Coriander Seeds Health Benefits, Nutrition Facts
Coriander, also known as cilantro, has a number of health benefits for the human body. You can use coriander seeds for medicinal purposes to treat and cure a number of diseases and disorders. One of the most important coriander seeds benefits is that it can provide effective relief from problems like insomnia and anxiety. Coriander seeds are powerful diuretics that help in accelerating the elimination of lead, aluminum and mercury from the body. They are also useful for treating diarrhea, indigestion and flatulence.
The use of coriander seed for cholesterol control is also well known. Regular consumption of tea made from coriander seeds helps in lowering blood cholesterol and is therefore beneficial to the cardiac health of an individual. It also helps in increasing the level of good cholesterol (HDL) in the body.
You can prepare this tea by boiling a few dry coriander seeds in 2 cups of water and straining this mixture. Drinking this tea once or twice, a day is a natural way of reducing bad cholesterol in the body.
Nutrients in Coriander Seeds
One of the most important aspects of coriander seed nutrition is that they are low in saturated fats and contain no cholesterol or sugar but are very high in a number of other essential nutrients. Coriander seeds contain powerful antioxidants, which help in preventing a number of diseases and ailments and enhance overall health.
In order to understand the exact coriander seed nutritional value, it is important to shed light on its essential nutrient content. Coriander seeds contain essential volatile oils and important fatty acids such as linoleic acid, petroselinic acid, palmitic acid and oleic acid, which together contain important carminative, anti-flatulent and digestive properties. These seeds are also rich in dietary fibers, which help treat constipation and indigestion.
Some of the other important nutrients in coriander seeds include vitamin C, calcium, copper, iron, manganese, magnesium, potassium and zinc which are all required for the proper functioning of the body.
Coriander Oil Benefits
Just as coriander seeds have medicinal value, coriander oil too has its own health benefits. Studies have shown the effectiveness of coriander oil in preventing a number of food borne diseases and treating several infections, which are otherwise resistant to antibiotics. One of the main coriander oil health benefits is that it can kill a number of harmful bacteria and therefore many foods and clinical agents use coriander oil as one of their components. Coriander oil causes membrane damage to the harmful bacteria, which in turn causes cell death. Coriander oil is also helpful in treating fungal infection, easing cramps and convulsions, relieving pain, curing nausea and aiding in digestion. Coriander oil is also beneficial for maintaining good hair and skin health.
Lustrous Hair:
Many people also use coriander oil for hair fall problems. Coriander oil massaged regularly on to the scalp can solve hair fall problems largely. Coriander oil combined with coconut milk is another natural treatment for hair fall. You can combine a tablespoon of coriander oil with ¼ cup of coconut milk and massage this mixture on to the scalp gently for about 5-7 minutes and then rinsed off with cold water and shampoo. You can repeat this treatment twice a day for effectively reducing hair fall. You can use the unused mixture for at least 3-4 days when refrigerated. Apart from helping in treating hair fall, coriander oil also stimulates hair growth. You can apply a mixture of coriander oil and a paste of margosa leaves on your scalp for 10-15 minutes and then rinse it off with cold water. This is one of the best natural treatments for ensuring healthy hair.
Diabetics:
Many experts recommend using coriander oil for diabetes treatment along with other conventional drugs and medications. When ingested, coriander oil helps in lowering insulin and glucose levels in diabetes patients thereby making it a good natural treatment for this condition. Coriander oil has a dual effect in lowering blood glucose levels in diabetes patients. It enhances the insulin secretion from the pancreas and exhibits insulin like activity at a cellular level. Therefore, it is very helpful in the management of diabetes. Diabetes patients can also massage 2-3 drops of this oil on the bottom of their feet once a day as a treatment for diabetes. Experts also recommend using coriander oil in conjunction with dill oil for promoting pancreatic health and controlling diabetes. Skin Care:
The use of coriander oil for skin care has also proved to be very effective. Coriander oil contains anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties that are helpful in preventing wound infections. You can simply apply it on the affected area to treat and heal the wound. Coriander oil is also widely used in aromatherapy treatments for skin care. You can use it in body massages to enhance the functioning of various internal organs in the body and to ease muscle fatigue and body pain. Coriander oil is also beneficial for treating psoriasis, acne and dermatitis. Just like other vegetable oils, some people may be allergic to coriander oil and therefore you should try it on a small patch of skin to see if you have an allergic reaction. You can apply it to the skin of the inner arm or the back of the knee and see if any redness or irritation develops. If any allergic symptoms appear you should either completely avoid using coriander oil or use it occasionally. Conclusion: Apart from the health benefits mentioned above, the vital coriander oil properties help in energizing the body and clearing the mind. It has a number of therapeutic properties that make it an effective analgesic, carminative, anti-spasmodic, digestive, deodorant, lipolytic and stimulating agent. It is used as a major component in a number of lotions and creams that are used to treat problems like arthritis, rheumatism, migraines and skin problems. When ingested, it is also beneficial in detoxifying the body and enhancing the functioning of various organs in the body. It can be blended with other medicinal oils like ginger, cinnamon, bergamot, lemon, grapefruit, orange and neroli for additional health benefits. |
