Coriander doesn’t make the typical list of herbal medicines such as aloe vera, or ginseng. In fact, it isn’t even generally thought of as highly nutritious. Many people have eating the leaves of the coriander plant, AKA cilantro, because it is very common in mexican food. However, this plants seeds are referred to as coriander, and coriander seeds are very nutritious, and have some beneficial medicinal properties that many folks are unaware of.

Coriander releases a sweet, pleasant odor, and this is why it is a common seasoning in Indian food dishes. These days it is grown primarily in India, Pakistan, and some other regions around the Mediterranean. The Mediterranean region in particular is an excellent environment to farm fruits, vegetables, spices, and herbs. So coriander does well when growing here. The leaves contain protiens, carbs, water, and of course fiber…even trace amounts of fats are in the leaves. It also contains minerals and vitamins, including calcium, potassium, riboflaven, iron, and its loaded with vitamin C. So it’s a very potent source of nutrition and energy for people. 

Coriander has its applications medically as well, from aiding in digestion, to cleansing toxins out of the body, to strengthening the stomach. Some people use it to reduce a fever as well. Animal studies have shown it can be one of several good herbs for digestion. It also can act as an expectorant for removing phlegm, and can promote a feeling of coolness to one who is sick with fever. It has recently been studied with regards to lowering cholesterol, and the studies so far are promising, so this is one more medicinal ability of coriander. For these reasons it can be a good natural heart health herb.

The juices of coriander can be added to buttermilk, and then drunk to treat digestive and stomach disorders. Indigestion and nausea are two common ailments that coriander is used to treat, but some use it to relieve symptoms of more serious medical issues such as hepatitis, dysentery, and typhoid fever. The most predominant studies however show that the heart and cholesterol benefit coriander offers may be it’s best benefit of all. Coriander water is made by boiling dry coriander seeds, and then drinking the water they are boiled in once it has cooled. Be sure to strain the seeds out first before drinking.

Other possible uses for coriander include reducing menstrual flow, treating diarrhea, and treating acne and dry skin when it is mixed with tumeric. To treat skin problems like acne, a tumeric and coriander paste should be applied once a day to a clean, washed affected area such as the face, and applied right before bed. For these reasons, coriander has been one of many effective herbal remedies in asia for many years

Naturally, more thorough and complete studies of the medical benefits of coriander need to be conducted before it is endorsed as a substitute for common medications. But for now, it is an herb with excellent health benefits, as well as some very real medicinal value. This is the reason it has been used for thousands of years, by millions of people!

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