Coriander, or Cilantro, is an herb with wonderful aroma, and you might recognize it from salsa or guacamole. You can use all parts of the herb in cooking, but the dried seeds and fresh leaves are the most used in cooking.
Romans used this plant to mask the odor of rotten meat, while the ancient Greeks used cilantro essential oil in the creation of perfumes. But besides these general purposes, coriander provides some incredible health benefits, such as cleansing the body from toxic metals, reducing symptoms of diabetes, and preventing cardiovascular damage.
Growing your own coriander is very easy, and you will have fresh supply throughout the year. Here are 9 health benefits of this plant that you might haven’t heard before.
1. Cleansing the Body from Toxic Metals
One of the best known properties of cilantro is its strong metal detoxification ability. Effectively eliminates heavy metals from the body entered through consuming non-organic foods, fish, using conventional household water supplies, deodorants, smoking or secondhand smoke exposure, using aluminum foil or aluminum cookware in cooking, using vaccines, over-the-counter drugs such as antacids, or having metal fillings in the teeth.
The presence of heavy metals in the body is linked to various severe health conditions, like kidney disease, heart disease, emotional problems, brain deterioration, weak bones, lung disease, and even cancer. The chemical compounds in the content of cilantro attach to these toxic metals and loosen them from the tissues.
2. Protecting from Cardiovascular Damage
Generally, all plants support the cardiovascular health. But cilantro have been proven to reduce the LDL (bad) cholesterol, and increase the HDL (good) cholesterol, thanks to the organic acids in its content. Furthermore, it helps dissolve accumulation of cholesterol in arteries, so it’s beneficial for people suffering from heart disease and atherosclerosis.
3. Anti-Diabetic Activity
Thanks to its ability to reduce blood sugar and cholesterol levels. This plant has been called as “anti-diabetic” plant in some part of Europe. 100 grams of cilantro contain incredible 521 milligrams of potassium. Consuming cilantro and minimizing the intake of sodium can significantly help diabetics to regulate their blood sugar levels (1) (2).
4. Antioxidant
The content of cilantro includes loads of antioxidants, among which is the powerful quercetin. The presence of antioxidants protect cells from free radical damage, which is the main reason for the aging process. If you use antioxidants to protect yourself from the harmful free radicals, you lower the risk of chronic disease later in life. Thanks to the potent antioxidants, this herb protects from various degenerative diseases like heart disease, cancer, arthritis, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, macular degeneration, etc (3).
5. Anti-Anxiety Properties
Cilantro relaxes the muscles and acts as a mild sedative. It relieves anxiety by calming the nerves, decreasing the harmful effects of stress. An excellent way to relieve stress and calm your mind is drinking some cilantro, celery, and cucumber juice (4).
6. Enhances Sleep Quality
This herb has calming effects, so it’s ideal for improving the sleep quality (5).
7. Reduces Blood Pressure
Cilantro helps reduce blood pressure, so it can be used to treat hypertension. Consuming a low-sodium and high-potassium diet can keep your blood pressure balanced, and cilantro is the perfect food for this diet. 100 grams of fresh cilantro leaves contain 521 milligrams of potassium and just 46 milligrams of sodium. You can use it in salads or juices.
8. Anti-fungal and Anti-bacterial Properties
This plant acts as a natural anti-fungal and antiseptic agent for skin conditions like eczema and dermatitis. Thanks to its amazing antibacterial properties, cilantro improves the overall oral health. You can as well use it to prevent and treat small pox due to the antimicrobial substances in its content (6) (7).
9. Natural Internal Deodorant
Cilantro is rich in chlorophyll, so you can use it as a natural internal deodorant. It will eliminate the toxins from kidney, liver, and digestive tract, which in turn helps to eliminate the excess bacteria that normally leaves the body through the sweat in the feet and armpits. Due to the high oxygen content of chlorophyll, this pigment is not preferred by bacteria. Therefore, cilantro will naturally deodorize your body, and will make it smell fresh and clean.
Via Live Love Fruit