Parsley, a herbaceous plant known for its intense aroma and versatility in the kitchen, is grown around the world and used in many cultures to flavor a wide range of dishes, from soups to sauces.
Although it is a common ingredient in many cuisines, this recent research reveals that this plant can be much more dangerous than we thought.
Through a series of images, we will explore the appearance and characteristics of parsley, as well as examine the results of this research and consider what it means for our relationship with this very common plant.
Browse the photo gallery to discover the reason parsley was listed as a poisonous plant. (Source: Wandsbek Botanical Garden in Hamburg)
The Botanical Garden Wandsbek in Hamburg has compiled its annual ranking of the most dangerous plants, and to no one's surprise there is parsley: despite this, there is no risk in eating the leaves. Let's find out why.
"Eating parsley leaves does not pose a danger. On the contrary, parsley is good for you: it contains a lot of vitamin C." So why is it considered a poisonous plant? Find out in the next picture.
The parsley leaves we consume are not dangerous. The problem lies in the flowers that form during the plant's second year of life.
The seeds in the flowers are dangerous because they are rich in apiol, an organic compound that causes muscle contractions.
Thus, if parsley leaves are not dangerous, the issue changes for parsley essential oil, which due to some of its components can be toxic.