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How to Stay Healthy with Parsley




Parsley is often used as a decorative garnish, but it may be the world’s most underappreciated herb. When you understand the excellent health and healing potential of this vibrant, curly green, you’ll realize it’s a lot more than a decoration.

Parsley is an excellent source of antioxidant nutrients. It boosts your liver health, and it’s good for your eyes. Perhaps most impressive of all, components of parsley have been found to help prevent — and even fight — cancer.


Parsley’s anti-cancer power

Apigenin, a compound found in parsley, has repeatedly been found to have strong anti-cancer properties.

In fact, more than 600 PubMed-indexed journal articles relate to the compound’s role in cancer. In research published September 2015 in Oncotarget, scientists for the first time were able to identify how apigenin is able to effectively slow down or stop an undesirable enzyme called IKKA, which plays a role in cancer progression. Their conclusion is? Apigenin has the potential to reduce cancer progression significantly.

The researchers also showed how, in mice, apigenin stops tumor growth and lowers the growth rate of dangerous cancer cells.

But this research is not alone in identifying apigenin’s anticancer abilities. Some other examples:

  • A 2008 clinical trial used apigenin, along with green tea, to greatly reduce cancer rates in patients with colon cancer.

  • A 2012 study at the University of Missouri found that apigenin was able to treat breast cancer effectively.

  • A 2013 study on PubMed.gov found that apigenin killed up to 86 percent of lung cancer cells in vitro.

Also, the volatile oils in parsley neutralize particular types of carcinogens and make this herb a “chemoprotective” food — one that protects healthy tissues from the toxic effects of anticancer drugs. And parsley is also a good source of carotenoids, which help protect the body against cancer-causing cellular damage.

How to take advantage of the anticancer compounds in parsley

Dried parsley — with 13,000 mg per 100 grams — is one of the most abundant sources of apigenin. On the other hand, fresh parsley also has a good amount, with 225 to 300 mg per 100 grams.

To get a 10 mg dose as used in a clinical trial by Prof. Harald Hoensch of the University of Frankfurt, you would need to take one tablespoon of raw chopped parsley per day. Or you could sprinkle a small amount of dried parsley into your food.

Other sources of apigenin include grapefruit, peppermint, thyme, raw celery, rutabagas, and chamomile flower tea.

When you begin to add parsley to your meals, here’s a tip: much of the vitamins and volatile compounds are lost during cooking, so eat it raw or add it at the end of cooking, right before serving.

Using parsley safely

As far as the safety of eating parsley, cancer advisor Ralph W. Moss, Ph.D. warns that while generally safe, apigenin may cause undesired interactions with other drugs. One laboratory study seemed to show that apigenin interfered with a standard chemotherapy drug used in the treatment of leukemia. So, Dr. Moss suggests, “It might be wise NOT to take high doses of this chemical if you are currently undergoing chemotherapy for cancer.”

Parsley’s other health benefits

Parsley has some powerful cancer-fighting potential, but its healthful properties don’t stop there. The apigenin abundant in parsley has been found to have remarkable anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties as well.

Plus, parsley is a rich source of chlorophyll and fiber and also vitamins A, C, and E, as well as beta-carotene, lutein, cryptoxanthin, zeaxanthin, and folate. It also has more vitamin K than kale, with just two tablespoons of raw parsley containing 155 percent of the recommended daily amount.

And eating a bit of fresh parsley after your meal will freshen your breath naturally.

So do you have a whole new appreciation for this herb? Will you include parsley in your diet as more than a garnish? The benefits of parsley are far-reaching. And once you learn how to use it, you’ll find it easy to enjoy.



How to Dry Parsley

If you find yourself with extra parsley, here’s how to dry it to use later.

  1. Oven-drying: Preheat the oven to its lowest setting (usually around 200 degrees Fahrenheit). Using cold water, wash the fresh parsley and remove any tough, woody bits of stem. Roughly chop the parsley into ¼-inch pieces. Blanch in boiling water for thirty seconds. Arrange the parsley in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until the parsley crumbles easily, about two to four hours, checking occasionally to ensure it doesn’t burn. Crush the parsley using a mortar and pestle, removing any remaining stalks.

  2. Air-drying: Loosely tie parsley into small bundles using twine or rubber bands. Make sure that the parsley isn’t too tightly packed, so that the leafier portions can fan out while drying. Place the bundles in brown paper bags and poke a few holes in the bags to allow air to circulate. Store in a cool, dry place. Alternatively, hang the parsley bundles upside-down in the kitchen, without the paper bags. After about two weeks, crumble the bunches and remove the stems. This process works best in dry climates and may not work in humid climates.

  3. Dehydrating: If you’re lucky enough to have access to a food dehydrator, this is by far the easiest method for drying parsley. Rinse the parsley under cold water, remove the stems, and chop the parsley into roughly ¼-inch pieces. Using a fine-mesh sieve, blanch the parsley in boiling water for thirty seconds. Spread the pieces out on drying trays and dehydrate according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Many dehydrators have an herb setting.

  4. Sun-drying: If you enjoy DIY projects, make a solar dehydrator for your parsley. Start by thoroughly cleaning old window screens, then cut the screens to fit over a large rimmed baking sheet. This allows air to circulate underneath the parsley. Place clean, dry parsley in a single layer on top of the screen and baking sheet. Set your solar dehydrator on a porch, on a big windowsill, or in any other brightly lit, warm area. Check the parsley throughout the day, turning occasionally. On a dry, sunny day, your parsley may dry in just a few hours.


sources:

https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-dry-parsley

https://foodrevolution.org


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