BeWell Bohemia Herbs & Things
Herbal Monograph, by Brooke Criswell
Parsley - Petroselinum
Curly leaf or flat,
parsley has a deep green color and a subtle but powerful personality. How
parsley came to be best known as a garnish, I cannot imagine. With its
delightful taste, high nutrient content, and abundant antioxidants, parsley is
a star in a dish, not just decorating one. When I discovered the many and
varied power of parsley, I added it to my diet with a thrill: pesto, smoothies,
salad greens, soups, sauces… parsley has a place.
“Parsley Benefits,
Nutrition & Recipes” a post on the Dr. Axe website delineates parsley’s
attributes in a table, data derived from information gathered on the United
States Department of Agriculture website, thus:1
“A ½ cup of fresh chopped parsley (or about 8
tablespoons) has about:
·
8 calories
·
0 grams of fat, sugar,
carbs, protein or fiber
·
496 mg Vitamin K (554%)
·
40 mg Vitamin C
(54%)
·
128 mg Vitamin A (15%)
·
48 mg Folate
(12%)
·
92 mg Iron (10%)
·
40 mg Calcium (4%)
·
16 mg Magnesium
(4%)
The Gaia website notes
that, “Parsley contains iron phosphate and supports healthy iron and energy
levels.3
Parsley also acts as a
diuretic, stimulating kidney function, and the removing of water minimizes
water accumulating in and between cells (bloating). Since it provides so many
nutrients, it does not deplete the body of nutrients as a result of the
increased urination. Dr. John R. Christopher, in a discussion of the
merits of parsley, states that parsley, in addition to its impact on the
kidneys, also supports adrenal function (which may be part of its effect on
kidney function), and it supports the gall bladder, and the sympathetic nervous
system.2 Further research indicates the urinary and
bladder interactions are from constituents of the root, rather than the leaf.
Mary and Gregory Tilford, in their book All You Ever Wanted to Know
about Herbs for Pets, explains that “Parsley root is know by herbalists as
an excellent diuretic.”4
Parsley is a powerhouse
nutritionally, offers support to a variety of body systems, grows easily in the
garden, and even reseeds itself. What a winner!
Garden Use
Growing Conditions
Parsley grows well both in the ground and in
planters. If you have a bright spot indoors you can grow some in the house
through the winter.
Preferences
- Full sun to partial shade
- Soil pH 6.0
- Moderately rich, moist, well-drained soil
Plant details
Left to flourish, parsley can grow to reach 3
feet, may come back a second year, and will likely reseed. Parsley does not mind
the cool, so may last into early autumn.
Companion Planting Affiliations
Care notes
Parsley is reported to be a low-maintenance
plant. Water when needed, and watch the green glory grow.
Herbal Use
Parts Used - leaves, root, seeds
When to Harvest
·
Harvest leaves in an as
used manner - harvest what you will use in the moment for spice, food, or tea.
·
If storing, flat leaf
parsley leaves dries and retains flavor more successfully than curly leaf.
Curly leaf parsley stores best frozen.5
·
Harvest root late summer
or early fall (before ground freezes, obviously) for highest concentration of
constituents
How to Prepare
Leaves -
Ø As a green
Tear
a few stems of parsley from the plant, pluck the leaves and add to salad. I
treat parsley as a base green in my leaf salads all the time. Yum.
Ø
As a tea
Infuse the leaves in
boiling water to extract many of the nutrients and constituents.
1. Boil water
2.
Place 2 tsp of fresh or
1 tsp of dried parsley leaf per 8 oz water into teapot, press, thermos, or
mason jar
3.
Pour boiling water over
blooms
4.
Cover (this is very
important, for if uncovered the constituents will rise with the steam, and you
will have a less flavorful, less potent cup of tea)
5.
Steep 10 minutes
6.
Strain and Enjoy!
When
my plants mature, I will try harvesting some root and working with it. Once I
do, I will revise this monograph with my observations and decoction recipe.
v
In recipes
Ø
Sauce for cold beef, shellfish, or pasta
Rodale’s
Encyclopedia of Herbs suggests combining “a bunch of parsley with garlic,
olive oil and ricotta cheese and blending in food processor or blender”.5
I would add, if you are unable or prefer not to eat cow milk
products substitute the ricotta for soft goat cheese, or soaked cashews. What
do I mean by ‘soaked cashews’? Submerge ½ cup cashews in water in a mason jar
or bowl. Let sit 30 minutes, strain, then pulverize in blender or food processor.
If you are adventurous or enjoy home-crafting food, then go the distance and
make cashew cheese, lots of great books and recipes can be found, and it is
really, rather easy.
Ø In smoothies
Add a
handful of parsley leaves into a blender with your other ingredients. My niece
Naomi has a great tip - she makes oatmeal, then freezes it in ice cube trays.
When she makes her smoothies, she pops in a couple frozen oatmeal cubes. I have
learned to peel and slice bananas, especially when I they are browning more
than I like, place the slices in a freezer-proof container and freeze. This way
when I make my smoothies, I drop in a few banana slices.
Parsley is a fantastic addition to avocado based smoothies too.
Ø In soups and broths
- When bone broth while simmering add a generous portion of parsley for the nutrients
- Toss Parsley in vegetable soup
- Add parsley to dashi
Root
-
Ø
Treat as carrot or parsnip for food recipes
Ø
If making tea decoct rather than steep
- Simmer 1 TBS cut root in 12 oz water on low in covered pot for 20 - 30 minutes
Cautions/Considerations
Parsley
is a food, and therefore extremely safe.
Bibliography
1.
Levy, Jillian. “Parsley
Benefits, Nutrition & Recipe Ideas.” Dr. Axe, 24 Oct. 2018,
draxe.com/parsley-benefits/.
- Christopher, John R. “Herbal Legacy Articles.” Herbal Legacy Articles RSS, articles.herballegacy.com/parsley/.
- “Parsley.” Parsley Ingredient: GaiaHerbs.com, www.gaiaherbs.com/products/ingredient/151/Parsley.
- Wulff-Tilford, Mary, and Gregory L. Tilford. All You Ever Wanted to Know about Herbs for Pets. BowTie Press, 1999.
- Kowalchik, Claire, et al. Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs. Rodale Press, 1987.
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