Parsley Petroselinum crispum An umbelliferous plant, native to the eastern Mediterranean region, related to coriander and celery. The Ancient Greeks called both parsley and celery sélinon, differentiating between the two when the need arose by adding the prefix petro ‘rock celery’, from which both its modern name and that of celery are dervied. Unfortunately for food historians, this makes identification of which member of the family is being referred to in ancient references to the herb. They regarded parsley as the plant of death, and associated it with Persephone, Queen of the Underworld, death and evil; it was strewn over corpses and included in their burial wreaths and garlands. Interestingly, they also used it in the wreaths used to crown the winners at both the Isthmian and Nemean Games. The Romans loved parsley for its deodourising qualities and they routinely used it as a breath freshener and as a means of delaying drunkeness. They also believed that parsley was a strong antidote to poison and a custom grew up of diners wearing a small wreath of the herb on the wrist at their banquets. Parsley was one of the plants grown in Circe’s pleasant lawn in The Odyssey. In Medieval times, parsley was used in folk magic to protect, purify and to provoke lust, and several superstitions grew up around the plant. Parsley is a notoriously difficult herb to grow because of the long germination period needed by its seeds, and the Medieval explanation for this was that the seeds had to pay several visits to the devil before they would grow. It was also maintained, probably for the same reason, that parsley would only grow for the head of the household, and that those in love should never cut parsley, lest they cut their love. Unfortunately for parsley, the green parts of the plant contain an etheral oil which is composed of pinene, myristicin and apiol, which is a toxin, and so it use in any great quantity has been avoided since antiquity. In addition, some Medieval bright spark unwittingly set its fate, suggesting that sprigs of the herb should be used to decorate dishes, assigning it firmly to the side of the plate for many centuries after. There are those, however, who feel that parsley should have been moved even further from the diner. Ogden Nash, for example, in his Further Reflections of Parsley, sums it up quite eloquently for the antipathetic with a simple, "Parsley - Is gharsley.” Which is a pity, because, although many find it an unpleasant and unecessary addition to the larder, parsley is, in moderation, a very nutritious and useful medicinal plant. Since early times, parsley has been a valuable corrective for irregularities in the menstrual cycle: soothing pre-menstrual tension and nerves; acting as a natural diuretic for bloating; stimulating the uterus; relieving headaches and cramps; stimulating and regulating delayed, clotted or irregular blood flow. Herbalists recommend a daily dose of parsley tea to combat the unpleasant affects of menopause. It has also been used as a treatment for kidney, bladder and urinary tract infections, and the root in particular has been used to make a decoction to combat kidney stones, water retention and jaundice. Parsley tea was used regularly in World War I, to help fight kidney problems following bouts of dysentery. The tea, flavoured with honey and lemon, is also used as a cold remedy. Parsley also has antiseptic properties, and poultices made from its leaves have been used to clear spots and other skin eruptions. Parsley is also a deodoriser and can be chewed to clean the breath to great effect after eating garlic or onions. Herbalists always warn, however, that parsley root should never be taken in pregnancy and that the seeds should never be used at all. Nutritionally, parsley is a rich source of vitamin C, containing more by volume than an orange, which, when combined with the other cancer and cholesterol busting substances such as flavonoids, coumarins and monoterpenes, explains why the herb is one of the foodstuffs under investigation by the US National Cancer Institute. It is also a good source of iron, calcium and vitamins A and B12. 100g of fresh parsley contains 39 kcalories, 6.91g carbohydrate, 1.20g fibre, 39mg sodium, 2.20g protein, 5200iµ vitamin A, 90mg vitamin C, and 6.20mg iron.