Parsley
HerbalAlso called · 6 names▾▴
parsley leaf, parsley seed, parsley root, parsley essential oil, Carum petroselinum, parsely
Herbal supplement (milk supply)
Herbs and supplements are not FDA-approved before sale. About these sources
- Capsule/tablet
- Topical
- Essential oil
- Food / spice
Research strength: 1 / 5
MotherToBaby says information is limited for most herbal products during pregnancy, and its fact sheet does not name parsley. MotherToBaby says herbs used in food preparation in moderation are not expected to be of concern, but this general statement does not assess parsley supplements, extracts, seeds, or oil. LactMed's parsley page focuses on breastfeeding, and no source reviewed provides a parsley-specific first-trimester assessment. The available sources do not establish a clear conclusion about medicinal parsley use in trimester 1. Ask your provider about your situation.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-14
Research strength: 1 / 5
MotherToBaby says information is limited for most herbal products during pregnancy, and its fact sheet does not name parsley. MotherToBaby says herbs used in food preparation in moderation are not expected to be of concern, but this general statement does not assess parsley supplements, extracts, seeds, or oil. LactMed's parsley page focuses on breastfeeding, and no source reviewed provides a parsley-specific second-trimester assessment. The available sources do not establish a clear conclusion about medicinal parsley use in trimester 2. Ask your provider about your situation.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-14
Research strength: 1 / 5
MotherToBaby says information is limited for most herbal products during pregnancy, and its fact sheet does not name parsley. MotherToBaby says herbs used in food preparation in moderation are not expected to be of concern, but this general statement does not assess parsley supplements, extracts, seeds, or oil. LactMed's parsley page focuses on breastfeeding, and no source reviewed provides a parsley-specific third-trimester assessment. The available sources do not establish a clear conclusion about medicinal parsley use in trimester 3. Ask your provider about your situation.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-14
Parsley — Breastfeeding
Research strength: 1 / 5
LactMed reports no data on parsley components in breast milk or on effects in nursing mothers or infants. LactMed reports that some mothers in Türkiye use parsley to increase supply; its cited survey abstract lists anise and mint, not parsley, among common nursing herbs. A 2004 trial of 158 mothers tested a six-herb blend that included parsley and found no significant difference in infant weight gain; the paper labels the study double-blind and randomized, while LactMed says those methods are unclear, and the blend cannot isolate parsley. MotherToBaby says information on most herbal products while breastfeeding is limited, while ABM and Cochrane describe broader galactagogue evidence as inconclusive. LactMed advises against parsley essential oil because of potential apiol and myristicin toxicity; a 2021 review also describes parsley leaf and seed oils as harmful to the liver and kidneys in concentrated oil form, which does not establish an effect from food amounts. Ask your provider about your situation.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-14
Sources
- LactMed: ParsleyUS government
- MotherToBaby: Herbal Products fact sheetTeratology service
- Kaygusuz et al., TCM use in pregnant women and nursing mothers: A study from TurkeyUS government
- Shariati et al., Shirafza Drops and infant weight gain
- ABM Clinical Protocol #9: Galactogogues, second revision 2018Professional society
- Cochrane: Oral galactagogues for mothers of non-hospitalised term infantsUS government
- Cragg et al., Herbal galactagogues in mothers of preterm babiesUS government
- Dosoky and Setzer, Maternal reproductive toxicity of some essential oilsUS government
Pregnancy
MotherToBaby's general fact sheet says there is limited information on most herbal products during pregnancy and does not name parsley. It says moderate amounts of herbs used to prepare food are not expected to be of concern, but gives no parsley-specific supplement amount or trimester guidance. LactMed's parsley record covers lactation rather than pregnancy. Targeted PubMed searches for parsley, Petroselinum, or apiol with pregnancy terms returned no records from 14 Oct 2025 through 14 Oct 2026; this search does not prove that no study exists elsewhere. No parsley-specific effect estimate or trimester recommendation was identified in the reviewed sources.
Breastfeeding
LactMed reports no data on parsley components in breast milk or on parsley's effects in nursing mothers or infants. It reports that some mothers in Türkiye use parsley to increase milk supply, and separately says that oral capsules with sage and parsley are said to decrease milk flow; it reports no scientifically valid trial supporting the latter use. The PubMed abstract of LactMed's cited Turkish survey lists anise and mint as common nursing herbs, but does not name parsley, so that abstract does not verify the parsley-specific use report. A 2004 study by Shariati et al. tested a product containing fennel, anise, cumin, black seed, dill, and parsley in 158 nursing mothers. The study used 30 drops per day in three doses for four weeks and reported no significant difference in infant weight gain between the product and placebo groups. Because the product contained six herbs, the result cannot be attributed to parsley alone. The journal abstract calls the study prospective and double-blind and says participants were randomly assigned; LactMed says blinding and randomization are unclear. ABM's 2018 protocol says evidence for herbal galactagogues is limited and inconclusive and does not recommend one specific galactagogue. The 2020 Cochrane review included 41 trials of varied products and reported low to very low certainty evidence. A 2026 review of 10 herbal trials in mothers of preterm babies reported low-certainty findings for several other products, with no parsley-specific result in its abstract.
