health benefits of parsley and cilantro

[ladycolorado]

here are some of the health benefits of parsley: The Amazing Health Benefits of Parsley, or, "Hey, I Shouldn't Be Just a Table Garnish!"
by www.SixWise.com


Parsley is an easy-to-use, incredibly flavorful, nutrition powerhouse, yet, unfortunately, it often gets regarded as a "throw-away" garnish on dinner plates. Derived from the Greek word meaning "rock celery" (because it's related to celery), parsley has been cultivated for 2,000 years, and was used medicinally long before that.



Just two tablespoons of parsley provide over 150% of the daily recommended value of vitamin K.

In fact, in ancient times parsley was regarded as sacred and was used to decorate tombs. It's believed that the ancient Romans were the first ones to begin popularizing parsley as a garnish.

Among its more than 30 varieties, the two most popular are flat-leaf parsley and curly-leaf parsley, both of which can be found in most supermarkets (and are simple to grow yourself).

Aside from adding a burst of fresh flavor to soups, vegetables, meats and a host of other dishes, parsley is full of valuable nutrients that have proven health benefits.

Parsley's Many Health-Giving Properties

Parsley contains three times as much vitamin C as oranges, and twice as much iron as spinach. It's an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin A and folate, as well. But parsley's nutrition advantages do not end there.

For a quick look at parley's major nutrients (based on two tablespoons, which has only 2.7 calories!), check out the chart below, then keep reading to find out about more of parsley's healthy benefits.

Nutrient Amount % Daily Value Rating*
Vitamin K 123.00 mcg 153.8 Excellent
Vitamin C 9.97 mg 16.6 Excellent
Vitamin A 631.80 IU 12.6 Excellent
Folate (folic acid) 11.40 mcg 2.9 Good
Iron 0.46 mg 2.6 Good

* Based on nutrient density and daily value.

Fights cancer. Parsley contains volatile oils that have been found to inhibit tumor formation in animal studies, particularly those in the lungs. The oils are not only cancer-fighting, they're also known to neutralize carcinogens including those found in cigarette smoke and charcoal grill smoke. Parsley also contains folic acid, which has been found to help prevent colon and cervical cancers.

Antioxidant-rich. Parsley contains beneficial antioxidant compounds called flavonoids. These compounds combine with oxygen-containing molecules and help prevent oxygen-based damage to cells. Parsley extracts have also been found to increase the antioxidant capacity of the blood in animal studies.

Good for the heart. The folic acid in parsley is a critical nutrient in cardiovascular health. Specifically, folic acid helps convert potentially dangerous homocysteine into harmless molecules, a process that protects blood vessels and reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Protects against rheumatoid arthritis. A study published in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases found that people who ate the least amount of vitamin-C-rich foods (like parsley) had a three times greater chance of developing rheumatoid arthritis than those who ate the most.



For an easy way to get more nutrients in your diet, make parsley a featured part of your meal -- not just a garnish.

How to Use Parsley

As you can see from the chart above, it only takes two tablespoons of parsley to yield a host of health benefits (but you can use as much as you like!). Fresh parsley is always more flavorful than the dried variety, so if you can get it, always use fresh. Generally, the flat version tends to have a more intense flavor than the curly-leaf variety, but pick the type that appeals to you the most.

Simply wash the parsley, chop it up and sprinkle it into your favorite dishes, from soups and salads to fish and meat dishes. Or, check out the tasty recipe below for a parsley sauce that works great on lamb, fish and chicken.

Garlic, Lemon & Parsley Dressing

Ingredients:

6 cloves garlic, finely chopped or pressed
6 tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley
6 tbsp. fresh breadcrumbs
6 tbsp. softened butter
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
Method:

Make a smooth paste of the garlic, parsley, breadcrumbs, butter and lemon juice
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Spread the sauce on the desired entrée near the end of the cooking time (in the last hour for meat) and return to oven.
Source: MountainValleyGrowers.com


here are some of the health benefiits of cilantro: Coriander seed and cilantro leaves have many known health benefits and researchers are finding more every day. Here are 13 known benefits:

