Health Benefits of Parsley (2024)

Parsley is a widely cultivated flowering herb that belongs to the family Apiaceae. It is prevalent in American, European, and Middle Eastern cuisine.

There are two types of fresh parsley frequently found in markets and other food shops. They are commonly known by their descriptive names: curly leaf parsley and flat leaf parsley. Curly leaf parsley, also called French parsley, is often used as a garnish. Flat leaf parsley, also called Italian parsley, has a stronger flavor and is used more frequently as an ingredient in salads and cooked dishes.

You can also find dried parsley in stores. Drying the herb reduces some of its health benefits but not all, and it actually may improve its cancer-fighting potential.

Health Benefits

Parsley has many vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that can provide important health benefits. It is a particularly rich source of vitamin K. A single tablespoon of fresh chopped parsley provides more than 70% of the recommended daily intake.

Parsley also contains a good amount of vitamin A and antioxidants known as flavonoids.

The other health benefits that parsley can provide include:

Cancer Prevention

Parsley contains a large amount of the flavone apigenin. While cooking and/or drying may reduce some of parsley’s other health benefits, it increases the apigenin available in parsley. In fact, dried parsley is the best natural source of apigenin.

Flavones are the pigments in certain flowering plants and powerful antioxidants. Apigenin has demonstrated particular potential as an anticancer agent, but more research is needed.

Diuresis

Diuresis is the process in which your kidneys make extra pee in order to get rid of a substance in your body. Parsley works as a powerful natural diuretic and can help reduce bloating and blood pressure.

Bone Health

Parsley is loaded with vitamin K, which has been linked to bone health. The vitamin supports bone growth and bone mineral density.

One study on parsley found that it helped protect against osteoporosis in rats.

Eye Health

Parsley contains vitamin A, which helps protect the surface of the eye, as well as lutein and zeaxanthin, two antioxidants that help prevent age-related macular degeneration.

Nutrition

Parsley's vitamin K is important because it helps blood to clot in addition to contributing to bone health.

Parsley is rich in vitamin C and other antioxidants, which help reduce the risk of serious health conditions like diabetes, stroke, heart disease and cancer.

It’s also an excellent source of:

Nutrients per Serving

A 1 tablespoon serving of chopped, fresh parsley contains:

Portion Sizes

Parsley is a low-calorie ingredient that can be consumed without risk by most people. Large amounts of parsley may be dangerous to pregnant women, and should be avoided.

How to Use Parsley

It is easy to add parsley to your diet. It can be added to soups or salads or sprinkled over dishes as a finishing touch. Parsley also makes up one of the key ingredients in several herbal seasonings, sauces, and dishes such as:

  • A bouquet garni, a bundle of herbs commonly added to French soups, stocks, and sauces
  • Salsa verde, an Italian condiment
  • Cheiro-verde, a Brazillian herbal seasoning
  • Tabbouleh, a Middle Eastern salad
Health Benefits of Parsley (2024)

FAQs

Health Benefits of Parsley? ›

Parsley is rich in vitamin C and other antioxidants, which help reduce the risk of serious health conditions like diabetes, stroke, heart disease and cancer. It's also an excellent source of: Vitamin A. Folate.

What does parsley do for the body? ›

Parsley can help to boost immunity and strengthen the immune system because it is rich in vitamin C, zinc, and vitamin A and additionally contains antimicrobial properties. Some studies show that parsley is particularly effective against bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli.

Is it good to eat parsley every day? ›

Parsley is POSSIBLY SAFE for most adults when taken as medicine, short-term. In some people, parsley can cause allergic skin reactions. But consuming very large amounts of parsley is LIKELY UNSAFE, and can cause other side effects like anemia and liver or kidney problems.

Does parsley detox the body? ›

Parsley helps prevent the formation of stones in the kidneys by making urine more acidic and acting as a diuretic, which increases urine production. Drinking parsley tea can help the body flush out excess toxins, fats, salts, and water and thus reduce strain on the kidneys.

What is parsley best for? ›

It can enhance the flavor of soups, stews, and tomato sauces. Additionally, it's often combined with other herbs in Italian-inspired recipes. Fresh parsley is also a great addition to homemade salad dressings, marinades, and seafood recipes.

Which is better cilantro or parsley? ›

Parsley tends to be more versatile, while fresh cilantro brings a strong herbaceous, citrusy flavor to recipes. They're similar nutritionally, although parsley comes out ahead for its vitamin K content. Both are rich in antioxidants.

Does parsley detox the liver? ›

Parsley is considered a bitter herb. All bitter herbs stimulate the release of bile, which helps the liver detox. Parsley also produces glutathione, which naturally protects the liver from damage.

Is parsley healthier, raw or cooked? ›

Parsley contains a large amount of the flavone apigenin. While cooking and/or drying may reduce some of parsley's other health benefits, it increases the apigenin available in parsley. In fact, dried parsley is the best natural source of apigenin.

Which is healthier, parsley or spinach? ›

Parsley is a good source of vitamin C, it contains more amount of vitamin C than oranges. It also contains antioxidants that are required in your daily diet. What's more, Parsley has an abundance of iron which is twice more than spinach.

Is it okay to eat parsley stems? ›

You can eat the stems of parsley, but they are much more bitter than the leaves, so I recommend just using the leaves for most recipes. By placing all stems together, you can easily remove them in one quick cut.

What are the side effects of eating parsley? ›

Adverse effects from the ingestion of parsley oil include headache, giddiness, loss of balance, convulsions, and renal damage. The psoralen compounds found in parsley have been linked to a photodermatitis reaction found among parsley cutters.

Does parsley burn belly fat? ›

Parsley juice makes a very good belly fat-burning juice. It is a wonderful diuretic that works with your body to flush all those unwanted fluids out of your system. It has a high concentration of antioxidants and is also rich in Vitamin A, B, and K.

Is parsley a laxative? ›

Abstract. Parsley has been claimed in folk medicine to possess laxative properties attributed to the presence therein of some volatile oils that are more concentrated in seeds than in stems or leaves.

Should you eat parsley raw? ›

It's easy to dismiss parsley as merely a garnish, but. used in quantity, its robust green flavor is delicious. raw in salads, sauces, and marinades, when cooked. in dishes likes soup.

Why do I love parsley so much? ›

Compared with other herbs, parsley is much less assertive, but by no means is it insipid. “It is very versatile and neutral enough, but also flavorful enough, to go along with everything.”

Is parsley a superfood? ›

Parsley is an excellent source of vitamins A, C, and K, and a good source of folate and iron. Vitamin A is involved in immune function, vision, and reproduction. It also plays an important role in the formation and maintenance of the heart, lungs, kidneys as well as other organs.

What does parsley do to the brain? ›

Brain health: Another flavonoid present in parsley is apigenin; it is believed to improve the formation of neurons in the brain as well as enhance learning and memory.

Can parsley balance hormones? ›

The health benefits of parsley include: Helps treat fatigue, hormone imbalances, liver problems, and menstrual pain, Possesses antioxidant power.

Does parsley settle your stomach? ›

Furthermore, parsley acts as a pain reliever with anti-inflammatory properties and provides relief from gastrointestinal issues such as indigestion, stomach cramps, bloating, and nausea, while helping to strengthen the immune system.

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