Parsley juice: useful properties and contraindications

The fertile lands of the Mediterranean Sea at one time gave a wonderful gift to all the inhabitants of the Earth. It was here, in the eastern regions, grew in abundance parsley, though in the wild. But people appreciated it as a great spice and used it to improve the taste of various dishes. Then pharmacists learned to prepare decoctions and medicinal teas from parsley. Now it is impossible to imagine any vegetable garden or garden plot without growing on it this fragrant green herb.

Composition and calories

Vegetable parsley (or its other variety - curly) is rich in its beneficial substances, so it has powerful medicinal properties, although it contains up to 85 percent water. In the fleshy white root and emerald leaves are found such constituents:

1. Essential oils. Their main components are apiol and myristicin, and they are ranked as effective disinfectants, expectorants and diuretics. Researchers assure that it is the presence of essential oils that strengthens capillaries and contribute to concentrations in human urine that are sufficient to provide antibiotic action in adrenal and thyroid infections.
2. Glycoside apiin. This substance is mainly found in parsley and celery. Thanks to him, the body occurs complex chemical reactions, carried out intracellular respiratory processes.
3. Phytoncides. Scientists have discovered these unique substances in plants, studied them and were surprised how much they have the ability to destroy microbes, even disease-causing ones. This is why plants have the ability to resist infections. Parsley has large amounts of these substances, which is why this plant is so valuable. Phytoncidal activity increases human defenses, helps in the treatment of angina and complex lung and bronchial diseases. In chronic colitis, pustules spread through the body, intestinal disorders phytoncides will help to cope with these diseases, along with other substances contained in the juice of parsley.
4. Potassium. This is a major intracellular element. It is important to the human body because it helps to eliminate fluid, helps to produce muscle contractions, and it is also a direct participant in those processes that provide for the conduct of nerve impulses. It helps to convert glucose into glycogen, regulates heart rhythms, and corrects the alkaline balance of the blood and tissue fluids.
5. Calcium. This mineral normalizes the pH environment of the digestive tract by increasing the activity of enzymes that are in the stomach and pancreas.
6. Iron. It is part of many enzymes that act as catalysts of oxidation and reduction processes, is the main part of hemoglobin and myoglobin. Due to the presence of sufficient amounts of iron, the body is better supplied with oxygen, cell membranes are stabilized, there is less capillary permeability, collagen is restored.
7. Phosphorus. Without this element, energy metabolism in the human body and most metabolic reactions are impossible. In addition, phosphorus is one of the main components of bone tissue and has a positive effect on libido. Scientists have found that phosphorus helps the better absorption of vitamins.
8. Carotene. Although its effectiveness is lower than that of vitamin A, it contributes to the normal functioning of the cells of many organs. First of all, it is the covering epithelium of the skin, the mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract and gastrointestinal tract. Provitamin A prevents conjunctivitis and dry skin, stops the development of hen blindness and increases the body's resistance to various infections, reduces the risk of diseases, including cancer, associated with the negative impact of the environment.
9. Folic acid. It participates in the formation of red blood cells, in the production of nucleic acids. It is considered the food of the brain, and its presence in the body is especially necessary during anxiety or depression.
10. Chlorophyll. This plant pigment is not called a natural disinfectant for nothing, as it can reduce the unpleasant odor emanating from the body, reduce the carcinogenic actions of oxidation.
11. Vitamin C. Scientists have proven that this particular vitamin is the strongest antioxidant. Ascorbic acid is able to bind free radicals and stop the damaging effects on tissues. In addition, vitamin C can increase the activity of antioxidants such as selenium and vitamin E, and tocopherol (another name for vitamin E) is much faster restored if vitamin C is present. Ascorbic acid regulates blood clotting and carbohydrate metabolism, monitors the balance of blood lipid levels, and forms bone and connective tissue. This vitamin produces a stimulating effect on the immune system and helps to produce interferon, which prevents the development of viruses in the human body.
12. B vitamins. Thiamine produces hydrochloric acid, is involved in cell formation and carbohydrate metabolism, gives a person energy, and increases the ability to learn. Cyanocobalamin improves digestion and synthesizes proteins. Its main role is noted in the formation and resistance of cells to negative environmental influences.
13. Vitamin PP. The need for the vitamin is that it helps to assimilate the protein that comes from plant foods. This is especially important for people who have completely eliminated meat from their diet or adhere to fasts. Niacin also normalizes gastric secretion and increases the peristalsis of the stomach, accelerating the elimination of food masses from it. It is involved in the metabolism of carbohydrates, promotes hematopoiesis. Lack of this vitamin is felt immediately: dermatitis develops, gastrointestinal function is impaired, a person has a decreased appetite, stomach discomfort, nausea, diarrhea appears.

The caloric value of this plant is quite low: 47 kcal per 100 ml. It has almost no fat, but there are about 8 percent of carbohydrates and up to 4 percent of proteins.

