Everything about Petroselinum totally explained
Parsley (
Petroselinum crispum) is a bright
green,
biennial herb, also used as
spice. It is very common in
Middle Eastern,
European, and
American cooking. Parsley is used for its
leaf in much the same way as
coriander (which is also known as
Chinese parsley or
cilantro), although it has a milder flavor.
Varieties
Two forms of parsley are used as herbs: curly leaf and Italian, or flat leaf (
P. neapolitanum). Curly leaf parsley is often used as a
garnish. Many people think flat leaf parsley has a stronger flavor, and this opinion is backed by chemical analysis which finds much higher levels of
essential oil in the flat-leaved
cultivars. One of the compounds of the essential oil is
apiol.
The use of curly leaf parsley may be favored by some because it can't be confused with
poison hemlock, like flat leaf parsley or
chervil.
Root parsley
Another type of parsley is grown as a
root vegetable, as with
hamburg root parsley. This type of parsley produces much thicker roots than types cultivated for their leaves. Although little known in Britain and the United States, root parsley is very common in Central and Eastern European cuisine, where it's used in most soups or stews.
Though it looks similar to
parsnip it tastes quite different. Parsnips are among the closest relatives of parsley in the
umbellifer family of herbs, although the similarity of the names is a coincidence, parsnip meaning "forked turnip". It isn't related to real turnips.
Cultivation
Parsley's
germination is notoriously difficult. Tales have been told concerning its lengthy germination, with some suggesting that "germination was slow because the seeds had to travel to hell and back two, three, seven, or nine times (depending on sources) before they could grow." Germination is inconsistent and may require 3-6 weeks. It is also valued as an
aquaretic.
When crushed and rubbed on the skin, parsley can reduce itching in mosquito bites.
Health risks
Parsley shouldn't be consumed as a drug or supplement by pregnant women. Parsley as an oil, root, leaf, or seed could lead to uterine stimulation and preterm labor.
Parsley is high (1.70% by mass, (External Link
)) in oxalic acid, a compound involved in the formation of kidney stones and nutrient deficiencies.
Parsley oil contains furanocoumarins and psoralens which leads to extreme photosensitivity if used orally.Further Information
Get more info on 'Petroselinum'.
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