From Better Digestion to Glowing Skin: 8 Reasons This Humble Herb Coriander Deserves a Spot in Your Diet!
Cilantro or coriander is an ordinary herb that conceals a lot of possibilities in its leaves. To many people it is just another ingredient in the kitchen, but this little green plant is a source of nutrients and has many uses in improving a persons health. Whether you are a first time coriander user or you are a follower, there is much more that you can learn about the herb and how it can benefit your health and your recipes.
Why Should Coriander Be Included in Your Diet Plan?
Many of you have probably used coriander as simple decoration over your meals, but it is way more than a garnishing tool. This herb is packed with nutrients, which in one way or another helps in supporting the digestive, heart and skin for a healthy and glowing skin. It is very versatile and can be added to soups, salads and even to a pot of tea when brewing the tea. Coriander is not difficult to blend into your culinary, nonetheless it has some great benefits to offer.
Health Benefits of Coriander
1. Improves Digestion
Have you ever had the sensation that your stomach is full and you could burst after a meal? Coriander could be the herbal remedy you’ve been looking for.
Why it works:
Coriander’s volatile antioxidants and essential oils act on enzymes which facilitates digestion of food. It is also good for the management of stomach aches and even for the treatment of gas.
How to use it:
They crush seeds that are used in preparation of simple coriander tea by boiling in water.
Throw in fresh leaves to rice or stew to enhance the taste and improve your digestion system.
2. Immunity Boost
It is also a source of vitamin C the power packed nutrient that will build up your immune system. It also has antibacterial properties that will help to shield from infections.
Why it helps:
Vitamin C strengthens the immune power in your body and also makes the white blood cells stronger, while natural oils in the herb provide additional protection.
How to use it:
Include coriander in your soups or you can prepare a mint coriander lemon chutney.
3. Strengthens Bones
It is therefore important for people to preserve their bone as they grow older. Coriander is rich in Vitamin K, calcium and magnesium – all minerals vital for the health of bones.
Why it works:
Vitamin K helps in the build up of calcium hence improving the bone density. It is a small change, but using coriander daily will have a huge difference when used in the long run.
How to use it:
Use the leaves to garnish on soups or curries.
One can add ground seeds to bread or pancake batter to get a more potent dose of the seeds.
4. Assists with Heart Health
This part of your body does a lot for you each and every day, which is why it deserves some support. Coriander can help by reducing the level of the bad cholesterol and stabilizing the normal blood pressure.
What makes it helpful:
Since coriander contains antioxidants that help to fight inflammation which is a major factor that leads to heart issues, it has linoleic acid.
How to use it:
Use fresh coriander leaves as a garnish to salads or soups to give them an extra taste. It can also be used as ground coriander seeds in a smoothie or sauces.
5. Balances Blood Sugar
Managing blood sugar levels is difficult enough but with the properties of coriander it is just another advantage to incorporate into your diet.
Why it works:
Essential oils found in coriander make it decrease the rate of insulin resistance hence controlling blood sugar fluctuations.
How to use it:
Use coriander powder in salads and sauces as well.
Add fresh coriander leaves into your morning smoothies or any other meal of the day.
6. Anti-Inflammatory
Inflammation is a root cause of many diseases such as arthritis and heart diseases. This vegetable has natural chemicals that go to war with inflammation.
Why it works:
Coriander contains the oils that inhibit the formation of all the inflammatory chemicals in the body.
How to use it:
Add the ground seeds of coriander to roasted vegetables, or apply coriander oil on joints that are aching.
7. Supports Eye Health
Tired eyes or blurry vision? Vitamin A and antioxidants found in coriander are good for the health of the eyes.
Why it’s effective:
Vitamin A helps the retina and antioxidants help shield free radical damage.
How to use it:
You may use fresh coriander leaves in stir fry or soups while the powdered seeds can be used in making smoothies.
Fresh leaves: You can garnish your tacos, curries and soups with them.
Seeds: Use whole in marinades or blend into a fine powder for use in baked products.
Tea: Crushed seeds should be soaked in hot water to come up with a simple tea.
Smoothies: Put in a fistful of the leaves for that fresh, tangy taste.
8. Improves Skin Health
If you have acne or dull skin, coriander can come in handy. It contains natural oils that help decrease inflammation and contain antioxidants, which are ideal for evening out skin tone.
Why it’s beneficial:
Coriander, because of its antioxidant content, fights the free radicals that harm skin, and its anti-bacterial effects combat pimples.
How to use it:
Include the green part of the Coriander leaves along with a pinch of turmeric for preparing a face mask.
Coriander tea can be taken daily for cleansing from within the body.
Final Thoughts
Coriander is a nice garnishing ingredient but it is so much more – it has heart, skin, digestive health and other uses. And the easiest part: it can be added easily to your meals. It can be a decoration on top of the most delicious meal you fancy or mixed with a beverage – it’s always perfect.
