Cilantro is a polarizing herb. People love him or hate him.
For many, a sprig of cilantro can add much-needed flavor to a salad or homemade guacamole. For other people with a certain gene, it just tastes like soap.
“An estimated four to 14 percent of the U.S. population has this genetic variation, which makes cilantro taste like soap,” Brooke Baevsky, private chef and CEO of In the Kitchen with Chef Bae, previously told marthastewart.com. “To everyone else, green leaves taste like fresh grass.”
But eating cilantro can give you some surprising health benefits. For one thing, including it in your diet can help reduce inflammation that can lead to autoimmune, neurodegenerative, gastrointestinal, and heart diseases, as well as certain types of cancer.
Collectively, inflammatory diseases account for more than half of all deaths globally, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Rich in vitamin C, the plant, which also produces cilantro, has compounds that researchers say act as antioxidants.
“Due to the bioactivities of coriander extract, this herb can be considered a valuable functional food against obesity, metabolic syndrome and diabetes,” Italian researchers said in a 2023 study.
It can also combat high blood sugar levels, which is one of the causes of inflammation. If you have diabetes, high blood sugar can trigger an immune response that damages tissues, nerves, and the heart.
“Type 2 diabetes and inflammation are closely related, with each condition exacerbating the other,” the University of Utah explained.
Other research has pointed to cilantro as an effective tool to delay epileptic seizures.
“Specifically, we found that a component of cilantro, called dodecenal, binds to a specific part of potassium channels to open them, reducing cellular excitability. This specific discovery is important as it may lead to more effective use of cilantro as an anticonvulsant or to modifications of dodecenal to develop safer and more effective anticonvulsant drugs,” explained Dr. Geoff Abbott, professor at UC Irvine.
While cilantro is a boon for the brain, it also has potential positive effects on mental health.
Researchers have found that eating cilantro can prevent inflammation that can lead to cancer and disease. Another UC Irvine study said cilantro could be effective in delaying seizures (Getty Images)
An animal study suggests it may be as effective as Valium in reducing anxiety symptoms. However, more research is needed to understand how this may manifest in humans.
Coriander has been consumed for at least 8,000 years and was found in the tomb of the Egyptian king Tutankhamun. One of the oldest known herbs, it was used in potions by Chinese, who believed it provided immortality, according to the University of Wisconsin.
While eating cilantro may not make you immortal, Abbott said antibacterial effects have also been reported.
“And the best part is that it tastes good!” he exclaimed.