The Diuretic

A stopover as a steward in Beirut, Gemmayzeh neighborhood, one summer evening. The restaurant owner places before me a tabbouleh where parsley is not a garnish but the main ingredient: two whole bunches finely chopped, with a squeeze of lemon and a handful of bulgur. Lebanese people are the world’s largest consumers of parsley, and tasting this dish, I understand why.

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Bioactive molecules

Raw parsley is the densest nutritional concentrate of all common vegetables: 190 mg of vitamin C per 100 g (three times more than orange), 6.2 mg of iron, 1,640 mcg of vitamin K¹. Apiol directly stimulates nephrons and increases diuresis². Myristicin potentiates this diuretic action and stimulates the production of glutathione-S-transferase, a key enzyme in hepatic detoxification³. Never exceed 60 ml of pure parsley juice per day. Contraindicated during pregnancy (uterine stimulant).

A targeted juice for the kidneys and adrenals. Parsley, concentrated in chlorophyll and vitamin C, supports the urinary system.

Raw parsley is the densest nutritional concentrate of all common vegetables. Its mineral, vitamin, and enzymatic richness is considerable: 190 mg of vitamin C per 100 g (three times more than orange), 6.2 mg of iron, 1.07 mg of zinc, and the highest concentration of vitamin K in the plant kingdom (1,640 mcg/100g). Its chlorophyll powder is richer than that of alfalfa. Apiol, a phenylpropanoid, directly stimulates nephrons (functional units of the kidney), increases diuresis and promotes the elimination of nitrogenous waste. Myristicin potentiates this diuretic action. This power makes it both a remarkable remedy and a plant to handle with caution: excessive renal stimulation can cause nephron inflammation. Never exceed 60 ml of pure juice per day. Always dilute it in at least five times its volume of carrot juice. Prefer flat parsley, richer in active compounds. Indications: recurrent urinary infections, water retention, edema, dark circles under the eyes. Contraindicated during pregnancy (uterine stimulant) and in cases of advanced kidney disease.

Parsley concentrates three active molecules. Apigenin, a major flavonoid, exerts anti-inflammatory and anxiolytic action by binding to GABA receptors in the brain (Viola et al., ‘Apigenin, a Component of Matricaria Recutita Flowers, Is a Central Benzodiazepine Receptor Ligand,’ Planta Medica 61, no. 3 (1995): 213-216). Myristicin, a volatile terpene, stimulates the production of glutathione-S-transferase, a key enzyme in hepatic detoxification. Parsley is also the most concentrated plant source of vitamin C (133 mg/100g, four times more than orange) and vitamin K1 (1,640 mcg/100g, 2,000% of RDI).

Parsley is the vegetable richest in vitamin C (190 mg/100g, 4 times more than orange). Caution: never exceed 60 ml of pure parsley juice per day. Diluted in 300 ml of carrot juice, it is perfectly dosed, delicious, and extraordinarily rich in iron, zinc, and folates.

Table of key micronutrients

Micronutrient	Primary role
Vitamin C	Adrenal support, immunity, antioxidant
Chlorophyll	Tissue oxygenation, detoxification
Organic iron	Oxygen transport, cellular energy
Apiol	Emmenagogue, genital sphere stimulant
Myristicin	Renal stimulant, diuretic
Beta-carotene	Mucous membrane protection, vitamin A precursor

Preparation with a cold-press juicer

Ingredients:

• 6 organic carrots
• 1/2 cucumber
• 1 handful of fresh parsley
• 1 peeled lemon

Parsley is extremely concentrated: never exceed 60 g (a small bunch) per day. Roll the parsley leaves into a tight ball and alternate with carrot pieces in the screw.

My recommended juicer

For this recipe, I use the Hurom H310A. Cold pressing preserves all enzymes, vitamins, and phytonutrients that the heat from a centrifuge would destroy.

Promo code: francoisbenavente20 for -20% on the entire Hurom website.

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To go further

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