What Is Cilantro Good For? All the Benefits in 2024

Cilantro is a versatile and popular herb with a distinctive taste and a vibrant green color. Scientifically known as Coriandrum sativum, this plant is a staple of many global cuisines. In addition to its fresh or dried leaves, C. sativum provides cooks with another popular spice: coriander seeds. 

Cilantro is also packed with essential vitamins and minerals, making it a great addition to any diet. Although many people (including me) find that it has a soapy taste, cilantro is easy to incorporate into a variety of dishes. 

I’ve consulted with a certified nutritionist to get to the heart of cilantro’s benefits. Read on to learn more about how including this herb can improve your meals and contribute to your daily nutritional intake! 

Nutritional Benefits of Cilantro

Vitamins

A quarter cup of raw cilantro leaves – about the size of a golf ball – provides an adult male with 10% of the daily recommended value of vitamin K¹, 1.5% of vitamin A², and 1.2% of vitamin C³.

Low in Calories

Cilantro has less than 1 calorie per ¼ cup of chopped leaves. It’s a great way to add flavor to your meals if you’re on a restricted calorie or low-sodium diet.

Health Benefits of Cilantro

Cilantro has a wide array of potential medical uses. Whether used as an ingredient or as a potent extract, the bioactive compounds found within this plant have far-reaching benefits⁴.

Digestive Health

Coriander has traditionally been used in India and Pakistan for relieving gastrointestinal discomfort, respiratory, flatulence, diarrhea, dysentery, and urinary complaints⁵.

Cilantro also contains linalool, which can soothe the stomach in cases of vomiting or nausea⁶.

Skin Health

The antioxidants in cilantro, notably quercetin and rutin, are excellent for your skin, as they help prevent and repair damage to the keratin by neutralizing free radicals that can damage skin cells and DNA⁷.

Antihistamine activity in cilantro can prevent and treat rashes, hives, and sunburns​​, while cilantro oil’s antibacterial properties fight skin infections caused by bacteria like Streptococcus and Staphylococcus​⁸.

Neurological Well-Being

A 2021 study found that coriander plants significantly reduced anger indicators and improved negative emotions⁹. 

Cilantro’s antioxidants bind with free radicals and lead molecules to improve the health and well-being of rats suffering from lead toxicity¹⁰. The anti-inflammatory effects of antioxidants may also help slow the progression of diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s¹¹.

Anti-Anxiety

A 2023 survey of the literature on coriander found evidence that coriander has been used in traditional medicines for centuries as a relaxant and anti-anxiety agent. Cilantro shows promise as an anxiolytic, antidepressant, antiepileptic, or sleep enhancer¹².

Menstrual Health

Both cilantro (leaves) and coriander (seeds) are widely used in Indian and Iranian traditional medicine to treat menorrhagia¹³.

Much as it alleviates digestive discomfort, cilantro is said to alleviate bloating, cramps, and pains during menstruation¹⁴. 

Blood Sugar Regulation

Cilantro is used in traditional medicine for diabetes¹⁵. A 1999 study found that a solution of cilantro in water produced lower glycemic levels in diabetic rats¹⁶. 

A 2023 study found that cilantro led to an increase in insulin production while a 2019 study found that a spice mix including cilantro led to a decrease in blood glucose levels¹⁷.

In fact, cilantro is so good at reducing blood sugar that it can trigger hypoglycemic episodes. Speak with your physician before adding cilantro to your blood sugar control regimen¹⁸.

Cholesterol

A group of rats fed a high-fat diet had significantly lower levels of lipids and triglycerides in their bloodstream after consuming water with cilantro extract¹⁹. This means cilantro is a great ingredient to reach for if you are on a low-cholesterol diet²⁰.

Often, a concentrated supplement is needed to access the health benefits of certain ingredients. However, recent studies suggest that even small amounts of cilantro can reduce the negative effects of cholesterol²¹. 

Cilantro Meal Ideas

Here are some easy and tasty ways to add more cilantro to your diet. 

Cilantro Lime Rice

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of basmati rice

• 2 cups of water

• Juice of 1 lime

• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• Salt to taste

Cook the rice in water as per the package instructions. Once cooked, fluff the rice with a fork and add lime juice, chopped cilantro, olive oil, and salt. Mix well and serve as a side dish.

Cilantro Pesto:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups fresh cilantro leaves

• 1/2 cup olive oil

• 1/4 cup pine nuts

• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

• 2 garlic cloves

• Salt and pepper to taste

Blend all ingredients in a food processor until smooth.

Use as a spread for sandwiches, a dip for veggies, or a sauce for pasta.

Avocado Cilantro Salad

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe avocados, diced

• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

• 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped

• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

• Juice of 1 lime

• Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Toss gently to mix, ensuring the avocado pieces remain intact. Serve immediately as a fresh and nutritious salad.

Cilantro Chicken Tacos:

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Juice of 1 lime

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

Salt and pepper to taste

Corn tortillas

Mix the shredded chicken with cilantro, lime juice, Greek yogurt, salt, and pepper. Warm the tortillas in a pan or microwave. Fill each tortilla with the cilantro chicken mixture and serve with your favorite taco toppings.

Can You Grow Your Own Cilantro?

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does cilantro taste like soap?

Olfactory receptor OR6A2 produces a particular sensitivity to aldehydes. People who have this gene (like the author) may find that cilantro has an unpleasant bitter and “soapy” taste and smell. Those without this receptor describe the taste of cilantro as lemony, peppery, and refreshing²².

Does cilantro keep bugs away? 

The smell of cilantro foliage repels aphids, flies, spider mites, moths, and potato beetles. Gardeners can add cilantro plants to their gardens to help ward off pests. As a bonus, the fragrance of cilantro attracts ladybugs, waxwings, and other insects that eat these garden predators²³.

What’s the difference between cilantro and Chinese parsley?

Cilantro is widely used in Chinese cooking, and many Chinese recipes refer to it as “Chinese parsley.” You will also find references to “coriander leaves” in some recipes. In American English “cilantro” refers to the leaves of the coriander plant (Coriandrum sativum) while “coriander” refers to the dried seeds.

References

1. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminK-HealthProfessional/

2. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminA-HealthProfessional/

3. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminC-HealthProfessional/

4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10220854/

5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8747064/

6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4678990/

7. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22301773/

8. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/349118597_Antimicrobial_Activity_of_Coriander_sativum

9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8698652/

10. https://ajp.mums.ac.ir/article_18107_808e12fa583cc26a5b0304c7ff759060.pdf

11. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9114803/

12. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10385770/

13. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8854496/

14. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4177637/

15. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10708057/

16. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10434846/

17. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37432178/

18. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7831938/

19. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9527351/

20. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18831331/

21. https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2020/fo/c9fo02438g

22. https://flavourjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/2044-7248-1-22

23. https://www.hgtv.com/outdoors/flowers-and-plants/herbs/companion-planting-with-cilantro