Organic Italian Parsley

Description

Parsley is a leafy herb that grows like a small shrub, up to roughly one foot in height. It has light green stems with multiple pairs of closely ruffled leaves growing at the ends. The curly variety is more fragile than the common flat-leafed variety, making it easy to shred or finely chop the herb for culinary applications. Parsley has a fresh, green aroma and flavor that is a combination of citrus, clove, and nutmeg, creating a unique taste.

Additional information

Properties

Health Benefits

Parsley has many vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that can provide important health benefits. It is a particularly rich source of vitamin K. A single tablespoon of fresh chopped parsley provides more than 70% of the recommended daily intake.

Parsley also contains a good amount of vitamin A, vitamin C, and other antioxidants, which help reduce the risk of serious health conditions like diabetes, stroke, heart disease, and cancer.

The other health benefits that parsley can provide include:

Cancer Prevention

Parsley contains a large amount of flavone apigenin. While cooking and/or drying may reduce some of the parsley’s other health benefits, it increases the apigenin available in parsley. In fact, dried parsley is the best natural source of apigenin.

Diuresis 

Diuresis is the process in which your kidneys make extra pee in order to get rid of a substance in your body. Parsley works as a powerful natural diuretic and can help reduce bloating and blood pressure.

Eye Health

Parsley contains vitamin A, which helps protect the surface of the eye, as well as lutein and zeaxanthin, two antioxidants that help prevent age-related macular degeneration.

Nutrition

It’s also an excellent source of:

•  Vitamin A
•  Folate
•  Potassium
•  Calcium
•  Magnesium

Nutrients per Serving 

• A 1 tablespoon serving of chopped, fresh parsley contains:
• Calories: 1
•  Protein: 0 grams
•  Fat: 0 grams
•  Carbohydrates: 0 grams
•  Fiber: 0 grams
• Sugar: 0 gram
• Vitamin A: 6% RDI
• Vitamin C: 8% RDI

Parsley is a low-calorie ingredient that can be consumed without risk by most people. Large amounts of parsley may be dangerous to pregnant women and should be avoided.

Recipes

It is easy to add parsley to your diet. It can be added to soups or salads or sprinkled over dishes as a finishing touch. Parsley also makes up one of the key ingredients in several herbal seasonings, sauces, and dishes such as:

• A bouquet garni, a bundle of herbs commonly added to French soups, stocks, and sauces
• Salsa verde, an Italian condiment
•  Cheiro-Verde, a Brazillian herbal seasoning
•  Tabbouleh, a Middle Eastern salad