Parsley Essential Oil

Parsley is a well-known kitchen staple for flavoring various dishes, but in the last several decades it has also gained popularity in the form of essential oil. Parsley Essential Oil has so many beneficial properties that users can get. Some of them are antiseptic, antimicrobial, diuretic, digestive and hypotensive properties. Being one of the oldest spices in use all around the world, parsley has been considered a wonder herb. Not only can it be used to garnish and provide flavor to recipes, but it has health benefits that can be enjoyed by anyone who uses it, especially in oil form.

Parsley Essential Oil’s constituents include tetramethoxyally benzene, pinene, myristicin, and apiole. These components provide the medicinal and other benefits that one can glean from the oil. Unlike other essential oils where only one part of the plant is used to extract their oils, with parsley oil, the leaves, seeds and roots are used to extract its essential oil. Although the seeds contain more oil than the roots and leaves, a combination of these three are most favored in making Parsley Essential Oil. Nothing is wasted with parsley.

It has a light yellow color with a thin consistency. Its aroma is a middle note with a woody and spicy scent. At first the scent may be a little strong. Although most, if not all, essential oils do not spoil, over time they can lose their beneficial properties as well as their scent as they can oxidize. The best way to take advantage of parsley oil’s benefits is to buy just a small bottle for its intended use so it can be consumed in its entirety without having to be stored for a very long time.

Parsley Essential Oil Benefits

Parsley Essential Oil gives off a variety of medicinal, cookery and beauty benefits. Once you learn what you can get from the oil, you may be encouraged to incorporate it in your daily routine.

  • Enhances urination. Taking parsley oil can increase and improve urination, resulting in cleansing of the urinary tract.
  • Good for the heart. It can aid in preventing heart attacks and other ailments as well as high blood pressure.
  • Enhances appetite. Taking parsley will help in improving one’s appetite.
  • Serves as wound protection. Sepsis can occur when wounds are neglected. Applying parsley oil mixed with carrier oil will protect wounds from bacteria that can cause sepsis.
  • Effective digestion aid. Gas, constipation and indigestion are given relief by Parsley Essential Oil.
  • Effective antitoxin. The oil helps in flushing out toxins from the body accumulated over the years through unhealthy food and beverages and poor health practices.
  • Effective pain relief. Gout and arthritis pain are greatly helped by this essential oil.
  • Repairs broken capillaries. When applied to the face, broken capillaries are repaired, resulting in a healthier glow.
  • A good source of vitamins. Some of the vitamins it contains are vitamins A, B and C as well as copper, potassium and calcium. These vitamins help the body repair itself for better health.

Taking Parsley Essential Oil in its recommended doses will give the most benefits. Although there are some precautions against taking it, it is still considered generally safe for consumption. For people who are pregnant, nursing or suffering from other health conditions, it is advisable to consult a medical specialist or a qualified aroma therapist if it can be used in these circumstances.

Parsley Essential Oil Uses

  1. Parsley Essential Oil as Diuretic. It promotes frequent urination that in turn cleanses the urinary tract and helps prevent infections.
  2. Parsley Essential Oil as Stomachic. Parsley oil takes care of the stomach, in that it reduces inflammation, preventions infections and regulates the proper course of the stomach’s gastric juices.
  3. Parsley Essential Oil as Stimulant. Blood circulation is greatly improved by parsley oil. It also stimulates other systems in the body so they, too can function properly.
  4. Parsley Essential Oil as Laxative. Taking parsley oil promotes improved bowel movement. This is especially useful for people who suffer from constipation.
  5. Parsley Essential Oil as Hypotensive. It helps lower maintain blood pressure. This in turn lessens the risk of a person suffering from heart attack.
  6. Parsley Essential Oil as Febrifuge. When one has a fever, taking parsley oil will instantly regulate the body’s temperature, thereby getting rid of fever that is a symptom of an illness.
  7. Parsley Essential Oil as Emmenagogue. This means that delayed or irregular periods are resolved. This is also the reason why pregnant women cannot take parsley oil as it can cause miscarriage if the period is regulated during the pregnancy.
  8. Parsley Essential Oil as Depurative. Parsley Essential Oil is an effective blood cleanser. The blood can carry impurities and other foreign matter that can cause illness. Taking parsley oil will purify the blood.
  9. Parsley Essential Oil as Uterine Aid. It helps regulate the secretion of female hormones that are essential in maintaining regular periods.
  10. Parsley Essential Oil as Digestive Aid. Indigestion and gas are relieved by taking parsley oil. If the body has good digestion, it equates to better overall health.
  11. Parsley Essential Oil as Detoxifier. It effectively gets rid of free radical in the body.
  12. Parsley Essential Oil asAantiseptic. The healing process of wounds is sped up with the help of parsley oil.

