Parsley

2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29

Parsley is a great remedy for healing and nutritious food. Most people are not aware of these qualities and believe that the plant is used mainly for decorative garnish. Keep reading and you will learn about the benefits and qualities of parsley.

The two most popular types of parsley are curly parsley and Italian flat-leaved parsley. The Italian variety is more fragrant and less bitter in taste than the curly one. There is another type of parsley known as rooted radish (or the Hamburg variety), which is grown for its burdock-like roots. Parsley belongs to the umbrella family.

The origin of parsley originates from the Mediterranean region of Southern Europe. While it has been cultivated for more than 2,000 years, parsley has been used more as a medicine than as a food. The ancient Greeks considered parsley sacred and used it not only to decorate the winners of athletic competitions, but also to decorate the tombs of the dead. The practice of using parsley as a side dish actually has a long history, dating back to the civilization of the ancient Romans.

People began consuming parsley as a spice at some point in the Middle Ages in Europe.

In some countries, the curly variety is more popular. This has its origins in the ancient preference for this species, as people have likened parsley to a type of poisonous grass.

Varieties of parsley

In our country the most common are three main varieties of parsley - Festival variety, Berlin variety and Local variety.

Berlin - parsley of this variety has a well-developed leaf rosette and excellent taste.

Festival - forms lush, large and very well-leaved rosettes. Its leaves are fragrant and smooth, but slightly rough. This is an early variety of parsley, has an excellent market appearance.

Local - the leaves of this parsley are smooth, fragrant and tender, they are excellent for salads and canning jars.

Composition of parsley

Parsley is among the few foods that contain measurable amounts of oxylates, naturally occurring substances in plants, animals and humans. When oxylates become too concentrated in body fluids, they can become sugary and cause health problems. For this reason, people with pre-existing and untreated kidney or bile problems should avoid parsley.

Parsley is an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin K. It is a good source of iron and folate.

The volatile oil components of parsley include myristicin, lemon, euginol, and alpha-tuzhen. The flavonoids contained in parsley are apiin, apigenin, chrysoeriol and luteolin. It is these two types of unusual components (volatile oils and flavonoids) contained in parsley that provide unique health benefits.

Selection and storage of parsley

Whenever possible, it is necessary to choose fresh parsley over its dried form, as it has better taste. You should choose fresh parsley, which has a deep green color and looks fresh and crunchy. It is necessary to avoid one whose foxes have withered and turned yellow. Fresh parsley needs to be stored in the refrigerator in a plastic bag.

Flat parsley can also be stored by drying. Before drying, the parsley is well cleaned of yellowed, withered and rotten leaves. Then wash well under cold running water. Parsley stalks are formed into bunches, which are hung to dry in a dry ventilated room.

It is not recommended to dry parsley in the sun or in direct sunlight, because under the action of sunlight it breaks and loses its color. Once dried, it should be stored in a tightly closed container in a cool, dark and dry place. Well-dried parsley should be turned into small pieces when lightly squeezed.

Curly parsley stored better by freezing rather than drying. For this purpose, the parsley is washed very well, cut into small pieces, and filled into freezer bags, which are placed and frozen. During the first 2 hours, the envelopes are removed several times and shaken so that they do not stick. Chopped parsley can also be stored in an ice cream box placed in the freezer.

Parsley in cooking

Parsley is a universal spice that is used in all kinds of dishes - soups, stews, salads, meat and vegetable dishes. In some cases, parsley becomes the main actor - when breaded, in parsley meatballs or in Tabbouleh salad. In general, it is rarely subjected to prolonged heat treatment and is most often placed in the last minutes of cooking or after its very end.

Benefits of parsley

The volatile oils in parsley, and myristicin in particular, have been shown to inhibit tumor formation and, in particular, lung formation in the lungs.

The flavonoids contained in parsley, and luteolin in particular, have been shown to function as antioxidants that combine with highly reactive oxygen-containing molecules (called oxygen radicals) and help prevent oxygen-based cell damage.

Parsley is a good source of folic acid, which is one of the most important B vitamins. Although it plays many roles in the body, one of its most important roles is in relation to cardiovascular disease. Hence the need for its participation in the process by which the body converts homocysteine into benign molecules.

Parsley is extremely useful in the treatment of various eye diseases. Inflammation of the cornea, cataracts, conjunctivitis, ophthalmia in its various forms are treated with fresh parsley juice mixed with celery juice and chicory.

Foods rich in vitamin C, such as parsley, provide people with protection against inflammatory polyarthritis, a form of rheumatoid arthritis involving two or more joints.

Parsley is recommended for women with impaired menstruation.

Weight loss with parsley

It turns out that parsley is one of the best green spices for weight loss. Parsley juice and decoction are very effective in losing weight, so do not hesitate to prepare them.

For parsley juice you need a handful of green spice, lemon, celery stalks, some carrots and cucumbers. Strain everything with a little water and drink the juice immediately.

Parsley juice significantly supports the digestive system, speeds up metabolism and stimulates metabolism. Fresh parsley juice even reduces bad cholesterol, helps reduce portion sizes.

Parsley decoction it is also very useful. It should be taken for a long period of time to help reduce excess weight. This important property is due to the draining action with which parsley is well known. In many cases, excess weight is due to fluid retention as a result of premenstrual syndrome, taking certain medications, and the presence of too much salt in the diet.

Parsley decoction helps to remove excess water, but it is still good to consult a doctor before taking it regularly.

To prepare a decoction of parsley, put a pot of water on the stove on the stove. After boiling, add about 1/4 tsp. parsley leaves. Boil the decoction for 5 minutes. Strain and it is ready. It can be drunk both hot and cold.

Harm from parsley

Although parsley is very useful and tonic, pregnant women should be careful with it. Excessive use can cause blood flow to the uterus and cause abortion.

It turns out that parsley can be harmful for people if it stays in the salad for too long. It contains nitrates, which begin to be excreted after a certain period of time and, if eaten, can cause stomach irritation. That is why it is best to eat parsley fresh and, if possible, home-grown.

If you still need to buy parsley from the store, it is best to soak it in cold water before using it. This will remove nitrates and other harmful impurities.