Parsley is an ancient herb that has been consumed for centuries for reported health benefits. One of the most commonly reported benefits of consuming parsley, especially in the form of a herbal tea, is weight loss. While parsley on its own may not be a weight loss miracle cure, the weight loss health benefits of parsley tea stem from its ability to act as a diuretic. A diuretic leeches water and salt from your body by increasing urine production. This means excess water weight held on the body is removed naturally. Parsley tea can also be used to help with kidney health by flushing out built up toxins that accumulate here as a result of water retention.

Here is a hot to guide on making your own fresh batch of parsley tea.

1. Bring a pot of water to boil on the stove. While a tea pot is ideal, using a normal cooking pot can also work for the purposes of making a very large batch of parsley tea.

2. Once the water is boiling, add a fourth of a cup of fresh parsley. Using dried parsley is not advised as the drying process has removed many of the health benefits of parsley.

3. With the parsley added to the boiling water, allowing the mixture to boil vigorously on the stove top for five minutes so the parsley can impart its benefits to the water.

4. After five minutes remove the tea from heat and allow it to set for five to seven minutes, stirring occasionally to even distribute the parsley throughout the mixture.

5. Once set, use a strainer or colander to remove the parsley from the water. Do not reuse parsley that has already been used to make tea as the next batch will be of reduced quality.

6. Parsley tea can be consumed either hot or cold. While mild in flavor, lemon or sweeteners are often used to supplement its taste.

Since parsley tea is a diuretic, be sure to drink plenty of fluids in addition to the tea. Dehydration can occur from the frequent urination and loss of retained water. A further side effect of parsley tea is the potential for kidney stones. Parsley tea contains oxalic acid which has been thought to produce kidney stones. While this claim is not fully substantiated the risk is a possible one. Pregnant women should not consume parsley tea as this concentrated solution can cause increased uterus toxicity, potentially harming a developing child.

Parsley can be easily purchased from any supermarket or health food store but it is again important to stress that only fresh parsley should be used. As with a number of vegetables, cooking or drying can remove vitamins and nutrients. Besides parsley tea, fresh parsley also has the benefit of being useful for cooking and inexpensive.