When cooking, we often use coriander – aromatic small seeds. The green part of this plant – cilantro, which looks like parsley and distinguishes these plants is possible only by taste and smell.
Cilantro native to the Mediterranean countries and was used in ancient times. Most of it not as a spice and as a remedy – the cilantro was added to elixirs, tinctures, and medicinal oil. It was used when conducting magic rituals.
Known names for cilantro – Chinese parsley, Calandra, cisnet planting of Hamam, Kinichi, cilantro, kachnic, kindzi, shlendra.
Uses of cilantro
Cilantro is a source of fiber, pectin, vitamins, minerals and macronutrients, essential oils, and organic acids. Thanks to this rich composition capable of cilantro positively affect the body to relieve some of the symptoms and speed recovery.
Pectin and fiber help to run and improve digestion, cleanse the body of toxins.
Cilantro contains vitamins such as E, C, A, and group B. highlights the benefits of vitamin P (rutin), which helps repair damaged cells, boost immunity, strengthen blood vessel walls, absorb vitamin C, and is indicated for therapy of thyroid diseases.
Cilantro is also high in vitamin K, which regulates blood clotting, a positive effect on metabolism in the bones and connective tissues, normalizes the gall bladder, and the liver can neutralize some poisons.
Among the trace elements – zinc, manganese, iron, selenium, especially isolated in the cilantro copper, which is involved in the synthesis of enzymes and the collagen formation affects the blood circulation, helps the immune system, metabolic processes.
Cilantro – a source of macronutrients such as potassium, sodium, magnesium, phosphorus, and calcium.
It contains organic fatty acids, one of which linoleic, which is responsible for fat metabolism. It is essential in weight loss and maintains a normal weight.
Myristic acid, part of cilantro, stabilizes proteins’ structure, oleic acid is an energy source. In the formation of oleic acids, they participate palmitic and stearic, which also contains cilantro.
Cilantro reduces the pain threshold, a diuretic, and expectorant action.
Contraindications cilantro
Abuse of cilantro in a healthy person can cause menstruation disorders in women, sleep disorders, weakening of potency in men, and loss of memory.
This herb is contraindicated in gastritis, acidity, heart diseases, hypertension, thrombophlebitis, thrombosis, and diabetes.
Cilantro in cooking
The young greens of cilantro in salads and dried in soups and meat dishes. Coriander seeds are used for flavoring cheese, sausages, meat, fish; add them to marinades, sauces, pickles, alcohol, and pastries.