Why to make Parlsey your new best pall in the kitchen
Parsley is a super delicious herb, and if I have some fresh to hand I will sprinkle it on just about any savoury dish. Not only does it add a pretty garnish, it adds a fresh uplifting taste and aroma.
But it does not end with eye appeal and yumminess; parsley brings many health benefits due to being packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
First off, parsley is chock full with vitamins A, C and K. Half a cup (30g) fresh parsley contains:
108% of your Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) of vitamin A
Vitamin A is important for immunity, eye and skin health and promotes healthy growth and reproduction, amongst other things
53% of your RDI of vitamin C
Vitamin C is well known to be supportive to your immune system, acts as an antioxidant protecting your cells from free radicals and protects against chronic disease
And an impressive 547% of your RDI of vitamin K
Vitamin K is important for proper blood clotting, heart health and supports bone density
Also parsley is super rich in antioxidants including flavenoids, carotenoids and as I have already mentioned, vitamin C.
The flavenoids present in parsley may reduce risk of colon cancer (1), type 2 diabetes (2) and heart disease (3) and the carotenoids may reduce risk of lung cancer (4) and support eye health (in particular the lutein and zeaxanthin carotenoids (5)).
Spectacularly, dried parsley contains up to 17 times more antioxidants than fresh (6), although I definitely prefer the taste and texture of fresh leaves.
On top of all of this, parsley is high in nitrates, which help dilate blood vessels thus increasing blood flow and decreasing blood pressure (7).
And these are just the main highlights for parsley. It of course contains lots of other minerals, vitamins and phytonutrients.
Here is a round-up of the health benefits of parsley:
Anti-cancer
Supports bone health
Immune support
Supports eye health
Supports heart health
Supports blood sugar balance
Antioxidant
Anti-inflammatory
Personally, I much prefer fresh parsley to dried. To keep your fresh parsley, well, fresh, it is a good idea to trim the ends when you buy it and pop it in a glass of water. You can leave it on the counter and use when needed, just remember to re-fresh the water every day or so, and trim the ends as well just like you would to keep a bouquet of flowers fresh. Alternatively, parsley is pretty easy to grown in a container.
As to how to use it, well as I said at the start, you can sprinkle fresh parsley on just about any savoury dish. From roasted veg to stew to salad, just try it on everything and see what you like! And if you can’t get enough of it, you can also chew on it for a natural breath freshener!
Nourish yourself every day!
Fabia x
References
Chang H, Lei L, Zhou Y, Ye F, Zhao G. Dietary Flavonoids and the Risk of Colorectal Cancer: An Updated Meta-Analysis of Epidemiological Studies. Nutrients. 2018 Jul 23;10(7):950.
Liu YJ, Zhan J, Liu XL, Wang Y, Ji J, He QQ. Dietary flavonoids intake and risk of type 2 diabetes: a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. Clin Nutr. 2014 Feb;33(1):59-63.
Wang X, Ouyang YY, Liu J, Zhao G. Flavonoid intake and risk of CVD: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. Br J Nutr. 2014 Jan 14;111(1):1-11.
Fiedor J, Burda K. Potential role of carotenoids as antioxidants in human health and disease. Nutrients. 2014 Jan 27;6(2):466-88.
Abdel-Aal el-SM, Akhtar H, Zaheer K, Ali R. Dietary sources of lutein and zeaxanthin carotenoids and their role in eye health. Nutrients. 2013 Apr 9;5(4):1169-85.
Opara EI, Chohan M. Culinary herbs and spices: their bioactive properties, the contribution of polyphenols and the challenges in deducing their true health benefits. Int J Mol Sci. 2014 Oct 22;15(10):19183-202.
Hobbs DA, George TW, Lovegrove JA. The effects of dietary nitrate on blood pressure and endothelial function: a review of human intervention studies. Nutr Res Rev. 2013 Dec;26(2):210-22.
