parsley juice: recipe and health benefits

With unique health benefits including cancer fighting compounds, parsley juice just might be the next green juice hit.  While it's been a popular addition to juices containing mostly kale, celery, spinach etc, it actually makes a great star ingredient as it contains potent antioxidants and is a good source of vitamins C, A, Folate, K and Iron.  But possibly most intriguing is the action of the volatile oils contained in parsley leaves that have been shown to inhibit tumor formation in animal studies.  For this reason, parsley is known as a "chemoprotective food" as it neutralizes particular types of carcinogens, especially those found in cigarette smoke and those formed from grilling food.

Additionally parsley is easy to grow on your own (coming back year after year if properly maintained), relatively inexpensive to buy (a little bit goes a long way), and the italian flat leaf variety has an earthy taste that I find less bitter than kale but with equally beneficial health benefits.  FYI, parsley juice shouldn't be consumed while pregnant as it's a potent diuretic that some believe can induce labor.

Parsley Juice Recipe
makes 3 one cup servings:

2 cups packed flat leaf parsley (not as bitter as the curly variety)
1/2 large cucumber peeled
juice of 2 lemons
1 cup water
a few ice cubes
Blend (I use the Nutribullet) and enjoy!