Parsley (Petroselinum crispum)

OriginThe rock celery

Petroselinum It is called rock celery - and indeed the wild form grows on rocky slopes of the eastern Mediterranean, where nobody would expect to find it.

Parsley originates from the eastern Mediterranean and was known to the Greeks and Romans, though initially less as a spice and more as a wreath plant and grave decoration: For the Greeks, it was associated with the cult of the dead, and the expression "he'll soon need parsley" meant that someone didn't have long to live. It only became established as a culinary herb in the Middle Ages, but then it gained widespread popularity – today it is one of the most widely used herbs in Europe.

Three forms are available commercially. flat-leaf parsley This is the more aromatic form and the standard form in Southern Europe and the Middle East. curly parsley It was originally bred to prevent confusion with poisonous umbellifers – it tastes milder and has therefore been relegated to the role of a decorative plant in Germany. Parsley root is a separate group of varieties with a fleshy, white root, which is found in soup greens and whose leaves are also usable.

The risk of confusion is real and the reason for an old kitchen rule. fool's parsley (Aethusa cynapium(This plant) is a poisonous umbellifer that resembles flat-leaf parsley. It differs by an unpleasant, garlicky odor when crushed, shinier, darker leaves, and, most importantly, by the long, drooping bracts beneath the individual umbels – a characteristic that true parsley lacks. If you're sowing seeds in your garden and unsure what's sprouting: rub the leaves and smell them. Parsley smells like parsley.

To useWhat parsley does for you

Parsley has an image problem: it's placed next to the plate as decoration and pushed aside. Yet it belongs to the most nutrient-rich leaves in the kitchen. One hundred grams of fresh parsley contain more vitamin C than a lemon, as well as an extremely high amount of vitamin K, plenty of folic acid, iron, potassium, calcium, and carotenoids. The usual amounts are, of course, smaller – but a good bunch of parsley in tabbouleh is nutritionally a leafy vegetable, not just a garnish, and that's exactly how Levantine cuisine treats it.

The diuretic effect is primarily used medicinally: Commission E has approved parsley herb and root for Flushing of the urinary tract and is also valued for the prevention of kidney stones. The flavonoids and components of the essential oil are responsible for this effect. As with any flushing therapy, the main benefit comes from the amount consumed, and it is not suitable for those with impaired heart or kidney function. Traditionally, parsley is also considered an appetite stimulant and digestive aid – and a remedy for garlic breath, which actually works: chlorophyll and polyphenols bind some of the sulfur compounds in the mouth.

And then there's a point where the quantity used in cooking and the concentrated preparation diverge significantly. Parsley contains... Apiol and Myristicin Apiol is found primarily in the seeds and essential oil, and significantly less in the leaves. Historically, it was used as an abortifacient, resulting in severe poisoning and death; in high doses, it damages the liver and kidneys and has a strong effect on the uterine muscles. This does not apply to the bunch of parsley in the salad. The concentration there is orders of magnitude lower. This applies to parsley seeds, parsley essential oil, and highly concentrated extracts, and these have no place in self-medication.

IngredientsThis is what's in parsley

The leaf provides remarkable amounts of nutrients: Vitamin C (around 160 mg per 100 g, which is more than three times the amount in a lemon), Vitamin K in peak values, folic acid, iron, potassium, calcium, magnesium and carotenoids, plus plenty Apigenin - a flavonoid with described antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The high vitamin K content is the reason for a specific warning: those taking coumarin-type blood thinners should not suddenly and drastically change the amount of parsley they consume, because vitamin K reverses the coagulation process.

The essential oil It is sparsely represented in the leaf at 0.05 to 0.3 percent, somewhat more in the root, in the seeds In contrast, it is highly concentrated at two to seven percent. Its critical components are Apiol and Myristicin - Phenylpropanes, which in high doses affect the liver, kidneys, and uterus. This explains the sharp distinction between culinary herbs and concentrated preparations.

Two practical points for the kitchen. First: The stems contain more essential oil than the leaves. Throwing them away is wasteful; finely chopped, they belong in the dish or stock. Secondly, parsley loses almost everything during cooking, both vitamin C and aroma. It belongs at the end, not the beginning – with one exception: stock, where the stems can and should be cooked along with the rest.

Enhanced combinationsWhat makes parsley stronger

A herb that should be treated like a vegetable rather than a decoration - in large quantities, fresh, and at the end.

What contradicts itselfIt's best to avoid these combinations.

To which courtWhere she belongs

• TabboulehThe Lebanese salad: parsley is the main ingredient, bulgur is just a side dish.
• GremolataParsley, lemon zest, garlic - over ossobuco and braised dishes.
• PersilladePetersilie und Knoblauch in Butter - zu Fisch, Muscheln und Erdäpfel.
• Salsa verdeWith capers, anchovies, vinegar and oil - to go with boiled beef and fish.
• Green sauceOne of the seven herbs and the main ingredient in the Frankfurt version.
• parsley potatoesThe German classic - butter, salt, plenty of freshly chopped parsley.
• ChimichurriArgentinian style, with oregano, garlic, vinegar and oil for grilled meat.
• Stock and soup vegetablesThe stems and root parsley give the broth depth.
• parsley pestoInstead of basil - use walnuts and pecorino; it keeps longer in the refrigerator.
• After the garlicChewing a few leaves binds some of the sulfur compounds in the mouth.

As a home remedyThe green bundle

Ayurveda & TCMWhat the old systems say

Warning noticesWhen you should be careful

This page provides information and does not replace medical advice. If symptoms persist, please consult a doctor.

Related to the topicRead on and cook along!

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