What's the real deal with parsley?

Hi All,

What's the real deal with parsley during pregnancy?

Some websites say it's a no-no if cooked OR raw.

Some say it's okay if cooked.

The healthy eating during pregnancy booklet the NSW Government issued doesn't say anything about parsley.

And Lisa Neal's "Feeding the Bump: Nutrition and Recipes for Pregnancy" is loaded full of recipes with parsley in them for pregnancy.

So what's the deal?

Last night hubby and I went out for a woodfired pizza to celebrate our 1st anniversary and seeing bubs for the first time on ultrasound - complete with healthy heart beat. I realised before the starters came out, that they had parsley in them, so had to sit it out and watch hubby eating while I was really hungry. I was hanging out for the pizza, thinking it would surely be safe! But then the pizza came out and I asked the waitress if parsley was in it and she checked with the chef. "No parsley is in the pizza at all - enjoy!" So I started digging in and it was awesome. Then she came back a minute or so later saying, "I'm so sorry, the chef says there's parsley in the pizza base sauce. Hope that's okay!! If there's anything wrong as a result, just let us know."

So I had to forgo the meal and starved at the table, fearful that I'd done something horrible to my unborn child.

Parsley is everywhere - it's in all the pasta sauces, all the soups, etc that are out there. If we can't eat it, then what can we eat???

I have never heard of parsley being unsafe. Were they American sites? Only reason I ask is because some food poisoning outbreaks have been traced back to parsley that was watered using contaminated water in Mexico.

Wow I've never heard anything being wrong with parsley. The only thing I could think might be a problem if it's unwashed, the same risk as all salad vegetables, wash them thoroughly and maybe don't trust takeout. but cooked, there is nothing sinister in parsley, so I cannot see what the problem could be. You poor hungry thing, I'm sure your bub is fine, I hope you had a good meal when you got home.

I think you are safe to eat parsley in that sort of form and in small-medium amounts.
Parsley OIL is probably not safe - but this is very concentrated... so you would have ot eat bunches and bunches and bucnhes of parsley for there to be an issue.
I was very careful with food when i was pg (figured it was only a short period of life) so I did avoid things like taboulli that are mainly parsley (though am pretty sure even that would be ok) but i did eat things that had parsley in just as a herb (e.g pizza sauce base etc would be ok)
I am not a dr though, so maybe someone else has some other ideas...

i think lists need to start being made on what we ARE allowed to eat. Holy Moly!

Parsley is fine!

I've been wondering the same thing - A phone ap I got recommends not eating it raw, but I don't see what makes parsley different to any other herb, or even lettuce for that matter? Logically, I think it's a bit over the top to avoid it, but I'm also super paranoid about food right now so I've been erring on the side of caution and not eating it raw :) I wouldn't worry about the pizza sauce from last night - it would have been a very small amount and very well cooked!

Parsley is fine I have being having it cooked and raw through all three of my pregnancies.

Parsley oil is reported to be a muscle stimulant - the uterus is a muscle - don't want that being stimulated and contracting. It is used in a traditional herbalist form of abortion.
HOWEVER
You'd have to consume serious amounts of the stuff to do anything.
I'm sure the average amounts in food are nothing to worry about.
Especially dried, since there's hardly any oils left.

Wow, I've never heard of parsley being an issue.

Like the OP's have said I think given it is eaten in such small quantities it is only an issue if it isn't washed properly. If it is cooked any bacteria etc will be killed off.

Wow, I have never heard of parsley being an issue and I ate it loads when I was pregnant with all of my children - home made tabouli, yum!!!

I never ate salads out, just fresh ones at home.

Gosh surely you would have to eat a lot to cause problems? Like have parsley oil like Kim has said?

I wouldn't worry about Parsley as garnishes. I use it all the time in my at home cooking and eat it in salads. I've not had any issues. Just don't eat 20 bunches at once ok ? :D

WOW! Thats a new one.

Never heard of it...

i have never heard this one. i grow all my own herbs and use them in just about everything i cook, so i would have eaten fresh cut parsley in salads and cooked in meals a few times a week while pregnant, no ill side effects.

Parsley is fine. It's incredibly good for you, especially in pregnancy. Like any salad, just wash it first. Cooked there'd be even less of a problem.

The only vegetable source that is not recommended in pregnancy is bean sprouts, that I can think of.

bummer you missed out on the yummy food.