7 Health Benefits of Eating Coriander

Coriander or dhania is a common sprinkle and condiment used in most households–especially in India. It is an aromatic herb native to Southern Europe and Western Asia. It is also popular as cilantro or Chinese parsley. It not only adds to the flavour of a dish but also lends it a very appetizing aroma. But there is much more to this humble leaf than just flavour. It is the most versatile ingredient and every part of it is edible. As per research, coriander is a source of dietary fibre, manganese, iron, and magnesium. Even its leaves are enriched with Vitamin C, Vitamin K, and protein which many people are not aware of. It also comes with small amounts of calcium, phosphorus, potassium, thiamine, niacin and carotene. 

Here are the 7 health benefits of coriander leaves.

* Helps lower blood sugar

Coriander seeds, extract, and oils may all help lower blood sugar. On the other hand, people who have low blood sugar and taking diabetes medication, they need to maintain a distance with coriander because it’s effective in lowering blood sugar.

* Great for boosting immunity

Coriander comes with antimicrobial compounds which may help fight certain infections and bacteria. It’s also a good source of antioxidants and prevents cellular damage caused by free radicals. Antioxidants reduce and fight against the inflammation in your body. As per the study, the antioxidants in coriander seed extract lowered inflammation and slowed the growth of lung, prostate, breast, and colon cancer cells.

* Helps regulate blood pressure

If you suffer from hypertension or high blood pressure, turn to coriander for some blood pressure lowering benefits.Coriander has a high amount of cholinergic compounds and calcium antagonists (both components that help regulate your blood pressure) that act very well as hypotensive agents when released into the body. More over the leaf has a strong diuretic activities that help lower ones blood pressure as well.

* Could improve eyesight

One of the many health benefits of coriander is sharp eyesight. The components in coriander (Phosphorus, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Antioxidants) help in the prevention of vision disorders and also reducing stress on the eye. One of its magical quality is that it helps in reversing vision degenerative effects in aging patients due to the presence of b-carotene. It also helps in prevention of infections like conjunctivitis and is used in the making of many eye- related medicines.

* Promotes digestion and gut health

If you suffer from indigestion ever so often then coriander can help you with that as well. Packed with nutrients and properties that help the stomach contract and digest food efficiently. So adding some raw coriander leaves to your meal might be the best thing you could have done for your digestive tract.

* Helps with sleep

The humble dhania has sedative properties. In this case not only do the leaves have the quality, but the seeds are much more potent. How it works is that the essential oils present in coriander produce a sedative-hypnotic effect on the body, calming the nerves and bringing all the chemicals into symmetry. A study done by the Department of pharmacology, School of medicine, Shiraz University of medical sciences, Shiraz, Iran.

* Provides vitamin K

Being deficient in vitamin K has a number of implications on one’s health. It can not only lead to several problems with the clotting of your blood but it may lead to cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease. This is where coriander comes into play. Being a rich source of vitamin K, the tiny leaves present the body with an easy way so that it can be used efficiently by the body.