Parsley

Parsley has been unfairly treated through the ages.

Parsley is believed to originate, in south-east Europe. Parsley has been cultivated for more than 2000 years, and in the beginning, it was not as a food.

To the ancient Greeks, parsley was associated with death. That was because they believed it to have sprung from the blood of one of their mythical figures Archemorus, whose name meant “Forerunner of Death”

The Romans also had another use for parsley than food, they used to make garlands to wear on the head. They believed in it would protect them from intoxication during their big parties. they also used it at weddings to protect against evil spirits.

The Romans spread parsley all over the Roman empire.  In England, it also got associated with death, and the different regions had their own version, of the story.

Before Parsley was used as a food it was also used in traditional medicine, both for humans and animals. It is believed that parsley became human food in the middle ages.

The nutrient fact, below, is based on 100 gram of raw Parsley.

Vitamins

Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid mg 133 Thiamin mg 0.086 Riboflavin mg 0.098 Niacin mg 1.313 Vitamin B-6 mg 0.09 Folate, DFE µg 152 Vitamin B-12 µg 0 Vitamin A, RAE µg 421 Vitamin A, IU IU 8424 Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) mg 0.75 Vitamin D (D2 + D3) µg 0 Vitamin D IU 0 Vitamin K (phylloquinone) µg 1640

Lipids

Fatty acids, total saturated g 0.132 Fatty acids, total monounsaturated g 0.295 Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated g 0.124 Fatty acids, total trans g 0 Cholesterol mg 0

Proximates

Water g 87.71 Energy kcal 36 Protein g 2.97 Total lipid (fat) g 0.79 Carbohydrate, by difference g 6.33 Fiber, total dietary g 3.3 Sugars, total g 0.85

Minerals

Calcium, Ca mg 138 Iron, Fe mg 6.2 Magnesium, Mg mg 50 Phosphorus, P mg 58 Potassium, K mg 554 Sodium, Na mg 56 Zinc, Zn mg 1.07