Parsley: a powerful pick-me-up

By Mercedes Kay Gold, CNP, CPT

Fresh herbs are an easy way to make mundane meals an immediate tastebud sensation.  Well known as a garnish, parsley is positively plate worthy for heaps of health body-boosting benefits. The two most popular types of parsley- flat leaf and curly vary in appearance and flavor. Curly leaf parsley is brilliant green and wild looking while Italian or flat leaf parsley has dark to bright hues of green flat broad leaves.

 An aromatic flavor makes this versatile herb perfect as a fresh chopped add-on at the end of cooking, maximizing boldness. French or curly parsley is the go-to garnish as a rule, thanks to its subtle taste, making it top-notch in traditional tabbouleh. Heavenly holistic happiness is curly parsley bundled with other sprigs during cooking. Parsley is the perfect plus one in any fresh-pressed juicing combination.

Why parsley? Green equals go in the health world. Chlorophyll is a pigment that gives plants their gorgeous green color. A diet rich in shades of green translates into increased energy, improved skin, blood-building properties, and addresses body odour. Pass on breath mints and gum, chewing parsley post-meal is nature’s solution for bad breath. Parsley is stocked full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Among the list, three stand out as top-notch reasons to power up with parsley. Vitamin C is a key immune booster, helping protect against chronic diseases, and fighting free radicals throughout the body. Vitamin A is another immune boosting vitamin, part of the super trio A-C-E vitamins. Vitamin A is key to super skin and ideal for addressing acne. Eye health is given a helping hand with the power of parsley. Vitamin K is another reason to fall in love with parsley. Its vital for helping with the absorption of calcium, translating into improved bone health. The body needs vitamin K to produce prothrombin, an important protein needed in blood clotting.

Parsley is a super support for the digestive system, helping target gas, bloating, and irritable bowel syndrome. Parsley is a dream diuretic and helpful for combatting kidney stones.

Spring is in the air and whether you love gardening or groceries is more your style, planting parsley in pots is an easy affordable way to increase your intake of this herbal superfood.

Power up with parsley by adding to smoothies, fresh-pressed juices, salads, sauces, and soups. Look for recipes highlighting parsley such as plant-based pasta recipes. Sauces with olive oil, garlic, lemon and parsley or tomato-based parsley are perfect for pasta. Just 22 calories in a cup and two grams of belly-boosting fibre, parsley packs a punch as a holistic health helper!

Mercedes Kay Gold is a Certified Holistic Practitioner and Certified Mobile Trainer living & working in Toronto. Her writing has been featured in various publications and has appeared on Daytime with Jacqueline Betterton. Her spare time is spent blogging all things healthy & enjoying time with her sons. mercedeskaygoldfitness@gmail.com
https://mercedeskaygold.com/

Super easy parsley tea

Did you know, parsley contains more vitamin C than oranges, by weight, according to Prescription for Nutritional Healing by James F. Balch, MD. Try parsley tea for a new twist to your usual herbal tea break. Simply toss a couple of sprigs of parsley into a cup and fill cup with hot water. Let steep for about 10 minutes. Remove sprigs once steeped. Alternatively, you can add 1 tsp of dried parsley to a mesh strainer or infuser and steep.