the Special botanical garden in Hamburg-Wandsbek has been voting poisonous plant of the year since 2005. This year parsley “won” and is the poisonous plant of the year 2023.
Many people like to eat the plant and in some cultures it is even an integral part of the kitchen – how can it be poisonous?
Parsley is poisonous plant of the year 2023: Here’s why
The botanical special garden speaks of a “dark side” of parsley. In the first year, the still harmless rosettes form on the parsley, which we eat. The flowers develop in the second year. When these have withered, seeds are formed. In the seeds is parsley oil and in it is apiol.
Apiol acts on the smooth muscle fibers of the bladder, intestines and especially the uterus. In the latter case, the toxin can even trigger a contraction of the uterus. Furthermore, Apiol can cause allergic reactions. Too high a dosage can also lead to kidney and liver damage.
Not only the seeds are poisonous after flowering – the leaves also contain a certain amount of apiol. Parsley should therefore not be eaten at all during or after flowering. You should also avoid decorating food with the leaves.
So you can still use a flowering parsley
Once the parsley blooms, it’s too late to eat or process it. However, it should not be torn out immediately. It is better to let them bloom for a while longer. The seeds that eventually form can be put to good use to grow plants in the coming year. It should be noted, however, that parsley will not thrive again in the same place. You should therefore plant them in a different place every year and for at least three years.
Parsley is very healthy before flowering
Parsley is very healthy. Before flowering, it contains many vitamins, minerals and trace elements. In some countries it is even considered a medicinal plant. Parts of the parsley can be used, for example, to treat diabetes, high blood pressure or kidney problems. Like many other green vegetables, parsley is high in chlorophyll. This substance is said to help detoxify the body and, for example, eliminate heavy metals such as mercury.
Parsley can also provide relief from mosquito bites. If you rub a leaf between your fingers and then place it on the bite, the essential oils will provide relief from the itching.
For further reading: Can I still eat sprouting potatoes? – When the vegetables should end up in the garbage
