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In the previous article, we looked at the ubiquitous culinary herb that is Oregano and identified important medicinal properties of the plant.
For this article, we are going to look at Parsley (Petroselinum crispum). Prepare to be amazed at what this plant can do for you. There will be no fluff here, so…
Let’s get right to it!
Uses and health benefits of parsley
Check out the video below by naturopath, acupuncturist, and conventional doctor, Dr. Gus Landivar.
He also has a video on using parsley for cleansing your kidneys.
Fights bad breath, huh? Maybe that’s why they include it as a garnish with every meal when you go out to eat.
Some of the sources mentioned by Dr. Gus can be found in the Sources section at the end of this article.
An effective herbal nervine
Parsley is an herbal nervine and is often used to help with
- anxiety,
- depression,
- irritability, and
- insomnia.
It is considered to be high in calcium and, in a recent study (with rats), parsley was been shown to be effective against hypertension.
Preparation and extraction
Herbalist Elizabeth Heck, of Home Herb School, suggests using dried parsley as opposed to fresh as it is seven times higher in calcium than the fresh leaves. You spread the leaves out and allow them to dry for at least a couple of weeks before storing them in a tightly sealed jar.
To extract the goodness from the plant, it can be combined with other nervines such as dandelion, alfalfa, and nettles to make a decoction. Heck suggests boiling the decoction for 40 minutes for effective extraction of the herbs.
In the next article, we will look at Rosemary.
To a better, wiser, stronger YOU!
Sources:
Herbs for Stress, Anxiety and Insomnia, from Home Herb School (online), https://homeherbschool.com/ [Accessed June 28, 2023]
Farzaei MH, Abbasabadi Z, Ardekani MR, Rahimi R, Farzaei F. Parsley: a review of ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry and biological activities. J Tradit Chin Med. 2013 Dec;33(6):815-26. doi: 10.1016/s0254-6272(14)60018-2. PMID: 24660617.
Es-Safi I, Mechchate H, Amaghnouje A, Kamaly OMA, Jawhari FZ, Imtara H, Grafov A, Bousta D. The Potential of Parsley Polyphenols and Their Antioxidant Capacity to Help in the Treatment of Depression and Anxiety: An In Vivo Subacute Study. Molecules. 2021 Apr 1;26(7):2009. doi: 10.3390/molecules26072009. PMID: 33916097; PMCID: PMC8037343.
Kreydiyyeh SI, Usta J. Diuretic effect and mechanism of action of parsley. J Ethnopharmacol. 2002 Mar;79(3):353-7. doi: 10.1016/s0378-8741(01)00408-1. PMID: 11849841.
Ajebli M, Eddouks M. Antihypertensive activity of Petroselinum crispum through inhibition of vascular calcium channels in rats. J Ethnopharmacol. 2019 Oct 5;242:112039. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2019.112039. Epub 2019 Jun 26. PMID: 31252093.
8 Impressive Benefits and Uses of Parsley. Located at healthline (online),
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/parsley-benefits#TOC_TITLE_HDR_4 [Accessed June 28, 2023]
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