Parsley is quite a
strong tasting herb, often used as an accompaniment to fish. It is also quite
decorative in sprigs, and fresh parsley is used quite a lot in decorating some
dishes, especially in restaurants. Parsley, though, is far more than a food decoration
and fish companion. It is also believed to have some very valuable health
benefits.
To some, parsley has a
delicious taste, so if you have not tried eating it, it is worth a try; you may
be one of those who love it. Parley is a nutrituous, dark green leafy herb and
readily available in stores. With the right climate,
such as the UK, parsley can be grown from seed in spring and summer. There is
an old story that to get the best germination rate and best parsley, you should
so parsley at night, and under a full moon. Furthermore, you should do so in
the nude. Now, I must say I did not try that when I lived in England, but I was
able to grow parsley, even sowing with my clothes on in daylight.
Parsley - Not Just for Garnishing
Believe it or not, parsley
is about the most popular herb in the world. Surprisingly, it is genetically
related to the celery plant. It is a perennial, so all being well, once
germinated your herb garden parsley should keep you in fresh supply from spring
until autumn at least.
A sprig of parsley
really is not just for cuisine decor. Its health benefits are thought to
come from two unusual compounds. Firstly, there are the volatile oil
compounds, such as limonene, eugenol, alpha diujene and myisticin. The
other set of compounds are the flavonoids, which including vital elements such
as crisoeriol, apjin, apigenin, and luteolin.
The Volatile Oils Found In Parsley
One of the main areas of
research with parsley concerns the volatile oils which it contains. One in
particular, myisticin, is believed by some to help inhibit the growth of
tumours in animals, and may do so in humans also. Myisticin has shown
particular promise at inhibiting the growth of lung tumours.
The volatile oils found
in parsley are also thought to give some protection against pollutants in the
environment, such as that coming from cars and passive smoking. It is something of a
shame that much of parsley's reputation is as a garnish rather than ingredient
in a dish. It can have many uses in cooking, because of its flavour and rich
dark green colour. It can even be liquidized successfully as part of a healthy
vegetable and fruit drink.
The Different Varieties of Parsley
There are two basic
varieties of parsley. The first is curly parsley, which is what I grew in
England, and the other is Italian flat leaf parsley. The Italian parsley
has a more intense aroma but less bitter taste than curly parsley. There
is, however, a third and not well know variety which is grown for its roots
rather than its leaves. This is called a turnip rooted parsley.
Whichever type of
parsley you buy, it is important to choose the freshest parsley you can
find. Many supermarkets and grocery stores have at least one variety of
parsley available year round, therefore it should not be difficult to find, no
matter what part of the country you call home.
Growing your own parsley
is probably the best option, which is why it is so popular for home herb
gardens. It is also quite easy to grow, clothes and full moon or not. If you do
try to use the nude sowing in the full moon idea, then please make sure your neighbors are soundly asleep!
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