How Parsley Tea Cleared Up My Skin By MBG

It wasn’t until I turned 30 that I started using makeup — and even then it was mainly because my upper lip, cheekbones and chin were covered in blemishes. But the worst was a butterfly-shaped mark that covered my forehead. It looked like a pregnancy mask. Only I was not pregnant.

I tried every possible treatment and remedy: aromatherapy, crystal scrubs, whitening formulas, you name it! Once I even rubbed onion all over my face because my grandmother said it might help. Then every time I ran, swam or cycled in the sun, the marks got darker.

Then one day, a holistic practitioner asked if I had ever tried parsley tea. Blemishes can be a sign of liver malfunction, she explained, and parsley is great for detoxing the kidneys and liver.

As usual, I did my homework and learned that parsley contains immune-enhancing vitamins (C and A) and is a powerful antioxidant. In fact, many spas use parsley for skin treatments because vitamin C not only nourishes the skin, it reduces scars and blemishes and stimulates the production of collagen, which is the key to cell reproduction and repair. Bingo!

Flat leaf (Italian) parsley is more fragrant and less bitter than the curly leafed kind, so for the next 30 days I brewed up some parsley tea twice daily, before breakfast and dinner. I bought it in bulk every week. My routine:

• Soak parsley in water with a splash of vinegar.
• Wrap in a towel and store in the fridge.
• Bring a small saucepan of filtered water to a boil.
• Put ¼ cup of parsley in a cup or teapot.
• Pour the boiling water on top, let steep for 5-6 minutes.
• Splash of fresh lemon (optional).

After a month and many cups of parsley tea (always brewed fresh, to preserve vitamins and minerals), my face was spotless. Twelve years on, it still is — even though now I only drink parsley tea occasionally.

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