We’ve been really good friends since I was a little child, but now we are really inseparable. It wasn’t really hard for me to bond with my dear parsley… actually most of the times; it was present in my food. In my household parsley was very often used, as you can imagine. Now I realise the fact that not only I was in love with parsley, but I guess parsley was in love with me also, otherwise I could not explain why parsley would wave to me from the farmers market, every time I went there with my dad. 😀

How can you not love it? It is green, cheerful and tasty… really tasty; on top of all these qualities, it helps us (if we let it) to be healthy and vibrant. Parsley is a really nutritious food, for those who have eyes to see and to appreciate it.

Parsley is an herbaceous plant, cultivated for its white root, stem and leaves. That we already know, but what we know less, or not at all, is that parsley is a super food , a real panacea, a nutrition bomb and a great healer for our bodies.

Let’s see what parsley offers in terms of health:

• Vitamin C! Parsley is a great source of vitamin C easily absorbable, it contains 3 times more vitamin C than citrus. That means the parsley is an excellent antioxidant, has anti-viral properties, regulates blood sugar, prevents fat storage, is a good anti-allergic, regulate cholesterol, etc.
• It contains beta- carotene, so it ensures protection of various organs such as the colon and lungs.
• Rich in chlorophyll which acts like an antibacterial and antifungal food.
• It contains easily absorbable iron (much more than spinach) and it helps us in cases of iron deficiency.
• It contains a pretty awesome variety of minerals such as: calcium, potassium, magnesium and zinc.
• It’s an excellent source of vitamin K and sodium.
• Like any green leaf is really rich in protein (this is important especially for those who do not consume animal protein). 😀
• Due to the sheer amount of vitamins, minerals and flavonoids, parsley gives a good help to both digestive system and urinary system.

These are just some of the benefits of parsley, in terms of health, I’m sure you know that. : D

Also, parsley, gives colour and flavour to all foods and it puts its mark on each meal that you prepare with love for your loved ones; it is used in all kitchens in the world as a pretty important ingredient. You don’t have to be a genius to figure out that this herb it’s a real value from all points of view and you can attribute it a lot of tasks of colour, flavour and nutrition in all your dishes.

When you buy parsley you have to be very careful when you choose it. It has to be dark green (preferably), with a hard stem and vigorous leaves and freshly picked from the garden (as fresh as possible). In this way you will be sure that it contains all the valuable minerals and vitamins that you need, plus it taste will be 10 times better if it’s fresh. I suggest that you buy parsley from the farmers market and not from supermarket. In this way it will be better for the local farmers, for the environment, for you…well for everybody 😀 ; you can find it fresh all year round without any kind of problems and if you want you can even grow it in your apartment. 😀

I use parsley in a lot of dishes, I add it in salads, in sandwiches, is soups and stews (after I turn off the fire), in fresh juices made from fruits and veggies, in smoothies, and so on… endless possibilities.

We just need a little bit of imagination…because we have enough parsley, thank God! 😀

P.S. I believe it would look perfect instead of a flower bouquet also!!! 😀