Cilantro or coriander: properties, benefits and uses

The coriander (Coriandrum sativum) is one of the oldest aromatic plants in the world. In India, China and Egypt in particular, coriander has not only been valued for millennia for its sweet taste, but mainly as a medicinal plant.

What is coriander?

Name cilantro (Coriandrum sativum) comes from the Greek word koroswhich means “bug”, for the penetrating odor, and for many repellent, which the plant exhales. It has a strong and intense flavor, which not everyone likes, and should be taken in moderation.

From a botanical point of view, coriander is an umbelliferousoriginally from Asia Minor, and was brought to Europe already in Roman times.

The green plant of the Umbelliferae family grows up to 60 centimeters tall, has white to reddish flowers and brown to yellow fruits (coriander or coriander seeds), which can be harvested from July to August. His high content of phytochemicals and essential oils explain its beneficial effects.

The Sanskrit scriptures and the Old Testament already reported its healing power. The father of Western and natural medicine, Hippocrates of Kos, also praised coriander as a medicinal plant.

Cilantro can provide relief for people with digestive problems (for example, flatulence, diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome) and chronic inflammatory diseases (for example, rheumatism). But it has also proven its effectiveness in infections and detoxification cures.

Cilantro properties and uses

Coriander stands out for its digestive, tonic and carminative properties. In the coriander composition We find essential oil as an active component, rich in linalool and coriandol, which also contains traces of geraniol, limonene and camphor, among other principles. This confers multiple health benefits:

It is very useful to expel gas of the digestive system and to avoid flatulence and aerophagy. For this, it can be taken on its own, sprinkling the plate of legumes as if it were salt. As a digestive tonic, it favors a comfortable assimilation of food and helps whet the appetite in weakened or convalescent organisms. antispasmodic and antibacterialand combat the nervous indigestion with spasms and gastroenteritisbeing able to alleviate nausea.Chewing a few coriander fruits is a good way to to avoid bad breath and the bad taste in the mouth. coriander tea help with the menstrual pain and to stimulate the production of breast milk.In external useapplies on rheumatic pain.

Coriander oil against infections

In the context of growing resistance to antibiotics, phytomedicine has become interested in coriander as a natural germicidal agent during years.

In particular, the essential oil of coriander, obtained from the seeds, is considered a powerful remedy against germs, even those resistant to antibiotics, in certain circumstances.

Research carried out by the Freiburg University Medical Center attributed in one study the antimicrobial (ie, antibacterial and antifungal) effect to the ingredient linalool.

Scientists from the Portuguese University of Beira Interior have tested coriander oil against twelve strains of bacteria, including Escherichia coli and salmonella, that repeatedly cause food poisoning.

The tests showed that a solution of just 1.6% coriander oil could kill almost all bacteria or at least significantly reduce its reproduction.

In industrialized countries, up to 30% of the population is affected by food poisoning each year. Coriander oil used as an additive could protect from pathogens and prevent bacterial infections, explained the director of the study, Dr. Fernanda Domingues in the Journal of Medical Microbiology.

The coriander it can even be used as a natural antibiotic for medicinal purposes. Domingues can imagine that there will soon be tablets, lotions and mouthwashes with coriander extract against antibiotic-resistant germs. Dodecanal and dodecanal compounds play a key role in this property.

Cilantro as a natural antibiotic

A Californian-Mexican research group attributed the antibiotic effects of cilantro specifically to dodecennial. In the study published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, the scientists isolated the antibacterial substance from fresh coriander leaves.

In laboratory tests, dodecenal was found to be the only naturally occurring antibacterial substance that is twice as effective as the commonly used antibiotic gentamicin against salmonella.

“We were surprised that dodecennial is such a powerful antibiotic, because most natural antibacterial agents have fairly weak effects,” said lead researcher Dr. Isao Kubo of the University of California at Berkeley.

In addition to dodecenal, dodecanal and linalool, from coriander leaves about a dozen other antibiotic components were extracted, which were also effective against various harmful bacteria.

Coriander seeds also contain dodecanal. Therefore, it is worth incorporating both fresh coriander herb and seeds of coriander in the diet.

Fresh coriander has the advantage over seeds in that it also provides large amounts of antioxidants and chlorophyll, components that strengthen our immune system and help against inflammation.

Coriander antioxidants against inflammatory diseases

Antioxidants in particular are another argument in favor of coriander’s healing power. They are found mainly in the leaves and are especially effective against inflammatory complaints, according to studies by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi.

The anti-inflammatory properties of coriander seed extract were tested on laboratory rats suffering from rheumatism. It turned out that animals suffered significantly less inflammation and swelling as a result of cilantro therapy than their comparison group, which received cortisone.

Natural remedies with coriander

Carminative infusion against gas and flatulence: It is ideal to take after a copious, strong or potentially flatulent meal, and facilitate digestion.
How to prepare it:We combine four equal parts: one of coriander fruits, another of green anise, another of star anise and another of fennel. This is how the strong flavor of cilantro is nuanced. We use a tablespoon of the mixture for each cup of water. Boil the mixture for 3 minutes and let it rest for another 10. Filter and drink a cup after main meals, especially in periods with gas.

Precautions and contraindications

The fresh plant can cause irritation on contact on sensitive skin.

The essential oil should not be taken during the pregnancy.

In all cases, avoid high doseswhich could cause effects toxic to the nervous system.

How to take coriander

lies the Dry plant for decoction, liquid extract or tincture.As spiceboth in dry leaves and in dust.The fresh leaves They are used as a seasoning in food. can take the essential oilin minimal doses, with a sugar cube.

Cilantro recipes

Like most aromatic plants, coriander leaves they can be mixed with sweet fruits to make an alkaline smoothie.

is also a appreciated component in Asian salads. Chopped coriander is used in vegetable soups and sauces, while the seeds are part of the curry mix.

You can make a homemade pesto with fresh coriander leaves, instead of basil, half a cup of pine nuts, a clove of garlic, two tablespoons of lemon juice and five tablespoons of olive oil. Pass it all through the blender and enjoy a creamy pesto with whole wheat pasta.

The seed is one of the ingredients of curry indium and is used to flavor salads, rice dishes, pasta dishes and soups.

The leaves are an essential ingredient for the preparation of the famous Green Mojito canary, and in Mexico they incorporate it into the guacamolewith avocado.

In all Latin America, especially in Peru, replaces parsley as a condiment and is used to flavor soups and meat stewslike in Egypt.

Differences between cilantro and parsley

We can distinguish plants by the leaf shape: those of cilantro end up rounded, while those of parsley are more pointed. Besides, the green color of the parsley is more intense than coriander.

The main difference lies in the taste: parsley is softer, while coriander is intense and has a hint of citrus. When substituting coriander for parsley in our meals, we must take it into account to adjust the amount.

Scientific references:

Advisor: J Mª Teixé, herbalist at “El Manantial de Salud”