leaves is the recommendation by Herbalists.
➻ Parsley oil be very careful. Parsley oil is very potent. Follow directions from a product you trust. I personally would only consume this under the care of an herbalist.
Be certain to speak with your health care professional if you are consuming large quantities in juices, teas, considering using oil especially if you are: (9)
- Pregnant, lactating.
- On lithium
- Taking blood thinners
- Diuretics
🌿 Resources for you:
1. Hare Krishna, T. Janakiram, Manoj Kumar Singh, V. Karuppaiah, R.B. Yadava, R.N. Prasad, Jagdish Singh, T.K. Behera. (2022) Immunomodulatory potential of vegetables vis-à-vis human health. The Journal of Horticultural Science and Biotechnology 0:0, pages 1-20.
4. Salehi, Bahare et al. “The Therapeutic Potential of Apigenin.” International journal of molecular sciences vol. 20,6 1305. 15 Mar. 2019, doi:10.3390/ijms20061305
5. Briguglio, Matteo et al. “The Central Role of Iron in Human Nutrition: From Folk to Contemporary Medicine.” Nutrients vol. 12,6 1761. 12 Jun. 2020, doi:10.3390/nu12061761
6. Mateljan, G. (n.d.). Parsley. Worlds Healthiest Foods.
7. Ajmera, Exceptions. D. P., Kalani, S., &; Sharma, D. L. (2019, May 5). Parsley-benefits &; side effects on health. International Journal of Physiology, Nutrition and Physical Education.
8. Mohammad Hossein Karimi, Padideh Ebadi & Zahra Amirghofran (2012) Parsley and immunomodulation, Expert Review of Clinical Immunology, 8:4, 295-297, DOI: 10.1586/eci.12.12
9. Awe, Emmanuel Olorunju, and S Olatunbosun Banjoko. “Biochemical and haematological assessment of toxic effects of the leaf ethanol extract of Petroselinum crispum (Mill) Nyman ex A.W. Hill (Parsley) in rats.” BMC complementary and alternative medicine vol. 13 75. 4 Apr. 2013, doi:10.1186/1472-6882-13-75
10. Farzaei MH, Abbasabadi Z, Ardekani MR, Rahimi R, Farzaei F. Parsley: a review of ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry and biological activities. J Tradit Chin Med. 2013 Dec;33(6):815-26. doi: 10.1016/s0254-6272(14)60018-2. PMID: 24660617.
Additional parsley benefits for health resources.
José Antonio Cayuela Sánchez, Abdelaziz Elamrani. (2014) Nutrigenomics of Essential Oils and their Potential Domestic Use for Improving Health. Natural Product Communications 9:11, pages 1934578X1400901.
Lopez MG, Sanchez-Mendoza IR, Ochoa-Alejo N. Compartive study of volatile components and fatty acids of plants and in-vitro cultures of parsley (Petroselinum crispum [Mill] nym ex hill). J. Agric. Food Chem.47, 3292–3296 (1999).
Fatemeh Poureini, Maedeh Mohammadi, Ghasem D. Najafpour, Maryam Nikzad. (2020) Comparative study on the extraction of apigenin from parsley leaves (Petroselinum crispum L.) by ultrasonic and microwave methods. Chemical Papers 74:11, pages 3857-3871.
Al-Yousofy, Fayed et al. “Parsley! Mechanism as antiurolithiasis remedy.” American journal of clinical and experimental urology vol. 5,3 55-62. 9 Nov. 2017
Karimi MH, Ebadi P, Amirghofran Z. Parsley and immunomodulation. Expert Rev Clin Immunol. 2012 May;8(4):295-7. doi: 10.1586/eci.12.12. PMID: 22607173.
FYI ➻ Parsley is also great for allergy sufferers and is a detoxifier too.
Interested in reducing toxins?