10 Health Benefits of Parsley

Most commonly used as a garnish, this little green Mediterranean plant has so many health benefits; you won't be sliding it to the side of your plate any longer. Flat or curly, Parsley is a tasty herb that has been used for centuries. It can add a whole lot of flavor to a dish, and also add a whole lot of benefits to your health. Read below to know just exactly why and how parsley is a super herb that you need in your everyday eating plan.

Antioxidants

High in multiple kinds of antioxidants, eating parsley can help protects your body from harmful molecules called free radicals. Two of the most powerful antioxidants for the body are beta-carotene and vitamin C, and parsley has high levels of both! This along with others such as luteolin and zeaxanthin means your elimination of free radicals and the prevention of things like eye disease from aging, macular degeneration, diabetes and some cancers, but also lessening serious implications for diseases such as asthma, and both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Anti-inflammatory agent

Parsley contains an oil called eugenol. This volatile oil has been proven to have powerful anti-inflammatory properties and anti-arthritic benefits. This all helps with the swelling of the joints and pain related to osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis, along with some other inflammatory diseases such as Crohn's disease, fibromyalgia, asthma, and atherosclerosis. Parsley's high vitamin C levels also help fight inflammatory conditions and even some cancers. It can even go as far as reducing inflammation on the skin. If you avian insect bite rubbing parsley directing on to the affected skin can reduce the inflammation the bite caused.

Immune system strengthener

Vitamin C, B12, and beta carotene boost an immune system and acts as a protector against infections and colds. Parsley has mountains of these good things to increase the strength of your immune system and having a healthy immune system can also lend itself to your body healings itself quicker. Parsley also contains beta carotene and the human body, because it's so amazing, converts this into vitamin A, and vitamin A does a whole range of great things. It produces white blood cells to destroy bacteria, strengthens respiratory and intestinal and urinary tracts and even ensures better vision by enhancing the lining of the eyes.

Bone strength

Your body's bone strength is determined by the material and structural properties of the bones themselves. We need strong bones to help carry the weight of our bodies, to stay active, avoid bone breaks and stay resilient. Parsley has a lot of vitamin K. It's this vitamin that makes our bones strong and helps to prevent a build-up of calcium in tissues which can lead to many conditions and diseases such as atherosclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases. Two tablespoons of parsley contain 153% of the recommended daily dose of vitamin K, and it's natural and organic, which is the best way to ingest vitamins.

Anti cardiovascular disease

Vitamin B5 is also known as folate, and folate protects the body from cardiovascular diseases like heart attack, stroke, and atherosclerosis, which is a hardening and narrowing of the arteries. It also keeps the heart healthy by removing homocysteine in the body. Of course, cooked parsley is also beneficial to the various systems in the body, but there have been studies that show that eating raw parsley can help purify the blood, maintain elasticity in the blood vessels and can dissolve deposits as the residue that sticks to veins.

Gallstone prevention

Gallstones form in the gallbladder. They are caused by a crystallization of bile acids and cholesterol and essentially get stuck, as a small hard mass that's hard to pass through the body. They can also be quite painful. Drinking hot or cold parsley tea can even help to dissolve the gallstones so they can pass through the body more easily, but you'd have to drink around half a liter of parsley tea every day for this to be effective.

Fresh breath

Bad breath can be caused by many things; health problems, poor dental hygiene or gum disease, and smoking. Medically known as halitosis, bad breath can be cured by getting to the root of the problem. But in the meantime, the best and most natural remedy is munching on some parsley leaves or even drinking some parsley juice. Even if the bad breath is brought on by the food, you have just eaten, such as onions or garlic, chewing on parsley after your meal will help a great deal to eliminate any strong mouth odor.

Anemia remedy

Anemia is when the body is low on iron. Parsley has a very high concentration of iron, specifically, 6.1 milligrams for every 100 grams of parsley. Consuming parsley regularly will build up your iron levels. Our bodies need this for the production of heme. Heme is the essential oxygen-carrying component within red blood cells. So as well as iron supplements, those with anemia can also drink parsley juice.

Balancing hormones

Hormonal imbalance is a common problem in today's modern world. Stress is a significant factor, as well as lifestyle choices and diet, genetic factors, and medications. Parsley contains beta-carotene and folic acid. These volatile oils help keep our hormone levels balanced, and can help during women's menstrual disorders and cramping. It improves the levels and the balance of both estrogen and progesterone in the body. The best way to use parsley medicinally balance is as a tea, or with another herbal tea such as chamomile.

Detoxing agent

The body's liver works to detox our systems. It uses the good things we put into our body, to expel the dangerous toxins and keep everything running smoothly. Apigenin is a naturally occurring plant flavone, and Myristicin is a natural organic compound and phenylpropene. Both of these things work to boost the productivity of the enzymes in the liver, which detoxes the organ and keep it running efficiently and properly. Eating parsley can only contribute to good liver production and benefit the body's natural detoxing procedure.