By Tricia Danflous

Place a small sprig of bright green parsley on your plate for attractive visual appeal. Ingest a bit of this super herb in a salad, juice or vegetarian stew and you’ll bring pizzazz to your diet and good health to your body.

That’s right, parsley is not just a pretty decoration. It is a powerful source of nutrients ranging from anti-oxidants to folic acid; an excellent source of vitamins B and A. Parsley is easy to grow year-round, inexpensive, and tasty, too.

Parsley deserves its super-food title. It assists in the treatment of kidney stones, urinary tract infections, high blood pressure, gastrointestinal conditions, colic, fluid retention, coughing, diabetes, prostate problems, osteoarthritis and spleen issues, arthritis, anemia and bad breath. Parsley is associated with initiating menstrual flow and has aphrodisiac properties. Applying parsley to the skin will ease the discomfort of lice, irritated skin, bruises and bug bites. It has even been known to stimulate hair growth.

Rich in the B vitamin folic acid, parsley is good for your heart. The folic acid in parsley may assist in minimizing the risk of colon and cervical cancer – areas of the body with cells that divide very fast.

 

Cooking with Parsley

Choose fresh parsley whenever possible – just cut a few snips from your windowsill herb garden and be sure to wash it in cold water before using. When cooking, make it one of the last ingredients to add to your dish to enjoy the biggest benefit in nutrition and in taste.

Don’t overpower your dishes with parsley – a little goes a long way – but try a dash or two in soups, tomato sauce, salads, or sprinkle chopped parsley on vegetables right before serving.

 

Parsley Smoothie

Don’t forget to include parsley when you are preparing your favorite green veggie juice or smoothie, or add to your glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. Try a refreshing glass of nothing-but-parsley juice – you will need about a half-cup of chopped parsley to make one ounce of juice.

Recipe for Parsley Tea
● Boil a quart of water
● When it begins to boil, pour over a full cup of fresh parsley
● Steep for 10 to 15 minutes
● Strain, refrigerate and enjoy by the cupful.
Be careful:  avoid the overuse of parsley if you are pregnant.