Cilantro (Coriander): composition, beneficial properties and contraindications

Sowing campaign coriander, or vegetable coriander, is an annual herb of the umbrella family. Young leaves of the plant are characterized by a bitter taste and a strong enough spicy smell, in a dried form you can feel a touch of anise and citrus. There are many names for cilantro - Chinese parsley, chicken, chilantro, kashnich, kolandra, etc. People have known about it for more than 5000 years. In ancient Egypt it was instituted to put coriander in the tombs of the pharaohs; the Chinese believed that eating coriander would give eternal youth; in the Middle Ages, spice was added to love potions, and even now in some Asian countries they consider it an aphrodisiac. In ancient Rome, with its help, they regulated and stimulated the appetite. Even then, they knew that, like all plants, cilantro provides both health benefits and harm.

Homeland cilantro is considered the Eastern Mediterranean, the Romans spread it throughout Central and Western Europe, as well as Great Britain, where it was cultivated in the eastern counties. In the XY century cilantro came to America and Australia.

Chemical composition and nutritional value

Coriander contains a huge amount of microelements. 100 g of coriander contains 0.52 g of fat, 2.13 g of proteins, 0.87 g of carbohydrates, 92.21 g of water, 2.8 g of dietary fiber, 0.014 g of saturated fatty acids, 0.87 g of mono- and disaccharides , beta-carotene, pyridoxine, folic acid, vitamins B1, B2, E, K, choline, ascorbic acid, niacin, pectin, corianthrol, phytosterol, acetic, formic, oxalic acid, rutin, 521 mg of potassium, 67 mg of calcium, 46 mg of sodium, 26 mg of magnesium, 1.77 iron, 48 mg of phosphorus.

Useful properties of cilantro

It is necessary to take into account what is useful coriander for the body. Green cilantro has inherent analgesic, diuretic, antiscorbutic, expectorant and anthelmintic effects. Cilantro is very useful for the digestive tract, improves intestinal motility, disinfects it, helps to digest fatty and protein foods; whets the appetite, eliminating potentially dangerous bacteria; strengthens blood vessels; lowers blood pressure; reduces the degree of sugar in the blood,so you can reduce the dose of insulin consumed; removes unwanted water from the body and toxins dissolved in it, which has a good effect on the work of the cardiovascular system and kidneys; removes bad cholesterol; helps with insomnia, tones and gives vigor.

Not only cilantro has useful properties. In addition to the above, Coriander juice has a beneficial effect on the gums, reduces their bleeding, has a good effect on stomatitis, toothaches, has anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties, and also protects against germs, accelerates the healing of wounds and ulcers of the oral cavity, and freshens breath. It improves the general condition of the nervous system, helps with depression, returns to life after intoxication, reducing the negative effects of alcohol, thanks to this, the hangover syndrome is much easier. In addition, cilantro is an excellent painkiller, treats eyes with degenerative changes in the lens and retinal diseases. There is a lot of useful cilantro for men: it has a natural testosterone analogue - androsterone, which significantly improves potency.

How cilantro is used in traditional medicine

Coriander perfectly cope with digestive disorders, intestinal spasms, diarrhea. To do this, prepare an infusion: 20 g of pounded cilantro seeds pour a liter of boiled water, infuse for 10 minutes, take a cup of this infusion after each meal. You can also refer to the alcohol tincture: 30 g of seeds pour 0.5 liters of alcohol, insist in a dry dark place for 10 days, take 40 drops to 1 cup of water three times a day after meals.

For the treatment of unpleasant odor from the mouth, pour 3 g of dried coriander with two cups of boiling water and leave in the water bath for 7 minutes. Drink 2 cups a day, first rinsing the mouth, then swallow. For gingival bleeding and stomatitis, 10 g of coriander is poured in a cup of boiling water and infused for half an hour in a water bath, and then taken a cup a day before meals.

It is important to know how cilantro is useful for women: The plant is recommended to use with menstrual disorders, pain, dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea. Compress from wiped coriander leaves when applied to a wound will contribute to the acceleration of cell regeneration, it is also useful for other injuries and skin diseases.

A decoction of cilantro seeds is used as a disinfectant and choleretic medicine, a means to calm and relieve seizures, to increase the production of gastric juice. It also helps to treat swelling, providing a mild diuretic effect. The recipe is simple: pour 1 teaspoon of crushed seeds with 1 cup of boiling water, put in a warm place in an airtight container for 1 hour, then strain, take 0.25 cups half an hour before meals three times a day.

Application of cilantro in cosmetology

This wonderful plant can be used for the manufacture of various cosmetics.

All kinds of tonics, lotions somehow contain cilantro oil. It helps to fight acne (acne), relieves inflammation such as rosacea, prevents premature skin exfoliation, eliminates puffiness of the face and dark circles under the eyes. If coriander is part of the cream, it can have a whitening effect on the skin. Manufacturers of anti-aging cosmetics, aware of its impact on cell regeneration and skin toning,invariably saturate their means with it.

Hair cosmetics also contains coriander. It allows you to strengthen the hair roots, warns early gray hair, improves the sebaceous glands, which makes it an indispensable tool in the fight against dandruff and excessive greasiness of the hair roots. The plant is a component of balsams-rinses and masks, provides free blood flow to the roots, strengthens dry, thin or heat-treated hair. Cilantro extract is used for flavoring deodorants, body lotions, perfumed soaps, in the manufacture of perfumes.

Cilantro and cooking

Cilantro in any form - both dried and fresh - is often used during the preparation of various national dishes, most often in Georgian cuisine.

The list of dishes, which add cilantro, is huge. These are kharcho, and satsivi, and chikhirtma, and lula kebab, and lamb with beans, and trout in nut sauce, and catfish soup, and kebabs, and many others. As a flavoring and food enhancer used in Gurian soup, pea, onion, mushroom. It is a great addition to meat dishes. Cilantro can be found in Borodino bread, Georgian adzhika or Abkhaz recipe, tkemali and satsebeli sauces, Korean carrots, and canned fish. Coriander is also suitable for marinades, which are the pride of the Caucasus. Famous oriental sweets are not left without coriander in their composition, these delicacies can be purchased at markets in Istanbul, Tehran and Arab countries. In many alcoholic beverages there is a squeeze of coriander seeds or the seeds themselves.

Drinks containing coriander have a calming effect.

How to use cilantro for weight loss

A decoction of the fruits of coriander has a slight laxative and diuretic effect. This is one of the factors why cilantro is used for weight loss. It also helps stimulate digestion and stagnant metabolic processes. Preparing the broth is easy: 2 teaspoons of seeds pour 1 cup of boiling water and infuse for about 2 hours. Drink after meals 2 times a day. To speed up the process of losing weight, use coriander as a seasoning for various dishes, such as cereals, salads, soups. But it is worth being careful - coriander very whets your appetite, you will need to temper it.And soon enough, the result will be felt, the loss of volume and weight will begin. Thus, cilantro is suitable for weight loss.

Harm cilantro and contraindications

However, unfortunately, there is not only benefit, but also harm to cilantro for the body. People with ulcers and gastritis should stop using cilantro. It is also contraindicated for people with such problems with the cardiovascular system as ischemic disease, thrombosis, thrombophlebitis, in the post-infarction period. Diabetics and hypertensive patients are highly undesirable to use it. In men, sperm inactivity may occur when the body is saturated with cilantro. Cilantro has contraindications for women: in the body, an excessive content of cilantro can trigger menstrual irregularities.