The lowdown on coriander

You either love it or you hate it, but if you love it then coriander has heaps of health benefits due to its magic leaves.

Coriander is both a herb and a spice because both the leaves and the seeds can be used, however we are just going to focus on the benefits of the leaves.

Coriander is a great source of fibre and key vitamins and minerals including iron and magnesium. There are real benefits reaped from its essential oil which can assist with joint inflammation issues.

Reducing cholesterol levels in the blood can also be a benefit of using coriander in your diet. It reduces the bad cholesterol deposits that build up along the walls of your veins and arteries which can lead to strokes and heart attacks.

Coriander is also a natural antiseptic, detoxifier, anti-fungal and antioxidant, making it great for clearing up skin concerns.

It is also brilliant for dealing with an unpleasant bout of diarrhoea or food poisoning, just chew on some coriander to settle your stomach.

Coriander is also fantastic if you are a vegetarian or anaemic as it has a high iron content which together with its calcium count will promote healthy bones.

Try these simple coriander recipes:

Guacamole with coriander

• In a pestle and mortar, pound together 4 finely chopped red chillies, a bunch of chopped coriander leaves, 2 finely chopped plum tomatoes, a pinch of salt and 1 finely chopped red onion.
• Mash it into a fine paste before adding a little water and the juice of 1/2 lime.
• Finely mash in 3 ripe avocados and serve.

Tomato, cucumber and coriander salad

• Mix together 6 chopped vine tomatoes, 1 diced cucumber, 1 finely chopped red onion and 6 tbsp freshly chopped coriander.
• Season just before serving.