by Talia Henderson and Marie Harger |
Bad breath? Digestive problems? Eat parsley! Although we tend to think of parsley customarily as a decorative garnish on our plates, this leafy green cannot only freshen up that after-meal breath, it has many healing aspects that help stimulate normal activity of the digestive system.
The most popular use for parsley is in its gentle flavor allowing it to mix easily with many different types of food. Of all herbs, it contains one of the highest levels of chlorophyll, the active ingredient in many breath fresheners.
Parsley is said to symbolize strength and new beginnings. By the Middle Ages parsley (Petroselinum crispum) was given medicinal credit for curing a number of ailments.
Parsley, a member of the carrot, celery and dill family, has been medically recognized as a diuretic, emmenagogue, carminative, expectorant, nervine, tonic, and a remedy for a plethora of health issues. Parsley has been used to assist in the healing of asthma, dropsy, arthritis, jaundice, chest and heart pain, and has even been thought to cure head lice. It assists the function of the bladder, kidney, liver, lungs, stomach and thyroid. It is also a great treatment for bed-wetting, gas, fluid retention, high blood pressure, indigestion, kidney disease, obesity and prostate disorders.
Vitamins are an essential aspect of our health and parsley is “a course in vitamin therapy all by itself.” It contains vitamin A, several B vitamins, calcium, iron and more vitamin C per volume than an orange! It is chock full of good stuff. For overall health benefits drink fresh parsley juice, two ounces at a time, twice a day.
As a precaution, pregnant women should avoid eating large quantities of parsley and parsley oil, because it can decrease blood pressure and pulse rate, and cause muscle weakness. In some cases it can even cause paralysis.
Worldwide Recipes
Parsley used culturally:
- Middle Eastern tabbouleh (salad)
- France in ham with jelly, garlic, butter, escargots, sautés, grilled meats and poultry
- Belgium and Switzerland deep fried parsley on the side of fondue
- Japan deep fried parsley in tempura batter
- Mexico & Spanish cultures in salsa verde
- English use in parsley jelly
For Kidney and digestive problems try this:
Take the small, oval and gray-brown parsley seeds (can be concocted with the volatile oil they contain, apiol and myristicin): 1 cup at a time, two or three times daily.
References:
- Kowalchik, Claire. Hylton, William H. (Editors). Rodale’s Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs. Rodale Press, Emmaus, Pennsylvania, 1987.
- Castleman, Michael. The Healing Herbs: The Ultimate Guide to the Curative Power of Nature’s Medicines. Rodale Press, Emamaus, Pennsylvania, 1991.
- Balch, Phyllis A. Prescription for Nutritional Healing. Penguin Books Ltd. London, England, 2006.
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