Coriander and cilantro are one and the same plant, but its different parts, each with its own advantages in terms of taste and aromatic qualities and useful properties. Thanks to this spice, dishes will sparkle with new colors, and health will not slow to improve.
What can be said in general terms about the benefits of coriander and its significance in the kitchen
For over two and a half millennia, the herbaceous annual coriander sowing (vegetable coriander) is highly regarded as a universal spice and medicinal plant, the cuisine of Ancient Rome flourished with it, and it came to the lands of Russia almost simultaneously with cabbage.
Coriander is usually called not only a plant entirely scientifically, but also its small round seeds ripening on umbrellas, very reminiscent of those of dill (they and coriander belong to the same Umbrella family).
Coriander seeds are consumed only in dried form, whole or ground, they combine bitterness, sweetness and a bright aroma, they are needed in marinade for vegetable preparations, potato and meat dishes, some cheeses and sausages, and here's another vivid example - they often sprinkle the top of Borodino bread.
The greenery of the plant is called cilantro. Leaflets that look like parsley are consumed fresh and dried for salads, sauces, first and second courses, appetizers and casseroles.
Cilantro is popular in Greek, Sicilian, Turkish, Georgian and Chinese cuisines.
The root part of the plant, with a taste more muffled than greens and grains, is less popular, but also finds application, for example, in the cuisines of Southeast Asia.
Nutritionists recommend consuming no more than 35-40 g of greens and 4 g of coriander seeds per day.
Despite the fact that the chemical composition of grains and greens of coriander cannot, in principle, be identical, both of these edible parts of the plant have a common set of positive properties that, by the way, allow you to feel freer when choosing something so tasty and wholesome to cook with coriander.
From the top of the umbrellas to the roots, the plant contains phytoncides, amino acids, tannins, carbohydrates, starch, antioxidants, pectin, organic acids, magnesium, iron, sodium, phosphorus, potassium, almost all B vitamins, as well as D, C, E and K.
If we consider the properties of coriander, most fully covering the human body, then we can say that it contributes to:
• normalization of metabolism;
• increase immunity;
• increase in endurance to physical activities;
• general health improvement (invigorating, tonic effect of cilantro);
• stabilization of the hormonal background of women (in particular, by stimulating the production of the female hormone estrogen).
In what cases will coriander benefit?
The most pronounced effect of coriander on the digestive system, in relation to which, spice:
• stimulates appetite (so much so that a diet for weight loss may be in jeopardy);
• improves the absorption of heavy fatty foods (for example, meat, freshly baked pies, rich soups, fried potatoes);
• stimulates the production of gastric juice and normalizes its acidity (provided that it is lowered);
• reduces inflammatory processes and heals minor injuries of the gastrointestinal mucosa;
• normalizes intestinal motility;
• increases the digestibility of vitamins, minerals and other beneficial substances from all incoming food.
Coriander is also a rare source of a natural dodecenal antibiotic, effective against many infectious diseases of the digestive system, which can even kill salmonellosis pathogens.
With a cold, coriander helps get rid of heat (acts like a diaphoretic) and fever, if the disease has passed to the respiratory system, it can be used to reduce the inflammatory processes that occur in them and suppress a dry cough.
Coriander is useful for reduced blood coagulation, since it increases it and thereby reduces the risk of bleeding, which is a serious danger in case of injuries or a certain medical intervention.
Being a diuretic, coriander improves the functioning of the kidneys, as an anesthetic and, again, as an anti-inflammatory, can relieve symptoms of a disease such as cystitis.
In addition, the withdrawal of excess fluid reduces puffiness and speeds up the cleaning of the body of toxic substances (coriander belongs to those rare plants that have ways to deal with the consequences of special types of poisoning - alcohol, heavy metals, mushrooms).
Also, regular use of coriander contributes to:
• reduction of pain in rheumatic diseases;
• liver cleansing;
• lowering blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
How else is the benefit of coriander
Fresh green cilantro excellently heals the oral cavity - strengthens the gums and reduces bleeding, prevents the development of periodontal disease and caries, reduces bad breath, freshens the breath.
Coriander can be recommended for improving the psychoemotional state with increased stress, preventing depressive states and increasing mental abilities.
Regarding the effect on vision, the plant:
• reduces eye fatigue during everyday activities (for example, working at a computer);
• reduces symptoms of conjunctivitis;
• reduces the risks of developing cataracts and glaucoma.
What can be the harm from coriander
The increased content of vitamin C makes coriander (especially greens) not a useful product for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, accompanied by increased acidity of the stomach.
Also, in order to avoid harm from coriander, it is used with caution in the following circumstances:
• malfunctions of the pancreas;
• renal failure;
• cardiological diseases (and especially with insufficient blood supply to the heart muscle).
Cilantro and coriander in a minimal amount and just like seasoning can, theoretically, not harm pregnant women, but while waiting for the baby and breastfeeding, mothers are strictly contraindicated to be treated with the means (infusions, decoctions) of traditional medicine from this plant, in order to avoid at least , metabolic disorders and giving the child a tendency to allergies.
The ability to thicken blood gives coriander harm to people prone to thrombosis, with aneurysm (pathological expansion) of blood vessels, increased fragility of blood vessels and capillaries.
For the same reason, do not combine spice and anticoagulants (blood thinners) - their properties will enter into confrontation and, in the best case, treatment will be ineffective.
The use of coriander is also desirable to limit during the treatment with antibiotics - the active components of the plant, reacting with the composition of the drugs, increase the risk of allergic reactions to antibiotics.
A systematic overdose of spices has its consequences in the form of an overexcitation of the nervous system, insomnia and a deterioration in short-term memory.
