Herb of the Week ~ Cilantro

Herb of the Week~ Cilantro
Latin Name: Coriandrum Sativum ~ Family: Apiaceae
by ~ Bryan Shillington

Most folks use Cilantro only for Salsa, etc, but I was amazed how incredible an Herb Cilantro is.
It sure tastes medicinal.   : ) 

Parts Used:

All parts of the plant are edible, but the fresh leaves and the dried seeds are the parts most commonly used in Cooking and for Medicinal purposes.

Good for all kinds of stuff:

Cilantro/Coriander have been used for Anxiety, Insomnia, as a Digestive Aid, as a powerful natural Cleansing Agent, to remove Heavy Metals like Mercury from the body and as a powerful Anti-inflammatory Agent for the relief of Arthritis.   Cilantro increases HDL Cholesterol (the good kind), and reduces LDL Cholesterol (the bad kind) and it helps Urinary Tract Infections, Nausea, Conjunctivitis, Eye-aging, Swellings, Diarrhea, PMS and Menstrual Cramping.  Cilantro helps promote healthy Liver function and it contains Immune-boosting properties, Iron, Magnesium, Oleic acid, Anti-oxidants, Palmitic acid, Potassium, Calcium, Manganese, Vitamin-A - Stearic acid, Vitamin C - Ascorbic acid, Beta Carotene, Riboflavin, Niacin and Vitamin-K which promotes healthy bone building.  It has also been used historically to treat bad breath.  In researching Cilantro I have determined that Cilantro is one of the greatest natural Antibiotics known to Herbalists around the Globe and it has been used for thousands of years. 

Diabetic Mouse:
Coriander has been documented as an effective treatment for Diabetes.
A study on mice found that Coriander extract had both Insulin-releasing and Insulin-like activity.

Taste:
To me it taste like straight up Chemical Medicine, kinda like Lemons mixed with an electrical smell but it is yummy too.
It is hard to describe why it is yummy but it is, and Salsa is just not Salsa without it. Cilantro is one of those flavors that you either love it or hate it.

Roots:
Coriander roots have a deeper, more intense flavor than the leaves.
They are used in a variety of Asian Cuisines. They are commonly used in Thai dishes, including Soups and Curry Pastes.

History:
Coriander / Cilantro was discovered in the tombs of Egypt and has been cultivated in Greece since at least the second millennium BC.
How long man has been using this Herb is hard to say but Archeologists have proven that it has been used for several thousand years at the very least.  It is wonderful to re-discover these forgotten Remedies.  In the Arab Nation, a tea of Coriander and Cumin has been used for digestive purposes and general good health for centuries.  

Preservative:
The word preservative is not always a bad word.  Honey, Salt, Vinegar, etc are all natural preservatives and are even medicinal.  But did you know that foods with Cilantro have an extended shelf life?  Something to do with a chemical in it that preserves food.  Handy to know.

Amazing Antibiotic:

The best known chemical found in Cilantro is a substance called Dodecenal.  In a recent study led by Isao Kubo, Ph.D at the University of Berkeley, laboratory tests have shown that this component of Cilantro is two times as potent as the commonly-used allopathic antibiotic known as gentamicin.  Researchers believe that Cilantro is the only natural antibacterial agent that is more effective than gentamicin. This data and the above information makes Cilantro an invaluable Herb and it makes perfect sense that it is part of Doc's Total Tonic Formula.  Lastly, the main reason Doc put it in the Total Tonic Recipe is because Cilantro is one of the top Natural Chelators on the planet.  Cilantro is essential when it comes to removing Toxic Metals from the Brain such as Mercury, Aluminum, and Strontium 90. 

  ♣
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In Knowledge and Health
~Bryan Shillington
Journeyman Herbalist
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