Across the country, coriander is one of those herbs that is always used for cooking. From rasam and sambar in the South to North Indian curries, no dish is complete without throwing in a handful of fresh and finely chopped coriander leaves.
Apart from the refreshing flavour, it adds to the dishes, coriander also has several medicinal properties.
According to a paper published in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI, USA), “All parts of this herb are in use as a flavouring agent and/or as traditional remedies for the treatment of different disorders in the folk medicine systems of different civilisations.”
“Due to the presence of a multitude of bioactives a wide array of pharmacological activities has been ascribed to different parts of this herb,” it added. It is anti-microbial, anti-oxidant, anti-diabetic, anxiolytic, anti-epileptic, anti-depressant, anti-mutagenic, anti-inflammatory, anti-dyslipidemic, anti-hypertensive, neuro-protective and diuretic. Coriander also possesses lead-detoxifying potential, according to the paper. Here are some health benefits of the herb:
Helps control diabetes
According to a paper published in the NCBI, coriander helps in diabetes control. “The seeds of coriander are used as a traditional drug for the treatment of diabetes,” it reads. The addition of coriander seed powder not only inhibited the process of peroxidative damage but also significantly reactivated the antioxidant enzymes and antioxidant levels during experiments,” the paper said.
Can decrease cholesterol
Another paper in the NCBI said: “The effect of the administration of coriander seeds on the metabolism of lipids was studied. The spice had a significant hypolipidemic action. The levels of total cholesterol and triglycerides decreased significantly during experiments. The level of LDL + VLDL cholesterol decreased while that of HDL cholesterol increased.”
An antimicrobial:
Coriander is a well-known herb widely used as a spice, or in folk medicine, and in the pharmacy and food industries. Coriander seed oil exhibits antimicrobial activity against bacteria, some yeasts, dermatophytes and filamentous fungi.