Cilantro is a cool-weather herb that’s part of the parsley family, and whose leaves and stems are used traditionally in Caribbean, Latin American, and Asian cuisines.
Cilantro has a fresh, citrusy, and/or soapy taste — depending on your taste bud.
It’s seeds, often referred to as coriander, which is a nutty- and spicy-tasting spice. The whole love-it-or-hate-it debate involves just the herb (including the leaves and stems), but not the seeds.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, cilantro offers nutrients such as potassium, vitamins A, C, and K, and folate and here are 5 reasons why you should add it to your diet.
Aids digestion
According to traditional scholars, coriander prevents the rising of harmful gases from the stomach to the brain. Modern medicine has found that cilantro and its oil can be used as carminatives.
Helps in weight loss
According to Ayurveda, coriander seed decoction reduces blood lipid levels. The sterols present in the seeds and leaves inhibit the absorption of dietary cholesterol, thereby preventing weight gain.
Has Anti-diabetic properties
Traditional medicine in Jordan, Morocco, Persia, and Saudi Arabia used cilantro leaves for treating diabetes. The leaves contain higher levels of potent anti-inflammatory flavonols like quercetin, tannins, and sterols, which give the anti-diabetic nature to this herb.
Good for the skin
Cilantro has numerous beauty benefits due to its antioxidant properties. The leaves and coriander seeds contain terpenoids, sterols, polyphenols, aromatic acids, and carotenoids, which scavenge the free radicals and heavy metals and manage oxidative stress in your body.
Essential oils or extracts of cilantro can cure bacterial or fungal infections of the skin (including pimples and acne) by purifying your blood.
Acts as painkillers
Cilantro seeds (also called coriander) possess analgesic activity. They reduce pain by acting on the central pain receptors. Linalool is the active compound that gives cilantro this property