Native to Mediterranean, parsley has been cultivated and used in culinary and medicine for thousands of years. In times of Hippocrates (he was born around the year 460 BC on the Greek island of Kos) parsley has been used in cure-all remedies, as antidote to poisons, to cure rheumatism, for relieving kidney and bladder stones and more.
In Homer's Odyssey (written sometime between 800 and 600 BC) there's a description of parsley, growing on an island, named Ogygia. About a century later, the winners of Nemean and Isthmus sporting events were crowned with the wreaths made of parsley.
It is interesting that ancient Greeks used parsley for everything but cooking and eating. The legend says that parsley has first sprouted from the blood of Archemorus (hero in Greek mythology: the Forerunner of death) and was therefore sacred to the dead.
The tombs of deceased were decorated with parsley.
"A crown of wild olive was given to the victor at Olympia, and laurel at Delphi. And at the Isthmian Games pine leaves, at the Nemean Games parsley, as we know from the cases of Palaemon and Archemorus. But most games have a crown of palm as the prize, and everywhere the palm is put into the right hand of the victor." (Pausanias: Description of Greece, c. 175 CE)
Traditional Greek recipes (just as abundant with history as Greek's mythology) use flat leaf parsley, a lot of it, many times even as a vegetable, in huge amounts, above all in stews.
Today, with many of the ancient claims scientifically confirmed, we know that parsley is rich in vitamins (especially A and C) and minerals. It is also said to help eliminate the toxins out of one's body, remove or inactivate free radicals, help with rheumatoid arthritis and lessen inflammations. With high chlorophyll content parsley is also a great natural breath freshener.
"Just like parsley" is a saying, still used in Greece for the person, who appears to be everywhere, without any significant role.
For more interesting facts about parsley, send a blank email to parsley@dariasworld.info
