~ Beloved Cilantro ~ One of my all time favorite herbs is cilantro.Cilantro is a popular Mediterranean herb commonly recognized in Asia as leaf-coriander. It is widely employed in particularly savory dishes in modern as well as traditional cuisines. The herb contains many notable plant derived chemical compounds that are known to have disease preventing and health promoting properties. Cilantro is most often cited as being effective for toxic metal cleansing. The chemical compounds in cilantro bind to toxic metals, pulling them from the body. My favorite way to consume cilantro is via a wonderful sauce called Chimichurri. Chimichurri is believed to have originated in Argentina and is traditionally served over steak. However, I find Chimichurri to be delicious over eggs, chicken, vegetables, or in tacos. Our fabulous landlady shared her simple, yet delicious recipe for Chimichurri with us, and I would love to share it with you! Cilantro Sauce/Chimichurri Sauce: 1/4 cup olive oil 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar 1/2-3/4 cup fresh packed cilantro 3 cloves garlic 1/4 teaspoon cayenne 1 tablespoon fresh oregano 1.5 teaspoon fresh thyme 1/4 teaspoon salt Blend ~ Enjoy on everything! Health benefits of cilantro (coriander) (From nutrition-and-you) Cilantro herb contains no cholesterol; however, it is rich in antioxidants, essential oils, vitamins, and dietary fiber, which help reduce LDL or bad cholesterol while increasing HDL or good cholesterol levels. Its leaves and seeds contain many essential volatile oils such as borneol, linalool, cineole, cymene, terpineol, dipentene, phellandrene, pinene and terpinolene. The leaves and stem tips are also rich in numerous anti-oxidant polyphenolic flavonoids such as quercetin, kaempferol, rhamnetin and epigenin. The herb is a good source of minerals like potassium, calcium, manganese, iron, and magnesium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps control heart rate and blood pressure. Iron is essential for red blood cell production. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. It is also rich in many vital vitamins, including folic-acid, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin-A, beta carotene, vitamin-C that is essential for optimum health. Vitamin-C is a powerful natural antioxidant. 100 g of cilantro leaves provide 30% of daily recommended levels of vitamin-C. It provides 6748 IU of vitamin-A per 100 g, about 225% of recommended daily intake. Vitamin-A, an important fat soluble vitamin and anti-oxidant, is also required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin and is also essential for vision. Consumption of natural foods rich in vitamin-A and flavonoids (carotenes) helps body protect from lung and oral cavity cancers. Cilantro is one of the richest herbal sources for vitamin K; provide about 258% of DRI. Vitamin-K has a potential role in bone mass building by promoting osteotrophic activity in the bones. It also has established role in the treatment of Alzheimers disease patients by limiting neuronal damage in their brain. This humble backyard herb provides (% of RDA/100g):15% of folates, 11% of vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine), 45% of vitamin C, 225% of vitamin A, 258% of vitamin K, 22% of iron and 18% of manganese. (Note: RDA-Recommended daily allowance)
Posted on: Sun, 17 Nov 2013 04:13:22 +0000