Super Foods Blog

Parsley Is a Underrated Health Food

Is parsley something you pick out of a great looking dish at a restaurant and relegate to the side of your plate? That sprig of bright green packs quite a punch and is a lot more than just a decoration for your food. Yes, it is an herb that is full of goodness. Once you know how good it is for you, you’ll think twice about putting it away.

Parsley is for the most part used for its flavor. It has a wonderful fresh flavor and tastes good too. It is available right through the year and you can pick it up at any store. It is a cousin of the other popular herb, celery and is used almost all over the world. It is so easy to grow – all you need to do is plant it once and it is perennial, that is, it keeps growing from the same plant year after year. People who love the flavor of parsley, and there are many who do, often prefer to grow their own in a pot on the kitchen window or in the herb garden in their backyard.

Let’s look at that sprig of parsley again with different eyes. It’s a lot more than just a garnish. It’s got a couple of very unique compounds and these are responsible for some great health benefits. One set of compounds is volatile – limonene, alpha diujene, eugenol and myisticin. The second set is the flavonoids – crisoeriol, luteolin, apigenin and apjin.

What do the volatile oils promise by way of health? Myisticin has been researched and has been proved to reduce the growth of tumors when used on animals. It is hoped that it does the same with human beings. It is especially good for tumors of the lungs. The volatile oils in parsley also seem to be a protective force against the pollution and the cigarette smoke that surrounds us. So there’s a lot more to parsley than soups and salads and garnishes. In fact, parsley that’s put into a juicer can be quite a refreshing drink.

There are two varieties of parsley that you can buy – the Italian flat leaf one and the curly leaf variety. The former has a stronger flavor but is less bitter than the latter. There is also a third variety about which not much is known called the turnip rooted parsley. This is grown mainly for its roots.

Whichever type of parsley you choose to buy, make sure it’s the freshest you can get. This isn’t that difficult considering that most stores stock it all year through and all over the country. Of course, you can always grow your own parsley and you’ll find it’s quite easy to do. Then all you need to do when you want a dash of healthy goodness is to reach out and pluck it.