Parsley Tea
Possible Benefits Of Parsley Tea
Parsley is a nutritional powerhouse, but what about parsley tea? There is no denying that parsley is one of the healthiest foods one can eat. We are mostly used to seeing it used as a garnish, and as such when the plate has been licked clean, the parsley often remains. Why this is so isn't clear. It might be the taste of parsley, which really isn't bad, though maybe not particularly exciting. Or maybe because it's a garnish most of us think we're really not supposed to eat it. In truth, if people knew the benefits parsley brings to the table, not only wouldn't a sprig be left on the plate, but they would ask for more.
Another reason for not eating more parsley is we've heard too much isn't good for us. There's some truth to that, it is a very powerful food item. Even though it's packed with nutrients, too much of a good thing, such as certain vitamins or minerals, can turn out to be harmful and even toxic. So knowing that, we dare not eat that sprig of parsley.
A Caution - Parsley juice or parsley tea is not recommended for women during pregnancy or breast feeding, but it is safe and generally quite beneficial when taken at other times. For the rest of us, we are not likely to drink enough parsley tea to cause any problems. To make parsley tea one only needs to steep a teaspoon of dried parsley leaves (or 2 tablespoons of fresh leaves) in 8 ounces of boiling water for 5 to 10 minutes. How much parsley tea is too much? Parsley juice is so powerful that it is usually recommended that no more than 2 or 3 ounces be taken in at any one time, even if mixed in with other vegetable juices, as is usually the case. Two ounces of parsley juice however will contain many more of the components of the herb than will an 8 ounce cup of tea, so it seems fair to say that a cup of two of parsley tea a day isn't going to do any harm, and will much more likely do good.
Nutritional Powerhouse - What good will parsley tea do? Just looking at the benefits of raw parsley will probably give a pretty good idea. Herbal teas in general tend to be healthy beverages, and parsley tea is no exception. About 20% of parsley is protein. Two tablespoons of fresh leaves, enough to make a cup of tea, contains 10% of your daily requirement for iron, and enough vitamin C needed to absorb the iron. The amount of vitamin C in parsley is ounce for ounce more than one will find in any citrus fruit.
Those parsley leaves, and consequently parsley tea, will also be rich in beta carotene, which when the body converts it to vitamin A, a great immune system booster, and chlorophyll which has powerful anti-bacterial properties. The effect of chlorophyll in parsley tea should be noticeable to anyone afflicted with nose or throat congestion or sinusitis. A cup of parsley tea will also contain fluorine, fatty acids, and folic acid - beneficial to the cardiovascular system. Parsley also is rich in calcium, phosphorus, potassium, manganese and sulfur. In fact a cup of parsley tea will contain at least trace amounts of virtually every valuable nutrient found in any vegetable.
Get Into The Habit - If you are a fan of herbal tea, parsley tea would certainly be worth looking into. Parsley tea bags are available, but it might be just as easy to brew the tea from fresh leaves, or dry some leaves on your own. Just remember that the dry leaves are more concentrated than the fresh leaves. The water is gone, but most everything else remains behind. And next time you find a spring of parsley on your dinner plate as a garnish, eat it.