Kitchen Herbs and Medicinal Uses-Parsley

The Parsley plant is from the Mediterranean and is known by its two types: Italian flat-leaf and the French curly-leaf. Parsley is best known as a culinary herb and known for its green color with a mildly bitter flavor. Parsley contains vitamin A, C, K, folate and potassium. Parsley is known for it antioxidants which help to prevent cellular damage by free radicals. These antioxidants lower the risk of colon cancer, type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Dried parsley does concentrate  the amount of the antioxidants up to 17 times more than using the fresh sprigs.

Due to the vitamin K in Parsley, parsley supports bone health. The vitamin K builds the osteoblasts cells as well as activating the proteins that build bone mineral density. These characteristics show Parsley can help reduce risks of fractures.

The biggest known benefit usage of Parleys is its anticancer effects. The flavonoid antioxidants and vitamin C help to reduce oxidative stress which is associated with development of chronic diseases. Adding Parsley to your daily intake (about ½ cup) can reduce the risk of cancer by 7%.

Parsley can help protect your eyes as it contains beta carotene and vitamin A. Parsley’s vitamin B sources allows for improving heart health. When made into an extract, Parsley has shown to have antibacterial benefits, such as protection against  yeast, molds, and bacteria in food (food poisoning).  And many may have wondered why at the restaurant they serve a “side” of parsley on your dish, well it has been know to decrease flatulence and colic pain.

Other medicinal uses have been as a diuretic to aid kidney ailments, to regulate menstrual flow, treat amenorrhea and dysmenorrhea, bruised leaves can be used for tumors, insect bites, lice, skin parasites, for contusion, treat dysentery,  and gallstones.