Health Benefits of Parsley Featured in Psychology Today

The April edition of Psychology Today magazine includes an insightful profile of parsley, commonly thought of as "The Garnish Herb."

As the article by Hara Estroff Marano[1] points out, parsley actually has quite a few nutrients, including beta carotene, vitamins B12 and folate, and "more vitamin C than the equivalent amount of orange." In addition, parsley "contains immunity-enhancing phytonutrients like luteolin that curb inflammatory processes in the body," and other organic compounds, including myristicin and folic acid.

Perhaps our most well-known garnish, in other parts of the world parsley serves a heartier function. Leafy and a bit whispy, parsley can be used to make several sauces, including pesto, and is added to many grain and salad dishes, such as tabbouleh.

Plus, the rumors are true ... parsley does help freshen breath after eating more pungent foods like garlic!

Here's a link to a study[2] about how the antioxidant capacity of culinary herbs, including parsley, is affected by various cooking and storage processes: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18224444

>> For more information about the health benefits of parsley, including tips for using parsley in cooking, check out holistic nutrition and cooking books from the Apothecary Shoppe College Store.

>> To learn more about holistic nutrition and herbalism courses offered by the American College of Healthcare Sciences, visit www.achs.edu

[1] Marano, HE. 2010. Parsing Parsley. Psychology Today. March/April, p 56.
[2] Chohan M, Forster-Wilkins G, Opara EI. 2008. Determination of the antioxidant capacity of culinary herbs subjected to various cooking and storage processes using the ABTS(*+) radical cation assay. Plant Foods Hum Nutr. Jun;63(2):47-52. Epub 2008 Jan 26.