Is Parsley Good for the Brain? Cognitive Benefits of Parsley Explained
Here we have our article on the potential benefits of parsley for brain health. While it’s often used as a garnish, parsley is more than just a tasty add-on to your meal. As it goes with nutrient-rich herbs, parsley offers some potential health benefits, including an improvement in brain health. Let’s take a deeper dive, shall we?
The Nutritional Profile of Parsley
Parsley has quite an array of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. It’s a solid source of the precursor to vitamins A, along with vitamins C and K. Vitamin A is important for your vision and immune function, while vitamin C is an antioxidant that aids in tissue repair. Vitamin K’s part is supporting bone health and wound healing among others. Parsley also has some folate and iron, which help your body to transport oxygen as well as supporting red blood cell production.
Aside from these nutrients, parsley has flavonoids, carotenoids, and different active compounds which are anti-inflammatory. With such a wide spectrum of nutrients, parsley can benefit your brain health in several ways.
Antioxidants in Parsley: Defending the Brain
Antioxidants are molecules that work to neutralize harmful substances called free radicals in your body. Free radicals are unstable, and antioxidants serve as molecule donors to these free radicals, making them stable again. This is important because the reduced number of free radicals contributes to less oxidative stress in the body, and oxidative stress is a process that ages you and leads to diseases essentially.
Our brain is particularly sensitive to oxidative stress. Luckily, antioxidants such as those in parsley (vitamin C, apigenin, and luteolin in particular) defend our brain against oxidative damage. This means that parsley’s compounds helps to protect long-term brain health.
Okay, sounds good, but are there are any noticeable effects on our cognition from consuming parsley?
Parsley’s Effect on Cognitive Function
The answer to the previous question is yes, but not substantial ones. Most of parsley’s cognitive benefits come from its indirect effects through its antioxidants, which protect the brain and support overall cognitive health.
Some studies suggest mood-enhancing effects from parsley intake, particularly a reduction in stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms.
Certain flavonoids in parsley also interact with neurotransmitters in your brain, such as GABA, which calms you down.
Inflammation Reduction
As we’ve seen, antioxidants in parsley contribute to a reduction in oxidative stress, and by consequence, inflammation.
Inflammation is a natural process, but it becomes troublesome when it’s high and constant. In this case, consuming antioxidants through foods like parsley is a good idea to combat the negative effects of chronic inflammation on the body—and brain. [1]
Any Precautions for Parsley?
Parsley is generally seen as safe and healthy for most people. Especially if you just get it through foods.
That said, if you have a history of health conditions such as kidney disease, avoid eating too much parsley. It’s high in kidney-stressing compounds called oxalates.
Conclusion
Parsley is a common culinary herb, but its use goes beyond just kitchen. Yes, parsley has compounds that can benefit your brain. These primarily include antioxidants, which help to lower inflammation and support the production of certain neurotransmitters that help reduce stress and promote cognitive function.
Don’t expect miracles from parsley, it’s definitely not one of the best nootropics out there, but it’s a decent herb to weave into your daily menu for some extra health benefits.
Further Reading:
- Is Seaweed Good for the Brain?
- Is Salt Good for the Brain?
- Are Strawberries Good for the Brain?
- Is Banana Good for the Brain?
- Is Avocado Good for the Brain?
- Are Pears Good for the Brain?
References
- Es-Safi I, Mechchate H, Amaghnouje A, Kamaly OMA, Jawhari FZ, Imtara H, Grafov A, Bousta D. The Potential of Parsley Polyphenols and Their Antioxidant Capacity to Help in the Treatment of Depression and Anxiety: An In Vivo Subacute Study. Molecules. 2021 Apr 1;26(7):2009. doi: 10.3390/molecules26072009. PMID: 33916097; PMCID: PMC8037343.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8037343/
