Common to salsa, guacamole, pico de gallo, and other Mexican and Tex-Mex style foods, cilantro is a flavor that simply can’t miss. Believe it or not the tasty herb can do wonders for your health. We’ll lay out our 15 cilantro health benefits for you in a moment. But before we do, let’s do a quick rundown of its main nutrients.
This herb is loaded with the antioxidant vitamins A, C and K. It also contains iron, manganese, folates and potassium to round out a healthy nutritional profile. The 15 cilantro health benefits we are about to share can give your health a boost in numerous different ways. But these are not all inclusive cures. A health care professional still needs to be consulted for more serious health conditions.
Beginning our list of cilantro health benefits is its use as a digestive aid.
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Cilantro assists digestion by promoting the proper secretion of enzymes and digestive juices in the stomach. Its mineral content also helps relieve heartburn and dyspepsia.
Improved bone health is another of the impressive cilantro health benefits.
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Besides the mineral content in cilantro, it contains vitamin K which is an essential element in strengthening bones.
One of the most surprising cilantro health benefits comes from its ability to protect you against food poisoning.
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Cilantro has natural antibacterial properties. These protect against both food and water borne diseases like dysentery, salmonella, cholera, and particularly listeria.
You can also maintain better eye health, another item added to the list of cilantro health benefits.
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Rich in vitamins A and C, cilantro prevents vision disorders, macular degeneration and helps to reduce eye strain.
Another of the great cilantro health benefits is found in how it assists in balancing blood sugar levels.
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Cilantro’s leaves and stems help to support healthy liver function, which aids in balancing blood sugar.
You can also help regulate your menstrual cycle and PMS symptoms as one of the many cilantro health benefits.
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Cilantro is responsible of regulating the proper endocrine gland function. It also balances its associated hormones and, therefore, it supports a healthy menstrual function.
Another of the fantastic cilantro health benefits is as an aid in allergy relief.
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There are strong anti-histamine properties in cilantro which help to reduce the effects of seasonal allergies and hay fever. The addition of locally produced raw honey can also help to build up antibodies to local allergens.
Healing mouth ulcers and other oral sores is another of the top cilantro health benefits.
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Citronelol, found in cilantro, is a powerful antiseptic. Additional microbial compounds also help to heal oral wounds with added side effect of fresher breath.
Regulating your blood pressure is also among the most attractive cilantro health benefits.
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The minerals present in cilantro along with its antioxidants all play an important role in helping to regulate blood pressure.
A quick and effective treatment for diarrhea is another of the best cilantro health benefits.
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The essential oil components borneol and linalool in cilantro are helpful in bonding waste in the bowels and firming up your stools. Cilantro also has anti-microbial functions to get rid of whatever bug might be causing the problem.
Healthier skin can also be accomplished as one of the glowing cilantro health benefits.
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Cineole and linoleic acid, in cilantro, both possess antirheumatic and antiarthritic properties. These reduce skin inflammation. Its antiseptic properties also help to clear up infections and skin disorders.
Protection against oxidative stress might be the most important among the various cilantro health benefits.
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Cilantro’s strong antioxidant properties, partly due to the flavonoid quercetin, help to protect against degenerative diseases including some types of cancer, heart disease, arthritis, Alzheimer’s Disease and macular degeneration, which are linked to oxidative stress.
Another of the superb cilantro health benefits comes in the prevention of urinary tract infections.
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E.coli, diabetes, sexual activity, and staphylococcus bacteria may cause UTIs. Cilantro has antibacterial compounds which help to eliminate the toxins from the urinary tract responsible with the above.
Removing heavy metals from your body is another of the highly touted cilantro health benefits.
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Cilantro has been shown to loosen toxic metals from tissue, bind them together, and facilitate their elimination from the body.
Being able to fall asleep better at night is also among the most soothing cilantro health benefits.
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Cilantro calms the nerves and helps improve sleep quality with its natural sedative effects. In fact, a study in the Indian Journal of Pharmacology reported that high levels of cilantro extract produce equal anti-anxiety effects as many prescription drugs, but without the harmful side effects.
There is a saying with cilantro. People either love the taste, or hate it. There is something about cilantro that makes some people’s moth water and other’s think it tastes like toothpaste. But if you use it in the right dishes, you may find yourself being a person who loves cilantro if that has not been true before!
If you are a fan of chips and dip, there is nothing like making your own queso dip! You can use white or cheddar cheese and add to it what you’d like, but the ingredient you should not forget is cilantro! You can also add meat, pico de gallo, and anything else you think is delicious in queso dip! Just make sure you control yourself with how much of the chips and dip you eat, because it is hard to stop, and remember to put cilantro on every chip! Cilantro is also good on tacos, tapas, nachos, and pretty much every other Mexican food we can name.
It’s important to add flavor to the broth of soups to make it taste good. You can do this by adding in cilantro to get the flavor in tip top shape! You can get as fancy as you want with your soups and broths, just add the cilantro for flavor!
Teas, alcoholic drinks, lemonades, and more can become even more delicious when cilantro is added in! It gives the drinks a kick that you can’t get from any other herb.
Have you ever had the beauty of what is cilantro rice? Wow. There is nothing like it. You can use brown or white rice and add in the spice. Just beware, it will change your life! There are plenty of recipes to search for online.
This long list of cilantro health benefits ought to have you considering the regular use of cilantro as flavoring for your favorite entrees, side dishes, relishes, drinks and smoothies. If you are concerned with preventing or treating any of the above conditions, then add a little cilantro into your diet and reap the benefits.
If you have questions, comments, recipes or success stories to share, please add them in the section below.
Images: pixabay.com.