1. Protects against the Salmonella bacteria

2. Reportedly works as a natural chelation treatment

3. Aids in digestion and helps settle the stomach and prevent flatulence

4. Is an anti-inflammatory that may alleviate symptoms of arthritis

5. Protects against urinary tract infections

6. Prevents nausea

7. Relieves intestinal gas

8. Lowers blood sugar

9. Lowers bad cholesterol (LDL) and raises good cholesteraol (HDL)

10. A good source of dietary fiber

11. A good source of iron

12. A good source of magnesium

13. Rich in phytonutrients and flavonoids

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Cilantro Chelation Therapy - Heavy Metal Detox?
Filed under Cilantro | Comments (0)

Cilantro has been found to chelate (remove) heavy metals like mercury, aluminum, and lead from the body. In fact, it is believed to cross the blood-brain barrier and actually remove said metals from the brain. Is this just quackery or is there something to it? I've been looking into it and have found the following.

The contention that cilantro is a powerful chelation agent is based on the research of Dr. Yoshiaki Omura, President and Founder of the International College of Acupuncture & Electro-Therapeutics and Director of Medical Research of the Heart Disease Research Foundation.

In 1995, Omura observed that subjects had higher than normal levels of mercury in their urine after consuming Vietnamese soup, which has large amounts of cilantro (also called "Chinese parsley"). He followed up on this accidental finding and discovered that giving cilantro to patients with mercury poisoning for several weeks successfully eliminated the toxin from the body.

You can read the abstract of his research here.

Some people don't believe mercury poisoning from amalgam fillings is a problem. However, others feel it is a serious issue and that we should have our fillings removed and detox from mercury and other heavy metals in order to avoid serious health consequences.

If you are interested in chelating heavy metals from your body, cilantro appears to be one of the most natural ways to do so. So how much should one eat and for how long?

Some people recommend eating two tablespoons daily of a cilantro pesto for about three weeks.

Also, many recommend taking chlorella with the cilantro, saying the chlorella helps to bind the mercury and flush it out. Others say MSM and garlic work as well.

This isn't an exact science by any means. I am not an expert on this and am just learning about it myself. Here are some links I have found. I don't advocate any of the opinoins on these sites or vouch for the facts therein. I just provide them to let you know about the different ideas and opinions there are on the topic:

Cilantro Helps Eliminate Mercury
Heavy Metal Toxicity
Cilantro Chelation - That Can Save Your Life

I also recommend Googling for "cilantro chelation" and "cilantro mercury" to find people discussing the issue.

(LC)

[gumball]

hi ladyc here is another idea you could do. chop the parsley and cilantro up and add it to a salad. i think it would be pretty good. i love salads but they can get boring. just a thought gumball

[Kritters]

Arrrrr you goinggggg to Scarborough Fair....
Parsley Sage, rosemary and thyme....
Remember me to one who live the--eeerrrrr
She once was a true live of mine.

Simon and Garfunkle

Anytime we took the kids to dinner and there was this little gratuitous piece of parsely, I would gather all the parsley from my friend's plate and eat it, since it was the most nutritional sourse of food that evening. I'd say, "kids, eat this stuff. Just do it"

lol
Kritts

[ladycolorado]

yeah these herbs posted ob do sound like scarborough fair, lol. but yep good for salad, i do herbs like oregano parlsley thyme basil sage a good green herb to flavor salad yes. garlic powder (or minced fresher garlic i a jar, added to one of these preferably fresh zip. mint can also be added to a sald to make it more interesting. i also like sunflower seeds in it, they are food replacement for croutons. (almond slivewrs quite tastey too, or garbanzo beans, even red kidney beans or black beans for protein).another thing like to enjoy is acorn squash, butternut, and even spaghetti squash the first two, ca use cinnamon all spice, ad nutmeg, use stevia or hopey or something like slepnda or agave nectar to sweeten. of course, i use butter but can chosse olive oil if prefer. bake on 400 for about an hour or 450, until crispy golden brown. the spaghetti one butter can top with sauce, and spices a little paresian cheese. jan gave me the idea for smoothies i get the big tubs of the more natural yogurt vanilla or plain shall do. with the smoothies, can add honey agave nectar, stevia or splenda. chop fruit into small pieces, and blend in pulses on ice breaker mode. then can slowly add ice, and herbs like all spice, nutmeg cinamon if desired. you may use jans wonderful recipie for yogurt. i myself leave the peels on apples and pears, can add banas berries kiwis grapes whatever you like, blueberries. this is good way to get fruit and probiotics. you can also freeze to make own icecream. (LC).