Chances are you have had parsley before. Maybe it was used as a garnish on a bowl of soup, or maybe you used it to make a savory salad dressing. Maybe even you grow it in your herb garden and cook with it often.
Either way, you probably did not realize that this simple green herb is absolutely bursting with vitamins and minerals, as well as all the health benefits these nutrients have to offer. Even just half a cup of fresh parsley can provide you with more than your daily needed serving of essential vitamins like K and A.
Nowadays, juicing is all the health rage, so it is no wonder such a nutritious herb as parsley has become so popular in juice form. Luckily, parsley juice is not just a fad, but an excellent way to up your vitamin intake, detoxify your body, and so much more.
Read on to discover the health benefits of parsley juice and how it can help you amplify these benefits in a quick and simple way.
The Benefits of Juicing Parsley
Parsley is a generally versatile, nutrient-packed herb that can be added to many different dishes, such as soups, salads, and pasta. However, what if I told you that you could maximize the number of nutrients you get from parsley, just by changing the form in which you consume it?
Parsley juice is more highly concentrated in key vitamins and minerals than its fresh herb counterpart, so even a small serving can give you a major boost in essential nutrients. Plus, these nutrients become easier for the body to absorb in juice form, so the cells will therefore be able to reach their full potential.
If you struggle to attain your daily intake goal for fruits and vegetables, incorporating juicing into your diet can be a great and easy way to meet your body’s needs. Greens juices like parsley can support your immune health, help with digestion, aid weight loss, and soothe and detoxify the body. Amazingly, that is only the beginning of a long list of benefits parsley juice has to offer.
Health Benefits Of Parsley Juice
As previously mentioned, parsley is chock full of nutrients. Let’s look a little closer at each vitamin and mineral that it boasts in high quantities:
1. Vitamin K
Of all the vitamins present in parsley, vitamin K is by far the most concentrated. Its main jobs are in supporting proper bone health. For one, it helps cells called osteoblasts build strong, healthy bones. Vitamin K is also involved in the process of increasing and maintaining bone mineral density, which further promotes bone strength and resilience. A low bone mineral density is associated with a higher risk for bone fractures, especially in older adults.
Vitamin K is also needed to perform necessary blood clotting, and it promotes healthy cognitive function.
2. Vitamin A
Vitamin A is necessary for promoting better eye health. It protects the outermost parts of the eye (the cornea and the conjunctiva), meaning those which are most likely to be weathered by the elements. Vitamin A also keeps these areas properly lubricated to prevent dryness. Age-related eye issues, such as night blindness and cataracts, are linked to low levels of vitamin A.
3. Vitamin C
Vitamin C is well known for being an essential component of a healthy immune system, but it also plays a major role in skin and tissue health. It’s also responsible for making collagen, a protein that keeps your skin firm and structured. A healthy amount of collagen can help reduce the presence of wrinkles and other signs of aging.
Collagen is also present in much of the connective tissue in the body, and therefore helps maintain the strength of body tissue, and enables growth and repair as needed.
Vitamins A and C also have antioxidant qualities, the benefits of which will be detailed below.
4. Antioxidants
Parsley juice is rich in antioxidants, such as flavonoids, carotenoids (Vitamin A), and Vitamin C, compounds that help fend off cellular damage and reduce oxidative stress.
The body contains unstable molecules called free radicals, produced as waste during the creation of cellular energy in the mitochondria. Free radicals are missing an electron, so in order to stabilize themselves they look to take an electron from other parts of the cell (for example the cell membrane), damaging it in the process. It is the job of antioxidants to pair off with these free radicals in order to neutralize them and prevent cellular damage.
Oxidative stress occurs when there is a shortage of antioxidants and free radicals are left to harm the cells repeatedly. Many chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, as well as accelerated aging, are associated with oxidative stress and free radical-caused cellular damage over time. Therefore antioxidants are crucial to keeping your cells working smoothly and effectively, slowing aging, and preventing illness.
5. Iron
Stunningly, in the same serving size, parsley contains double the amount of iron as spinach. In other words, a whole lot! Iron is present in red blood cells, and is responsible for transporting oxygen throughout the body. A serving of parsley juice can help prevent conditions like anemia that are caused by iron deficiencies.
The body can sometimes struggle to absorb iron efficiently and relies on the help of vitamin C to facilitate better iron absorption. Luckily, parsley juice contains both iron and vitamin C, so this is not an issue!
6. Folate (Folic Acid)
Folate, or folic acid, is a B vitamin that supports heart health. In particular, folate maintains the levels of a protein called homocysteine in the body. High levels of homocysteine are linked with weaker blood vessels and a higher risk for heart conditions. Nitrate-rich folate also facilitates better blood flow and keeps the blood vessels healthy and strong.
The B vitamin complex as a whole helps in the formation of red blood cells (which carry oxygen throughout the body) and in converting the food we eat into a form that is usable by the cells.
Other Benefits
- Stronger hair: deficiencies in iron and vitamins A, B, and C are linked with weakened hair and/or hair loss.
- Less gas: parsley is carminative, meaning it helps relieve flatulence and reduce bloating.
- Diuretic: Parsley can help soothe and reduce irritation in the urinary tract by increasing urine output and eliminating excess toxins and sodium in the body.
- Naturally fresher breath
In Summary
Parsley juice is full of essential vitamins and nutrients that will greatly benefit your body. Adding parsley juice to your diet is a quick, easy, and even tasty way to detoxify and soothe your body, and promote bone, heart, immune and digestive health.
If you are struggling to meet your body’s daily needs in terms of fruits and vegetables, consider the many advantages of using a greens powder supplement.
