Parsley (පාස්ලි)

Parsley is an erect, branched, biennial plant growing about 60cm tall. One of the most popular culinary herbs, it is commonly cultivated for its edible leaves and also has a range of medicinal and other uses.

Flower : Flowering stem with sparse leaves and umbels with yellow to yellowish-green flowers.

Ayurvedic usage : Leaves – raw or cooked. Parsley is frequently used as a garnish or as a flavouring in salads and many cooked dishes, but has too strong a flavour to be eaten in quantity for most palates. It is an ingredient of the herb mix ‘bouquet garni’. The leaves should be harvested regularly in order to encourage fresh growth and get maximum yields. The leaves are difficult to dry but are easily frozen For drying they require a well-ventilated room that receives long hours of sunlight – the leaves need to be quite crisp if they are to store. Very rich in iron, iodine and magnesium, parsley is also a good source of other minerals and vitamins A, B and C.
The stems can be dried and ground and used as a food colouring. A tea is made from the fresh or dried leaves, it is rich in vitamin C.

An essential oil is obtained mainly from the leaves – it is used as a commercial food flavouring. The leaves yields about 1% essential oil, whilst about 6% is obtained from the seed. Some caution is advised on the use of this plant, especially the essential oil.

Height : 0.6 m (2ft) by 0.3 m (1ft in)

Leaves : 10–25 cm (3.9–9.8 in) long, with numerous 1–3 cm (0.4–1.2 in)

Related medicinal properties : Parsley is a commonly grown culinary and medicinal herb that is often used as a domestic medicine. The fresh leaves are highly nutritious and can be considered a natural vitamin and mineral supplement in their own right. The plants prime use is as a diuretic where it is effective in ridding the body of stones and in treating jaundice, dropsy, cystitis etc. It is also a good detoxifier, helping the body to get rid of toxins via the urine and therefore helping in the treatment of a wide range of diseases such as rheumatism. The seed is a safe herb at normal doses, but in excess it can have toxic effects. Parsley should not be used by pregnant women because it is used to stimulate menstrual flow and can therefore provoke a miscarriage.