Parsley has a lot to offer to the health-conscious crowd. It is a common ingredient in natural health supplements and cancer treatment. There are a lot of places where you can buy parsley, especially in the United States. Parsley can be grown in the Mediterranean region and its native country of England. The parsley plant is an herb with multiple uses, as it has been around for centuries.
Parsley comes from the perennial plant Allium cepa containing the botanical name, Pentaphyllum. Parsley is used both medicinally and as a culinary herb. The upper parts of the plant are edible including the seeds, stems and foliage. The smaller green leaves are used to top soups, stews, salads, and other vegetable dishes. In Middle East and India, parsley is used to flavor rice and is also cultivated as a spice.
Parsley can be classified into three subspecies: curly leaf parsley, European parsley and domestic parsley. The family APIaceae, or Potato Family, includes potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, sweet potatoes, kamut, turnips and squash. Parsley was probably first cultivated in England in the 17th century as a culinary herb for tea and bread making. This was probably because it contains significant amounts of vitamin C, iron, manganese and folic acid, which were all known to have beneficial effects on the health of humans.
Parsley is a perennial plant that grows up to two meters tall and flowers in yellow, green, purple, blue, or brown clusters. The flower heads are needle-like and contain numerous tiny white flowers. The common name for parsley comes from the Latin word for “cluster” – posse. Clusters of curly leaf parsley appear in different shades and colors, ranging from lilac to purple to golden yellow.
Parsley tops the list of vegetables in the nutritional profile of a standard leafy vegetable. It provides a high amount of soluble fiber, minerals, vitamins A, C and E, potassium, magnesium, calcium and iron. It has a medium nutritional value of carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, cholesterol, fiber, and starch. Parsley’s water-soluble fiber content is high and helps improve digestion by removing toxins from the body. In addition, this nutrient helps lower cholesterol levels and has been shown to prevent clots and plaque from building up in the arteries.
Parsley contains approximately 24 mg of protein, including one g of fat. Additionally, it contains approximately 5.2 mg of magnesium, including two g of iron and one g of zinc, which are both important for good heart health. One study found that adding a spoonful of chopped parsley to a glass of milk increased the absorption of vitamin C, the antioxidant responsible for improving immune function. However, there is conflicting evidence on the optimal amount of parsley to consume on a daily basis.