Cilantro

Cilantro has a fragrant parsley-like and citrus taste, and is a fantastic ingredient in Mexican, Portuguese and Asian cuisines. I love adding cilantro to fresh salsas for a nice bite, burritos and tacos, salad dressings, fish, soup, marinades and rice. The seeds of the plant, coriander, are another amazing and flavorful herb that should be added to your spice rack too!

  • The anti-bacterial properties of cilantro have been proven to fight the foodborne illness, salmonella. A study published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry showed that an antibiotic compound in cilantro, dodecenal, was twice as effective as the commonly used drug, Gentamicin, at killing salmonella bacteria.
  • The numerous antioxidant properties of cilantro help to lower blood sugar and high triglyceride (a type of fat found in our blood and fat cells) levels in the body, according to an article in the Journal of Food Science.
  • Cilantro can help with normal blood pressure and artery protection. Eating cilantro can prevent lipid damage and oxidation –bad guy’s who form plaque on your beautiful arteries.

Vegukate Tips:

In your garden, plant cilantro after the last freeze in the spring. The entire fast growing plant can be harvested: the leaves are cilantro, while the seeds are coriander. You can also plant cilantro in your kitchen by a window.

Dried cilantro can be stored in an airtight container in a cool, dark place for up to six months.