What are the important health benefits of coriander?

Indian spices had been one of the most attractive elements to attract foreign tourists like Marco Polo, Vasco da Gama, Columbus etc. to India many times in the past. Coriander or Dhania, as it is called in the in the subcontinent of India, is one such spice which is used in the kitchen of every state of India to prepare delicious dishes. It is a perennial plant and grows around a 50 centimeter in height. Its leaves are soft and dark green in color. The seeds are round and brown in color with sweet aromatic flavor. The usage of coriander in the preparation of split pulses and curry is noteworthy. In the preparation of meat also the addition of coriander enhances the taste. Not only the coriander seed but also its leaves are used in the preparation of tasty dishes, salads and chutneys and is very well-known among everyone. Coriander is also very much in use as a mouth refresher. It was also used as a medicine in India through the ancient times. It is used as a natural coolant against heat and bile. It is also less in price compared to the cumin seeds. Every day this spice should be while cooking food in the kitchen. Coriander and cumin could be mixed in equal quantity to make cooking spices. This spice overcomes bile, enhances one's taste towards food and helps in the proper digestion of food.

Views of Ayurveda about coriander

According to Ayurveda, coriander adds to the appetite and helps in the proper digestion of food. Other important characteristics of coriander include helping in preventing dysentery, inflammation of the body, bile, vomiting, breathing problems, cold etc. It is also useful to keep head problems, eyesight problems, and swelling of the human body at bay.

Views of physicians about coriander

According to physicians and doctors, coriander is cold, digestive, flavored and creates excitement. In the preparation of medicines also it is used to get rid of foul taste and odor in medicines. To treat oral diseases, tummy diseases, swelling of the tummy, neuralgia etc. it is used as medicine.

Views of Hakim or Unani about coriander

According to the views of Hakim, coriander fights gastric and controls the beating of the heart. It helps in the strengthening of the mind, heart and kidney. It brings cheer in the heart and prevents vomiting, thirst etc. If it is used every day in food then it increases appetite and kills worms. It helps in releasing cold from the chest, helps with sleep, digestion, and urination, cures stomach ache. It acts as a medicine in indigestion and dyspepsia.

Opinion of physicians about coriander

Apart from keeping one's health better let us find out what opinion does the world's greatest physicians had about coriander:

Charaka: According to Charaka, coriander helps in preventing one from frequent thirst and fights cough and cold.

Socrates: According to Socrates, it fights fever, controls inflammation, prevents tastelessness and vomiting.

Banabhatta: He suggested that in cough and cold raw coriander leaves act like a medicine. He said that if a paste of coriander is applied externally it helps a lot and cures it.

Health benefits of coriander

Coriander has many fold health benefits and one should properly know those health benefits to get maximum satisfaction through its application and uses. Some of the health benefits of coriander are as given below:

If a patient of malaria vomits repetitively, then soak coriander and grapes in water. After kneading filter it with a clean cloth. Make the patient drink one teaspoon for several times. This will stop vomiting.

Take coriander and cumin in equal quantity (a teaspoon each) and grind it. Soak it in the water at night and in the morning filter it and add sugar. If one could have this four to six days then he/she may get relief from inflammation of the stomach, hands and legs. It also helps in releasing the unwanted heat that accumulates in the body from the diseases like measles and pox.

If you chew coriander leaves and brush your teeth then it strengthens your gums and stops bleeding of gums.

The juices of coriander leaves give relief in gastric problems and good appetizers.

If one eats coriander and sugar mixture it relieves burning of the stomach.

It also helps case of dysentery. Soak a teaspoon of coriander and sugar in a glass for hour. Knead it properly before filtering it and eating it. The fights the fever in dysentery.

Make a paste of fresh coriander and apply it on your forehead. It will relieve you from headache.

Prepare the extract or a solution of coriander and drink it the next day. It will give you relief from any old inflammation of the body.

If one drinks the extract of fried coriander then it will give relief from many stomach diseases and even from cholera.

If coriander is chewed and eaten then one may get relief from sleeplessness.

Dry coriander powder stops bleeding from wounds and injuries.

Drinks of coriander as a refreshment cures dizziness.

It prevents vomiting among pregnant women when coriander powder, sugar and rice waters are mixed and consumed.

It prevents the aging process of the eye and protects it from stress as it contains anti-oxidants. It also protects the eyes from diseases like conjunctivitis since because it has anti-microbial properties.

It has anti-septic properties to cure from diseases of the skin like eczema and different kinds of skin infections.

It also help those who suffer from diabetes by keeping their blood sugar levels in check.

It helps to maintain a proper menstrual cycle and thereby prevents menstrual disorders among the females which in turn helps in reducing the pains involved with the process.

It also helps when one is affected by small pox because it makes the immune system stronger.

It also helps to cure the oral diseases of the mouth and stops bad breath. It prevents the mouth from diseases like ulcer.

It also has the capacity to protect one from the urinary tract diseases.

It is a very good source of dietary fiber.
It is also a very good source of iron and magnesium which helps our body to function properly.

Since it is rich in anti-oxidants it helps in increasing good cholesterol in the human body and reducing the bad ones.

It is also a great source of vitamin K which helps in building the mass of the body.

Foodstuffs that are spiced up with coriander does not get spoiled very easily.

Its seeds have been in use in the Indian medicines from a very long time ago.

Avoid eating coriander in excess

There are many health benefits of coriander that one may get simply tired to list them down. The good thing is researchers are coming up with some new benefits of it every time. But excess of anything is not good and it applies to the application and eating of coriander also. It should be consumed in limited quantity so that one does not get any sort of problem. Consuming too much of coriander may lead to respiratory diseases. People who get allergic by consuming coriander along with their food or eating it directly should avoid it.

To sum up

Not only the leaves, roots, stems and seeds of coriander are edible but also it is also used in the preparation of certain medicines. It is also used in different kinds of tasty cuisines of the world. When one is buying coriander he/she should look to buy fresh ones, that is, the bunches that have shiny green leaves. To store it well one first needs to wash the bunch properly in water and remove dust and dirt from it. One may keep it in the refrigerator for around five days and use it. Really, it is hard to imagine how difficult it would be to live on earth without the usage of coriander, its rich taste, medicinal value and great health benefits.