Cilantro – also known as coriander – is a green herb that is commonly used in Mexican, Asian and Middle Eastern cooking, as well as in other cuisines around the world.
It has quite a special flavor, so much so that many people like it, but many others reject it.
- Cilantro is a good source of nutrition
A quarter cup of raw cilantro leaves (about the size of a golf ball) provides 16 percent of your daily requirement of vitamin K, which helps with bone health and wound healing.
It also provides 5% of your daily requirement of vitamin A and 2% of your daily requirement of vitamin C, two vitamins responsible for immune function.
- Cilantro contains antioxidants
According to a review published in the journal Molecules in 2022, cilantro provides important compounds known as antioxidants in addition to its vitamin value.
Cilantro contains several antioxidants, one of which, known as polyphenols, is particularly important.
Polyphenols reduce inflammation and prevent cellular damage that might otherwise lead to premature aging and increased risk of disease.
- May help cardiovascular health
Traditional medicine has long used parts of coriander (including coriander leaves) to treat pain, inflammation, gastrointestinal problems and diabetes.
While most of the plant’s medicinal properties have not been studied, the same review, published in the journal Molecules in 2022, found that the herb may have cardiovascular benefits, such as regulating blood pressure and heart rate.
The researchers deduced that this is because cilantro is rich in antioxidants.
However, of the 18 studies evaluated in the review, only two were conducted in humans, so more studies will need to be done in the future to determine if cilantro has such benefits.
- Is there any downside to cilantro?
In general, cilantro has few drawbacks, especially in terms of nutritional content. But after all, many people do not like its taste, which is why?
According to surveys, up to 14% of the population has a genetic variation that makes them highly sensitive to the smell of a compound called aldehyde in cilantro.
Since odor and taste are closely related, this can make them even more repulsed by the taste of cilantro.
Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)