Coriander – Definition
The coriander is a herb that goes by other names such as cilantro or Chinese parsley. It belongs to the umbellifers family within the Carrot order. It can be found in Asia, Europe, and North America.
Coriander – Classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Apiales
Family: Umbelliferae (parsley family) coriander cultivars include Coriandrum Sativum, Coriander Nepalese, Coriander Dissectum, Coriander Sinense, Coriander Rotundifolium, Coriander Trilobatum, Corinadin Gratissimus, Corinadin Thyrsiflorus.
The term ‘coriander’ is also used to describe the seeds of the herb. The seeds are generally called “Cilantro” in certain countries such as the United States and Spain. “Cilantro” is also used to describe coriander leaves, so if you order coriander online and the kitchen staff gives you cilantro instead of coriander, don’t get too excited about your coriander chips!
Coriander – Origin and Distribution
Today coriander can be found in many parts of Asia, Europe, and North America. The herb has been known to be grown since 3200 BC in Egypt. Today coriander comes from India, China, Pakistan France.
Coriander – Description
The coriander is a plant that grows about 20 centimeters tall with white flowers. It has a woody stem with many branches. The coriander leaves have a strong, pleasant smell and taste. The coriander is a perennial herb that blooms from June to October with small white flowers. It can tolerate some cold, but not frost.
Coriander – Uses
The coriander is used in many different ways such as coriander essential oil (extracted from the coriander seeds), coriander leaves (used for garnishing and cooking a variety of dishes), coriander salt (used on potatoes and egg dishes), Coriandrum sativum (seeds used for spices).
Coriander – Nutrition Facts
– Protein: 9%
– Vitamin A: 1%
– Iron: 5%
– Calcium: 5%
– Vitamin B6: 21%
– Magnesium: 11% coriander
Health Benefits
Coriander properties can help you sleep more soundly. Coriander is a natural sedative that contains a compound known as apigenin, which helps relax the mind and body. Coriander is used to treat cancer. Chemoprevention study showed that coriander has anticancer effects on breast and stomach cancers. This is because of its high antioxidant phytochemical content such as carvone, limonene, cinnamic alcohol, and coriander oil. Coriander is used to treat digestive disorders such as indigestion, anorexia, flatulence, constipation, diarrhea, gastrointestinal tract spasm soothe nausea for infants.
According to the book Coring Curing Cancer, “Coriandrum sativum Linn. (Umbelliferae) commonly known as cilantro or Chinese parsley possesses many medicinal properties that include antioxidant activity.” Some of its important benefits are briefly discussed below:
1. Antioxidant Activity
The antioxidants help neutralize and eliminate free radicals, which cause destruction to the body cells and organs. To prevent chronic diseases such as cancer, coriander can be used in food preparation due to its antioxidant properties.
2. Antiviral Activities
Antiviral effects of coriander have been reported by many researchers such as coriander leaf extracts in coriander can inhibit the replication of herpes simplex virus type 1.
3. Anti-tumor Activity
The coriander is known to have anti-tumor properties that are helpful in preventing the growth of cancer cells and tumors. The coriander contains carvone, limonene, cinnamic alcohol, and coriander oil that have been found to have anti-tumor properties.
4. Anti-inflammatory Activity
Coriander is known to have both anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity that can be attributed to Coriandrol. Coriandrol is a coriander metabolite that increases the concentration of antioxidant enzymes like superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT).
5. Antibacterial Activity
The coriander is known to possess antibacterial activity due to the presence of coriandrol that inhibits the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhi, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans, and Escherichia coli.
6. Anti-diabetic Activity
The coriander has anti-diabetic properties that have been attributed to coriandrol in coriander leaves that can lower blood sugar levels by increasing the activity of glucokinase (GK) in the liver.