What is the usefulness of parsley juice

General benefits

The juice obtained from parsley has many advantages:

1. It brings tangible benefits to the digestive system, promoting the active activity of digestive elements and improving intestinal peristalsis. Therefore, in the absence of appetite and stomach upsets, gastritis with low acidity medics advise to use parsley juice.
2. The diuretic effect of such juice is especially important for those who have persistent edema or at the examination was detected protein in the urine, as well as abnormalities in the urinary tract. Drinking from parsley removes excess fluid, at the same time removing inflammation and killing pathogenic microbes. And the effect of parsley in this case is invaluable: it does not allow together with the fluid to withdraw valuable microelements from the body, so their concentration remains the same, their balance is not disturbed. Even such treatments are used, but only under the supervision of a doctor. A certain dosage of juice, according to a certain scheme, is able to dissolve stones or sand in the kidneys, urinary tract or gallbladder.
3. If weakness and irritability, insomnia and bad moods, nagging pain in the heart arise, then these unpleasant symptoms may be associated with the fact that the body lacks magnesium and iron. That's when parsley juice will be a real cure. To make it, you will need a tablespoon of fresh juice, an apple and celery, chopped in a blender.
4. For diabetics, parsley juice is useful because it has a sugar-lowering effect.
5. The juice also helps those who suffer from poor vision or have to strain their eyes for a long time. In this case, it is better to add the juice of carrots and celery to parsley and take several times a day before meals.
6. Parsley juice helps against premature baldness due to the presence of vitamins C, B1, B2 and folic acid.
7. Parsley has been recognized since ancient times as a plant that increases libido in both men and women.
8. The juice is used for various insect bites and swellings. It quickly relieves itching and redness, relieves pain.
9. The juice obtained from parsley strengthens the immune system and restores strength after surgery.

Also noted the beneficial effects of parsley juice for all people.

For women

You can normalize with its help the broken menstrual cycle. But the greatest effect will create added to this juice beet juice. However, you should remember that drinking a dose of more than 50 ml per day can be harmful, because such a cocktail is potent and has a large biological activity. Parsley also helps to get rid of pain during menstruation. You can start treatment a few days before menstruation and finish the course on the day it ends. Juice improves the condition of women during the difficult menopause.

For men

Such a disease as prostatitis gives a lot of trouble and brings constant discomfort. But the juice of parsley has a positive effect on the diseased prostate, alleviating the symptoms. Often parsley prevents the occurrence of the disease. For a more effective effect, add parsley juice (30 ml) beet juice - 70 ml.

Parsley juice helps with impotence. This is due to the fact that the plant contains apigenin. Getting into the male body, it begins to inhibit the production of estrogen, ranked as a female hormone, but at the same time increasing the production of testosterone.

When pregnant

In pregnancy, this juice is strictly forbidden, because after taking even a small dose begins to stimulate the smooth uterine muscles, which can entail premature labor.

When breastfeeding

Doctors see no danger in taking parsley juice during lactation, the plant itself is not an allergenic product, in addition, it is low-calorie. At the beginning of the first month after the baby's birth, juice can be carefully introduced into the diet. If the baby has itching, swelling or redness of the skin, his body is probably not yet ready to accept this plant. But children's bodies sometimes react differently: colic, abdominal pain, constipation or diarrhea can occur. Stomach bloating also happens, the reason for this is the presence of plant fibers in the plant. Therefore, you can repeat the attempt to use juice in the diet after a month.

There is another cautionary note from doctors. Before starting to take parsley juice, the nursing mother should ask her relatives and husband - whether there was an allergic reaction to this herb. There is a danger that the baby has inherited an intolerance to the product.

For children

For children, such juice will be beneficial, but there are significant limitations in doses and age. Parsley juice is useful for children from one year of age, but no more than two teaspoons per day, necessarily diluted with water. You can also add it to vegetable puree. After taking the juice for the first time, you should monitor the behavior of the body: suddenly there will be an allergic reaction.

When losing weight

In weight loss, the use of juice helps to normalize fat metabolism, the drink begins to rid the body of accumulated toxins and other harmful substances, speeds up the digestive process.

Parsley juice in cosmetology

Getting parsley juice at home, it is not necessary to drink it. Cosmetologists suggest using it to give the skin elasticity and firmness, improve the metabolic processes of the upper layers of the dermis, whitening, as well as normalizing the structure of hair.

For face

1. Mix one part of parsley juice and ten parts of boiled water, pour into ice molds and freeze. The resulting cube is useful to wipe the skin once a day. After a month, it is advisable to take a short break.
2. To a teaspoon of parsley juice add olive oil, but better peach or rose oil - half a teaspoon, as well as two tablespoons of fat-free well mashed cottage cheese. Stir all the ingredients thoroughly to make a mush, and apply to a clean face. Hold the mixture for 15 minutes and rinse with lukewarm water.
3. To get rid of freckles and pigmentation, add a few drops of lemon juice to the diluted parsley juice. Rub the skin twice a day.
4. To get rid of inflammation and pimples, you should clean the juice obtained from the root of parsley, to rub the problem areas several times a day.

