Coriander is an aromatic herb widely consumed around the world. However, few people know coriander for its properties. And it’s a shame because in addition to being ideal for certain foods, the truth is that it has other uses that can be useful.
But what are the properties of coriander? And how would it be grown in a vegetable garden? If you want to know more about this herb, take a look at what we have prepared for you.
Contents
What are the properties of coriander?
Cilantro is an aromatic herb commonly used in cooking in many cultures for its distinctive flavor and fresh aroma. In fact, that’s what she’s best known for. But in fact, it has many more uses.
Which is it? We talk about each of them.
Nutrient
Not in the sense that you can dress yourself with these herbs, but because among the properties of coriander, it contains a large amount of vitamins A, C and K.
In addition, it contains minerals important for health, such as calcium, iron and potassium.
Knowing that few foods find this combination, it can be interesting to add cilantro to dishes that admit it.
anti-inflammatory properties
If you have inflammation in the body, for example because you have a swollen ankle, tooth pain due to inflammation, or many other situations, cilantro can help alleviate the problem by reducing inflammation in the body.
antioxidant properties
In case you didn’t know, cilantro is a rich source of antioxidants, which means it can help protect cells in the body against free radical damage.
That doesn’t mean you won’t age, or get back what you lost, but at least they’ll stay at stable values for longer.
antibacterial properties
According to some studies, coriander has been shown to have antibacterial properties. And this is important because it would help fight some harmful bacteria in the body.
In other words, it’s like a natural antibiotic that you can take daily in a bandage with food.
digestive benefits
Heavy digestions, gastric acidity problems, bloating, ulcers, etc. The truth is that the digestive system is one of the most important and taking care of it is essential to feeling good.
Therefore, cilantro can treat many of these ailments.
calming properties
Specifically, cilantro can help you reduce the amount of stress and anxiety you have in your body. This is due to its calming and relaxing properties.
Of course, this does not mean that it will completely eliminate what makes you stressed or anxious, but it will lower the levels and help you better control the situations that generate these states.
Potential to lower cholesterol
Some studies have shown that cilantro can help lower blood cholesterol, which may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
analgesic properties
Finally, another of coriander’s properties has to do with relieving pain in the body. Indeed, it is a powerful painkiller, not like other plants, but it is much cheaper (in the short and long term) compared to drugs and other chemicals.
How to grow cilantro at home
If all the properties of cilantro have made you want to grow it for daily, almost daily, use in the kitchen, we want to give you a hand so you know what to focus on when growing cilantro. .
We assume this is a pretty easy crop to get and you won’t have too much trouble with it. But if you give it the care that we are going to offer you below, its development will be much better, as well as production. Want to know which aspects are the most important?
Location
Cilantro is an easy to grow herb and can be planted in a pot or garden. However, you must ensure that it receives direct sunlight for several hours a day. SO:
If you’re going to have it inside the house, choose a window through which direct sunlight comes in at least a few hours a day.
If you are away from home, put it in a place where there is sunlight for several hours. Of course, be careful if the sun is very hot because it could burn you.
Substrate
You may not know it, but cilantro grows best in well-drained, nutrient-rich soil. Try to mix nutritious soil with about 50% drainage, so you don’t create pools of water that can damage the roots.
Of course, you should know that it will need permanently moist soil, because if it dries out, the plant may stop and stop growing.
Sowing
The best way to plant cilantro is from seed. They are easy to obtain and germinate quickly. Of course, be sure to throw them to a depth of one centimeter.
If you are going to plant them in a pot, try to make it at least 20 centimeters deep. Depending on where you place it, we recommend using a clay, plastic, or ceramic. In the case of the latter, it is colder than the others and less resistant to heat; The plastic one is cheaper and does not weigh as much as the previous one (or the clay one), but in direct sunlight it gets so hot that it can damage the roots of the plant.
So make sure where you want to put it to choose one pot or another.
Subscriber
Being a very fast growing plant, it is important to add some fertilizer. Pick one that you can mix into the irrigation and that’ll make sure it gets in where it’s needed.
Harvest
The ideal time to harvest cilantro is when you see the leaves are large enough. It is true that at first it may be difficult for you to decide whether it is the right time or not, but once you have gained experience you will have no problem.
Once you have harvested it, know that you can replant seeds. In fact, cilantro is said to be harvested every 2-3 weeks, so you can have it all year round if you want.
As you can see, the properties of coriander make growing it much more attractive. And considering it’s a plant you can harvest in less than a month, you may be more interested in it. Do you dare to plant coriander at home?