How to choose the right parsley?
Parsley is most often sold fresh. Frozen greens in stores are extremely rare, but some manufacturers use such methods. You can buy parsley in shops, markets and various retail outlets, including open ones. The place where greenery is purchased is of particular importance. With extreme caution, groceries should be purchased from roadside tents.
Parsley can be sold:
- by weight (when the buyer chooses the size of the bundle himself);
- packed in bundles;
- packed in containers or other packaging.
When buying parsley, it is important to determine as much as possible its quality or lack thereof. To do this, you need to evaluate the appearance of the greenery and identify possible shortcomings.
How to choose parsley
You can be completely confident in the quality of parsley only if it is grown independently. When buying greenery, you need to pay attention to a number of nuances. Buying low-quality parsley can cause serious harm not only to digestion, but also to the health of the body as a whole.
What kind of parsley should you buy:
- visually, parsley should look fresh and, as if it had just been cut from the garden;
- a bunch of parsley should be dry, but not lethargic (there should be no drops of water or wet leaves);
- the parsley must be clean (meaning the presence of dusty deposits or other contaminants);
- the color of the parsley should be rich and uniform;
- a bunch of parsley must be completely fresh (if there are rotten leaves, then it is better to choose a different bunch);
- the aroma of parsley is quite rich and should be characteristic of this type of greenery (the smell increases at the cut points);
- when buying parsley, you need to inspect the cut (the cut site should not be covered with a dry film or be absolutely dry, if such a nuance is complemented by sluggish leaves or an unpleasant odor, then the parsley is spoiled);
- if parsley is bought in a package, then it is necessary to check its integrity and, if possible, inspect the contents as much as possible;
- on the leaves of parsley there should be no traces of parasite infestation or signs of plant diseases;
- parsley is often packed in containers and wrapped with cling film, which should not contain wet drops (this packaging method is often used in supermarkets and other grocery stores).
What parsley is not worth buying:
- you should not buy parsley in open retail outlets located near roads (any greens, including parsley, quickly absorb dust and become unhealthy);
- if parsley gives the impression of mint, then you should not buy it (an unscrupulous seller could try to wash away traces of improper cultivation or transportation of greens);
- sluggish parsley should also not be bought;
- it is also not recommended to buy parsley with leaves affected by insects or parasites;
- you cannot buy parsley with numerous spots, torn leaves or with a bloom of unknown origin;
- if the parsley leaves begin to dry out or turn yellow, then it is not fresh (the same sign is present in parsley, which has been stored for too long and improperly);
- if parsley leaves are sticky or too shiny, then this is a sign of processing it with chemicals that may not be washed off with water and can be hazardous to digestion;
- if the parsley has a lot of damage, then it is better to refuse to buy it (torn leaves, broken stems can be a sign of not only inaccurate collection or transportation of greens, but also an attempt by the seller to remove rotten or dried out areas of parsley);
- if parsley does not smell or its smell has unpleasant notes, then you cannot buy it (the absence of a smell is a sign of cultivation with the help of chemicals, and an unpleasant smell is a sign of rotting);
- you should never buy dusty parsley.
Buying parsley is important, but eating parsley is just as important. This type of greens cannot be combined with some products, therefore, even if the parsley is fresh, its improper use in food can be harmful to health. It should be added to dishes only before serving them on the table, and not mixed with mayonnaise or sauces.