Parsley, a relative to celery, is a very popular herb all over the world. Parsley, however, is mostly used as a garnish except in certain countries like Lebanon where parsley is the main ingredient of a very famous dish: Tabouli.

Tabouli salad is a traditional Lebanese dish with incredible health benefits and unrivaled taste. It is made of chopped parsley, tomatoes, and onions. The dressing is olive oil and lemon juice. This simple combination of ingredients is probably the healthiest food item I am aware of due to the nutritious ingredients of parsley. Indeed, parsley is not only nutritious but also healing. Rich in vitamin C, parsley has been shown to protect against rheumatoid arthritis. At the same time, parsley is a good source of folic acid, an important vitamin for cardio-vascular health. Volatile oils in parsley like myristicin, inhibit tumor formation. Furthermore, parsley is rich in a number of antioxidants like luteolin, that prevent cell damage and improve longevity. Finally, parsley improves digestion and is a great muscle relaxant.

Houston weight loss surgery center endorses Tabouli as one of the healthiest salads to have prior to weight loss surgery to improve cardio-vascular function, cleanse the body, lose weight, replenish essential vitamins and promote healing after laparoscopic bariatric surgery. Following gastric sleeve or gastric bypass surgery, Tabouli is a great meal or snack to have. It is a filling, nutritious, delicious and easy to prepare meal. Houston Weight Loss Surgery Center dietitian recommends adding raw and shelled hempseeds to Tabouli instead of the traditional cracked wheat. A serving of hempseed contains 10g of proteins and 3g of Omega-3 fatty acids. For those who follow a gluten free diet, hempseed substitution is a great alternative to cracked wheat. I have personally tried hempseed Tabouli and found it delicious.