Parsley Essential Oil Side Effects

Parsley Essential Oil should not be used by pregnant women due to its emenagogue property, which is the regulation of menstruation, especially those who have irregular periods. If taken while pregnant, it can promote menstruation that can lead to miscarriage. Skin irritation may also occur for those who are allergic to the oil’s compounds. A small patch of skin should be tested prior to using the product. If irritation or any allergic reaction occurs, discontinue use and consult a medical practitioner.

How to Use Parsley Essential Oil

For ingestion, several drops of parsley oil into a glass of water or any liquid can be added for best results. When it is used as a topical agent, mixing several drops of the oil with carrier oil is recommended. For cooking, a few drops can be added depending on the intensity of the flavor and aroma desired.

How to Make Parsley Essential Oil

Parsley Essential Oil is extracted using the steam distillation process. The seeds provide the most oils, but the leaves and roots also contribute some, which is why all three are used to extract the essential oil.

Parsley Essential Oil Recipe

You can make your own version of Parsley Essential Oil sold in the market. Here is how you can achieve it.

Ingredients:

  • Leaves, roots and seeds of parsley
  • Carrier oil
  • Pot for boiling water
  • Strainer
  • Mortar and pestle
  • Container
  • Glass jar
  • Cheesecloth

Procedure:

  1. Wash the parsley leaves, roots and seeds thoroughly to remove dirt and other impurities.
  2. Boil water in a pot.
  3. Place the ground leaves, seeds and roots into a glass jar and submerge fully in the carrier oil.
  4. Once the oil has been released, remove the jar from the boiling water.
  5. Let it cool; refrigerate overnight.
  6. The next day strain the oil into the cheesecloth and onto the container.
  7. Store at room temperature.

Where to Buy Parsley Essential Oil

Mountain Rose Herbs is one of well-known suppliers of Parsley Essential Oil. This brand can be bought from its website. Other brands are also available off the Internet. You can also find Parsley Essential Oil wherever essential oils are sold. Or you can make a homemade version at home.

Parsley Essential Oil FAQs

Can it be used by pregnant and lactating women?

Parsley Essential Oil helps regulate and promote regular periods, so this being said pregnant women are not allowed to use parsley in the entire duration of the pregnancy as it may cause miscarriage. Lactating women, on the other hand, must first consult a medical practitioner or a qualified aroma therapist prior to using this oil

What factors affect its shelf life?

Parsley Essential Oil’s shelf life may depend on these factors: the natural compounds present in the oil, the process of extraction, the quality of the herb used, and the method of storing the oil.

Will it cause irritation on skin?

Not all people are compatible with the oil. Some may be allergic to several components of the oil, which can cause allergic reactions. It is best to make a skin test prior to using it to see if there will be no negative reaction to the skin.

Can it be taken in large, undiluted amounts?

Although parsley is an herb and is edible, its essential oil form can be quite toxic if used undiluted and in high amounts. It is always advised to dilute any essential oil in water or other beverages or in carrier oil before ingesting or applying on skin. A few drops are all that’s needed to glean the oil’s health and other benefits. If overdose and severe negative reaction occurs, go to the nearest hospital to be given appropriate attention.