For the hair

1. Noticed and the positive effect of parsley juice on the hair, especially if they are dry, brittle and have lost their shine. To prepare the remedy, you need to use not only the leaves, but also some of the root, make juice from them. Dilute with five parts of water and rinse your hair after each wash for a month.
2. With the help of parsley juice you can regulate the greasiness of hair, simplify their styling and help them grow better. To do this, rub only the juice or mix it with honey and oil - sunflower or olive. Take one tablespoon of each ingredient. Mix all the components, place them in a container and leave to simmer for 5-10 minutes in a water bath. The fire should be very low. When the remedy cools, rub it on your head. The duration of the procedure is 30 minutes. For the best effect, cover your head with a film and a towel on top. Carry out the procedure twice a week for a month.
3. To make your hair grow thicker, shiny and healthy, it is useful to use the following mask. Take two tablespoons of honey and burdock oil for a tablespoon of parsley juice. The same effect is given by another mask, the components of which are parsley juice mixed with black bread, previously soaked in water. Mix the bread and juice. Get a useful porridge, which massaging motion should be slightly rubbed into the scalp, then cover with clingfilm and wrap with a towel. The duration of the procedure is 30 minutes.

Harm and contraindications

Nutritionists warn that you can not constantly - day in and day out - include parsley juice in your diet. And if it is necessary to use the juice internally as a therapeutic agent, at this time from the diet should be excluded foods that contain large amounts of starch and sugar, and reduce the use of meat dishes.

It may turn out that the body to the juice will respond violent allergic reactions, so you should make sure that this plant does not provoke a rash, swelling or other adverse effects.

Notice! Great consumption of parsley juice significantly increases the sensitivity of the skin to the sun's rays.

Juice is not recommended if a person has kidney inflammation, as it provokes a strong urinary excretion.

During an exacerbation of peptic ulcer or gastritis, the drink will harm the inflamed organs.

Suffering from epilepsy, parsley is contraindicated.

How to make parsley juice at home

It is desirable to make juice from that parsley, which is the second year old, which means that the root is fully formed. Juice will benefit if made from the leaves, but you can add some root base to them. For preparation, it is better to use a recently plucked plant.

The juice is prepared as follows:

1. Pick parsley leaves, leaving the green and healthy ones, and remove the yellowed or withered ones. It is desirable to leave the leaves in cool water for 20-30 minutes to make sure that there are no eggs of various parasites left on them.
2. Wash the root thoroughly, removing the soil and scraping off the damaged areas. Grind it beforehand, preferably on a fine grater. Then you can add it to the leaves, or separately squeeze the juice through gauze, and then add it to the juice obtained from the leaves.
3. Dry the ingredients on a cloth of natural fibers.
4. Grind the plant with a meat grinder or blender.
5. Place the resulting mixture in a cloth bag or gauze and squeeze out the juice.

You will get a juice with a high concentration. Doctors do not recommend to drink it in this form, it is necessary to dilute it with boiled water.

There are a few rules on how to keep the juice useful:

1. It should not be subjected to boiling.
2. You can store it for no more than five days, because all the useful substances in the juice are destroyed rather quickly.
3. Store the drink only in the refrigerator, in a warm place it goes bad in a few hours.
4. For longer storage there is a good way: pour the juice into special molds for ice and send it to the freezer, and then use a separate cube.
5. If the juice from the freezer defrosted, when you freeze it again, it will lose its effect, so it should be used immediately.

How to drink it correctly

1. It is desirable to drink the juice immediately after cooking, without seasoning - neither sugar nor salt.
2. Drink the drink slowly, in small sips. It is better to hold the liquid for a short time in the mouth until it mixes with saliva, so the parsley will work much better.
3. The drink goes well with juice obtained from beets, celery, apple or carrots. Apple cider vinegar is added to the juice to improve digestion.

Interesting facts about parsley

1. Even ancient people knew that parsley is a medicinal and spicy plant. And in Greece, it is still considered a sacred plant, so it is practically not used in food. But the French use dried herbs together with the stem, quickly frying everything in vegetable oil, and then serve immediately to fish or meat dishes.
2. The ancient Greeks treated parsley as an ornamental plant and decorated temples with its leaves when some important festivals were held. The word "parsley" itself is of Greek origin. It sounded like "petroselinion," which means "mountain celery.
3. The ancient Egyptians believed that parsley began to grow in the place where the wicked, envious Seth robbed his brother Horus of his eyes, and drops of blood were left there. Therefore, to commemorate this event, lavish mysteries were staged, and wreaths made of parsley sprigs were sure to be placed on the heads of the participants.
4. There were dark times for parsley, when it was believed to be a witchcraft plant and therefore it was forbidden to grow it. And if someone suddenly found it in a vegetable garden, there was a terrible punishment for the owner: an accusation of witchcraft. It could grow only on the land of sinners and criminals. It was believed that this spicy harmless herb drew and gained unknown power by feeding on the energies of underground devils, and its roots had to penetrate into the realm of the dead nine times before its sprouts appeared on the soil surface.
5. But at the end of the 16th century, parsley's reputation was restored. It has been recognized as a plant that is very useful and brings health and rejuvenation. And the original taste qualities were adopted by chefs.
6. Parsley has its own celestial patrons. This planet Pluto, which helps the plant to maintain an invisible connection with the other world. And with the help of Mercury manifests all the useful properties of greens to heal people and give them vitality.