6 Marvelous Health Benefits and Uses of the Highly Fragrant Parsley Leaf Essential Oil

The essential oil of parsley is extracted from the parsley plant, a popular and versatile herb that is popularly and widely used as a garnishing spice to add flavor to many culinary dishes, for more than 2000 years. The plant bears the scientific name of Petroselinum crispum, a fragrant herb that is native to the Mediterranean region.

The oil can be colourless or is a very pale yellow in colour, and it produces a much more bitter scent than the fresh plant. Even the ancient Egyptians and the Greeks used parsley for various health and prestige reasons, as the Greeks used it to crown brave and victorious soldiers.

Parsley leaf, aside from being used as a spice and condiment, also has a lot to offer in terms of having a myriad number of medicinal properties. Thus, parsley leaf essential oil can help to augment your health further to support healing. Read on to find out more!

Health Benefits of Parsley Leaf Essential Oil:

1. A Potent Antiseptic

Parsley oil contains antibacterial and antimicrobial properties that makes it an effective antiseptic agent! This hence helps to prevent infections from setting in, be it on external wounds and internally since it kills off bacteria and microbes.

A 2016 study found in PubMed shows how parsley essential oil exhibited bacteriostatic activity against the tested bacteria, namely the S. aureus (which can lead to sepsis), Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella enterica bacterial strains. Furthermore, the oil also exhibited fungistatic activity against the tested fungi, thus illustrating its potency as an antimicrobial agent, both externally and internally.

2. Facilitates Detoxification

Parsley oil also promotes the removal of harmful and unwanted toxins because of its diuretic and diaphoretic nature. Since it is a diuretic, it promotes increased frequency and quantity of urination and its diaphoretic nature means it also leads to more sweating. This combined will lead to an efficient removal of urea, uric acid, excess salts, fats and other toxic waste, thus preventing an accumulation or buildup of such harmful substances.

Therefore, this helps to purify the kidneys, liver and protects the body from harmful diseases. Furthermore, it helps to prevent ailments like arthritis and rheumatism, which are partly caused by a buildup of uric acid in the muscles and joints.

3. Supports the Digestive System

Parsley leaf essential oil also contains carminative properties which means it helps to remove excess gas and prevents the buildup and formation of further gas in your digestive organs. This helps to prevent a myriad of stomach problems such as indigestion, bloating, nausea and stomachaches.

Furthermore, it maintains the proper flow of gastric juices and allows for the timely secretion of digestive enzymes, which results in the proper breakdown of food and subsequent absorption into the bloodstream. This helps to prevent problems like acid reflux and constipation as well as diarrhea. Its scent also helps to boost your appetite levels, thus ensuring that your body gets the sufficient nutrients in an efficient manner.

4. Promotes Menstrual Relief

Being an emmenagogue, parsley leaf oil also helps to stimulate menstruation and promotes regular menstruation, thus preventing obstructed menstruation. This is important because delayed or obstructed menstrual flows could lead to serious uterine problems. It also stimulates the secretion of certain hormones, such as estrogen to help achieve regular menstrual cycles.

Moreover, the oil helps to alleviate associated problems that come with menstruation, such as stomach cramps, headaches, fatigue and nausea.

5. A Viable Hypotensive Agent

Parsley leaf oil is also great for keeping the blood pressure range in healthy levels since it is a hypotensive that helps to lower blood pressure levels and reduce the risks of cardiac arrest or stroke. If taken systematically, it helps to keep blood pressure levels lowered to a normal level.

Thus, this is a natural and viable alternative to drugs based on narcotics, because those might carry unwanted side effects, unlike parsley leaf essential oil which is made up of natural components.

6. Promotes Blood Circulation

Parsley essential oil is also great to promote blood circulation as it is a stimulant and tonic that boosts the various bodily processes. As such, it helps to relieve pressure in vital organs, and thus provides pain relief and comfort. Hence, it is a potent agent to help alleviate conditions of arthritis and rheumatism as well as other conditions that contributes to pain as it stimulates blood flow to the important organs.

How to Use Parsley Leaf Essential Oil?

Now that you have read about the benefits of parsley leaf oil, here are some of the most common ways to use the oil so as to reap its benefits:

Topically: Dilute parsley oil with a carrier oil in a 1:1 ratio and apply it topically onto the affected areas. This is especially helpful if you would like to relieve abdominal pains, cramps and muscle aches or sore joints. You can even massage it over the heart to regulate blood pressure levels and apply onto wounds or cuts.
In a Diffuser: You can also diffuse 2-3 drops of the oil into a diffuser or vaporizer and let the aromatic wafts engulf you.
In Warm, Bathing Water: Alternatively, you can add about 5-6 drops of the oil in a tub of warm, bathing water and soak inside for a few minutes to stimulate the detoxification process and to promote blood circulation.

Safety Precautions:

Parsley oil should not be used on pregnant and nursing women because it has emmenagogue and abortifacient properties, which means it can induce menstruation.
Do not ingest the oil, as it can be hepatotoxic, meaning it can cause liver damage.
It is also best to avoid using parsley oil if you are suffering from any liver-related conditions or if you have low blood pressure.
When applying it topically, be sure to blend it with a carrier oil (such as coconut, jojoba or almond oils) in a 1:1 ratio and perform a skin patch test first before using the oil to ensure you do not suffer any allergic or sensitive reactions to it.
Avoid using on very young children.
Do not inhale parsley oil in large dosages as well and do not diffuse it for too long. If you experience giddiness, deafness, slow pulse or sudden low blood pressure, stop immediately and seek a doctor.
When in doubt, always consult the doctor before using parsley oil and any other essential oils as a form of treatment.