Coriander has so many health benefits.
Coriander is best used in curry, soup, tikka masala, and chicken. Coriander is typically used for cooking. It’s leaves are usually picked by hand so as not to cut into the more potent coriander seeds found under the leaves. The heat from cooking converts all essential oils found in coriander leaves and seeds into pungent aromatic substances (such as aldehydes) which give these spices their characteristic flavor and smell.
Coriander, also known as cilantro or Chinese parsley, is useful in tempering hot foods and has been used by many cultures for thousands of years. This spice has culinary, medicinal and spiritual uses. A strong spice that gets stronger with age, coriander is a dried seed pod from the plant Coriandrum sativum.
It was first cultivated 2000 years ago in Iran and India and grows best when planted between April and August. With its leafy shoots growing to about 22″ tall (55cm), it’s considered an annual though some farmers report success with keeping it in pots throughout the colder months of the year if they put the plant indoors near a brightly lit window to encourage continuous growth.
Some believe that it is best to add it to vegetables, such as carrots or potatoes. Others find that it can be a dietary supplement and utilized to help those with irritable bowel syndrome.
What is coriander?
Coriander is the dried seed of the cilantro plant, which belongs to the family Apiaceae. The cilantro plant’s distinctive flavor and aroma is similar to roots such as ginger and parsley. Originating in many parts of Asia, it has spread around much of the world with its ample cultivation for culinary purposes and medicinal use.
The herb coriander originated in India, but by 1000 AD was introduced into Persia (now Iran). The Chinese called it “the root that cannot be forgotten”, likening its importance to life-like those of our most basic needs for food or water-to suggest an addictive property that one could not forget even if desired.
The herb has a slightly sweet, citrusy taste. It’s often used in its dried form for cooking as it doesn’t lose any flavor when cooked.
Besides adding to its natural flavor profile, fresh coriander leaves can help make an offer more appetizing as well.
The powerful aroma isn’t limited to just the kitchen either – the smell of coriander is thought to repel mosquitoes and other flying insects that could carry potentially dangerous diseases.
In Southeast Asia though, where mosquitoes carrying malaria are endemic, there is not a culture of purposely planting it around homes or cooking with it at mealtime.
Coriander is one of the main ingredients in Indian cooking.
Coriander plants grow to about 60 centimetres tall, and are a vivid emerald green color when they’re dry, but turn rusty brown when they’re wet. It tastes like fresh leaves with a tangy aromatic flavour that is slightly citrus-like. It has notes of lemon, vanilla and black pepper.
Health benefits of coriander:
There are many health benefits of coriander. It is a significant nutritional powerhouse containing anti-inflammatory, blood sugar regulating, saliva stimulating and digestive enzymes all found in the leaves. The roots contain an oil that is known for its heart benefits and lowered cholesterol.
In ancient Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), coriander was used to alleviate dry mouth and inflammation from various diseases including tuberculosis and cancer even without tasting or eating it! And it’s been used as a natural treatment for high blood pressure in Indian medicine for centuries. Studies show a decrease in triglyceride levels; increased insulin resistance independently of body weight; decreased risk of breast cancer recurrence; prevention of low-density lipoprotein oxidation.
Coriander is an amazing spice to add to your diet! It contains a whole slew of phyto-nutrients and polyphenols that are great for the immune system. Coriander also has some antioxidant properties, reduces inflammation, and fights pain.
Symmetrical peeling of the leaves to reduce spoilage and gross taste releases more flavor. In addition, coriander is effective in relieving gas and digestive problems.
Coriander has a lemony fragrance and flavor that balances the warmth of ginger, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Ginger… is used to aid digestion as it’s anti-inflammatory, carminative, antiemetic and antispasmodic in nature. Cinnamon… is used for many things including prevention of yeast infections due to its antifungal properties. Cloves have a mild analgesic effect– leading them to be an ingredient in some pain relievers– as well as antimicrobial properties that help prevent tooth decay and gum disease. Coriander contains essential nutrients such as vitamin K which strengthens bones and may promote memory retention when consumed over time; magnesium which ensures healthy blood flow; vitamins C and A which may reduce your risk of chronic diseases, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, heart diseases, and cancer.
Coriander has a sweet flavor and goes well with food, including savory foods. It stimulates the stomach to produce acidity and aids digestion. Coriander is also used in traditional herbal medicine to heal diarrhea, vomiting, gastrointestinal ulcers, and dysentery.
Grind coriander seeds just before using them for cooking or use pre-crushed versions of this spice sold at grocery stores! Make pickles with it by putting chopped up cilantro leaves into a jar with vinegar. Let it sit until set – wonderful for salads or pasta dishes! Herbal tea can also be made from dried coriander seeds steeped in hot water or as cold tea served over ice if preferred!
Side effects of coriander:
One of the most common side effects is an upset stomach. Other potential side-effects with acute use may be drowsiness, dry mouth, or episodes of erythema multiforme or urticaria.
The leaves can also cause severe contact dermatitis (skin inflammation) in a small number of people when directly applied to their skin; in some people the reaction can lead to lesions and scars that last for years after contact with the plant has been discontinued.
There have been reported cases where humans were poisoned from leaves that had taken up herbicides such as paraquat.
Side effects of coriander can include a decrease in thyroid hormone levels, upset stomach, mouth and lips tingling (hot peppers), dry mouth, chest pain (those allergic to onions), diarrhea, stomach cramping and gas.
Coriander is the smallest plant out of all the ones that contain volatile oils which means it has small quantities but still enough to cause side-effects. Coriander also contains a compound called bisabolene which closely resembles thyroxine in structure. Thyroid hormones are critical for normal growth and development from early fetal stages through adolescence; decreased levels can affect final height as well as intellectual development if prolonged.
When consumed in large amounts, coriander can cause flatulence, nausea and vomiting.
Conclusion:
Although coriander has so many health benefits, it’s not for everyone. The most unpleasant side effect of coriander is its tough fiber. Ideally, the dried and fresh leaves should be blended in with other ingredients to be chopped into tiny bits. The result is an incredible addition to many dishes for people who can’t resist that slightly peppery aftertaste it has such as garlic or when mixed with onions.
If you are gluten-sensitive and don’t react well, you better substitute these leaves out on your favourite recipes that call for them. If not, make sure you handle the leaves properly before adding them to any recipe.
Coriander might also cause irritation in those who are allergic. To avoid this situation a simple patch test can help identify whether one is actually sensitive or not.
If someone is allergic, they may be able to tolerate just a small amount of the herb in a dish. People with celiac disease are always sensitive to any form of coriander and should never consume it but people who have problems with gluten on occasion or people following “gastroparesis” diets may still eat this spicy herb on occasion as long as they know what their limitations are.
