The Coriander Herb – A Wonderful Herb For Nutritional Needs, Digestive Problems, And Reducing Harmful Cholesterol
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, the seeds of this plant are called coriander, and it does have some excellent nutritional properties and has been used medicinally for much longer than most people consider.
Coriander has almost a sweet scent to it, and has been used as a seasoning in foods for this reason. It comes from the Mediterranean, as many other popular seasonings do. This region, with the arid soil and beautiful climate is very condusive to farming fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices, and coriander is no exception to this. 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 juices are easy to procure. Simply boil dry coriander seeds in water, and then strain out the seeds. Drink the water after it cools.
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 top 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 in the mean time, it is an extremely healthy herb that looks to very well have some excellent medicinal properties that have been used by millions of people over the past thousand years.
