Parsley is a popular herb often used in American, European, and Middle Eastern cooking. It’s commonly used to elevate the flavor of dishes like soups, salads, and fish recipes. Aside from its many culinary uses, parsley is highly nutritious and has been shown to have many powerful health benefits. This article reviews parsley and how this impressive herb may benefit your health.
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Rich in Nutrients
Two tablespoons (8 grams) of parsley provide :
- Calories:2
- Vitamin A:12% of the Reference Daily Intake (RDI)
- Vitamin C:16% of the RDI
- Vitamin K:154% of the RDI
Parsley is low in calories yet rich in important nutrients, such as vitamins A, K, and C.
Vitamin A is an essential nutrient that plays a key role in your immunity and eye health. Plus, it’s important for your skin and may improve skin conditions, such as acne.
Parsley is also a great source of vitamin K, a nutrient that supports bone and heart health. In fact, just two tablespoons (8 grams) of parsley deliver more vitamin K than you need in a day. Aside from its role in bone and heart health, vitamin K is essential for proper blood clotting, which can help prevent excessive bleeding. Additionally, parsley is packed with vitamin C, a nutrient that improves heart health and is vital to your immune system. Vitamin C also acts as a powerful antioxidant, protecting your cells from damage caused by unstable molecules called free radicals.
What’s more, parsley is a good source of the nutrients magnesium, potassium, folate, iron, and calcium.
SUMMARY: Parsley contains several important nutrients, such as vitamins A, K, and C. It’s also a good source of the minerals calcium, iron, magnesium, and potassium.
May Improve Blood Sugar
Aside from diabetes, elevated blood sugar levels can occur due to an unhealthy diet or a lack of exercise.
Elevated blood sugar levels can increase your risk of health complications, such as insulin resistance, diabetes, heart disease, and metabolic syndrome — a cluster of symptoms including high cholesterol and high blood sugar.
Animal studies suggest that antioxidants in parsley may effectively reduce high blood sugar levels.
For example, a study in rats with type 1 diabetes found that those given parsley extract experienced greater reductions in blood sugar levels and improvements in pancreatic function compared to a control group.
Along with eating a balanced diet, adding parsley to your cooking may help support healthy blood sugar levels.
That said, human studies are needed to better understand the effects of parsley on blood sugar levels.
SUMMARY: Elevated blood sugar levels can increase your risk of conditions like diabetes or metabolic syndrome. Some rat studies found parsley to effectively reduce blood sugar levels.
Can Benefit Heart Health
Heart conditions like heart attacks and strokes are the leading cause of death worldwide. An unhealthy diet, lack of exercise, smoking, and high alcohol intake can all contribute to heart disease. Parsley contains many plant compounds, including carotenoid antioxidants, which have been found to benefit heart health by reducing heart disease risk factors.
For instance, carotenoid-rich diets have been shown to improve heart disease risk factors like chronic inflammation, as well as elevated blood pressure and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels. What’s more, population studies indicate that diets high in carotenoid can decrease your risk of heart conditions like coronary artery disease.
A 12-year study in 73,286 nurses found an inverse association between dietary carotenoids and the incidence of coronary artery disease.
Another large study in 13,293 people, who were followed for up to 18 years, observed that those with higher blood levels of carotenoids had lower rates of heart disease mortality than those with lower carotenoid levels. Parsley also contains vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that may benefit your heart health.
A study in 13,421 people demonstrated that those with the highest intake of vitamin C had a significantly reduced risk of heart disease compared to those with the lowest intake.
SUMMARY: Parsley contains carotenoid antioxidants and vitamin C — both of which have been shown to benefit heart health.
May Aid Kidney Health
Your kidneys are important organs that constantly filter your blood, removing waste and extra water, which is then excreted with your urine. Sometimes, when urine becomes concentrated, mineral deposits can form and lead to a painful condition called kidney stones.
A study in rats with kidney stones found that those treated with parsley had decreased urinary calcium and protein excretion, as well as increased urinary pH and urination compared to a control group. Parsley has also been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties due to its antioxidants, including flavonoids, carotenoids, and vitamin C.
Additionally, parsley may help keep your kidneys healthy by reducing high blood pressure, a major risk factor for kidney disease. Parsley is high in nitrates that help dilate blood vessels, which improves blood flow and lowers high blood pressure. Research indicates that nitrate-rich foods like parsley can help maintain healthy blood pressure levels. The anti-inflammatory properties of parsley, along with its ability to regulate urinary pH and reduce blood pressure, may help keep your kidneys healthy and lower your risk of kidney stones. Keep in mind that parsley is relatively high in oxalates — compounds that may increase kidney stone risk.
Still, health experts recommend that only people with hyperoxaluria — characterized by excessive oxalate excretion in the urine — limit their intake of dietary oxalates.
SUMMARY: Parsley may help keep your kidneys healthy by fighting inflammation and reducing high blood pressure and your risk of kidney stones.
Source: www.healthline.com
Ms. Jenny
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