LactMed says parsley leaf, seed, and root contain apiol and myristicin, along with flavonoids, beta-phellandrene, bergapten, and vitamins A and C. Parsley is used as food and also appears as seeds, roots, capsules, extracts, and essential oil; food amounts do not establish the effect of concentrated products. MotherToBaby says herbal supplements can vary in ingredients and strength depending on plant parts and preparation, and that some products may contain contaminants or ingredients not listed on the label. These are general herbal-product statements, not findings from parsley supplement testing.
What was tested
The primary 2004 Shariati study included 158 nursing mothers whose infants were 0 to 6 months old. The mothers received either a six-herb alcoholic extract containing parsley or a chlorophyll-in-alcohol placebo. The article reports 30 drops per day divided into three doses for four weeks. It reports mean infant weight gain of 471 ± 322 g in the product group and 554 ± 321 g in controls, with no significant difference. It did not test parsley alone, so it cannot identify a parsley-specific effect. The article abstract describes a prospective, double-blind trial and random assignment; LactMed says the randomization and blinding are unclear. The Cochrane 2020 review included 41 RCTs with 3005 mothers and 3006 infants, and judged overall evidence low to very low due to bias, varied interventions, and imprecision. Its abstract does not report a parsley-specific result. Cragg et al. reviewed 10 herbal galactagogue trials in mothers of preterm infants; its abstract reports low-certainty findings for several other products, not parsley. No parsley milk-level study was identified in LactMed's record.
How clearly the 2004 Shirafza study reports randomization and blinding
- Source A says
- The primary article labels the trial prospective and double-blind and says the 158 mothers were randomly assigned to the product and placebo groups. (Shariati et al., Shirafza Drops and infant weight gain)
- Source B says
- LactMed says the blinding and randomization in this study are unclear. (LactMed: Parsley)
- Why they differ
- The abstract gives a design label and says assignment was random but does not provide enough detail to assess how the allocation and masking were carried out. LactMed flags those methods as unclear.
- What the evidence shows overall
- The study reports no significant difference in infant weight gain for a six-herb mixture that included parsley. The methods and mixed ingredients do not establish a parsley-only effect or an infant outcome attributable to parsley.
- ABM recommends evaluating medical causes of low milk supply and increasing how often and effectively milk is removed before a galactagogue is considered. (Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine, Clinical Protocol #9)
- MotherToBaby advises discussing each herbal product and the reason for its use with a healthcare provider during pregnancy; it notes that other therapies may have more pregnancy information. (MotherToBaby: Herbal Products fact sheet)
General research, not specific to pregnancy.
LactMed reports that parsley reactions are mainly allergic and may involve cross-reactions with carrot, celery, or fennel. FDA's 2025 notice concerned a named Italian parsley food lot and says the recall was completed and terminated.
- LactMed says parsley reactions are primarily allergic and can cross-react with other Apiaceae plants, including carrot, celery, and fennel. (LactMed: Parsley)
- FDA reported that 474 cases of bulk Italian parsley were recalled in October 2025 because they might contain Salmonella; the FDA page says the recall was completed and terminated. This is specific to the named product, not parsley generally. (FDA: Pacific International Marketing Italian Parsley recall)
- MotherToBaby: Herbal Products fact sheetTeratology serviceSecondaryIndependent check
- LactMed: ParsleyUS governmentSecondaryPage dated 2024-08-15
- ABM Clinical Protocol #9: Use of Galactogogues, Second Revision 2018Professional societySecondaryIndependent check
- Cochrane: Oral galactagogues for mothers of non-hospitalised term infantsUS governmentPrimaryPage dated 2020-05-18Independent check
- Shariati et al., Shirafza Drops and infant weight gainPrimaryIndependent check
- Kaygusuz et al., TCM use in pregnant women and nursing mothers: A study from TurkeyUS governmentPrimaryPage dated 2021-02-13Independent check
- Cragg et al., Herbal galactagogues in mothers of preterm babiesUS governmentPrimaryPage dated 2025-12-05Independent check
- Dosoky and Setzer, Maternal Reproductive Toxicity of Some Essential Oils and Their ConstituentsUS governmentPrimaryPage dated 2021-02-27Independent check
- FDA: Pacific International Marketing Italian Parsley recallUS governmentSecondaryPage dated 2025-10-28
Last reviewed 2026-10-14
Independent check 2026-10-14
Not yet clinician-reviewed
Ask your provider about your situation.