So I am expanding my farming efforts to include herbs now that I am seeing all the cute ways I can maintain my stushness and be a farmer at the same time. My friends and family seem to think that I have found my ‘calling’ but we’ll see. I am really enjoying this but the dirt is taking a toll on my hands. I have had to resort to wearing surgical gloves for my farming endeavours….and they work.
Please try and get the biodegradable ones. As Posh Farmers we want to ensure that we do our bit, thou small, to protect the environment.
So now we I am looking at a new herb each time. I am starting off with Cilantro because it has so many health benefits. If I knew this all along, my entire backyard would be covered. Anyway, I am trying this in a pot for starters.
Cilantro leaves
Alternate names: Coriander leaf, Chinese parsley, koyendoro, Mexican parsley, pak chee, yuen-sai, green coriander, coriander green, dhania
Characteristics: Its leaves look like flat-leaf parsley’s, however, they are smaller and the stems thinner. This herb can be found in Indian, Mexican and Vietnamese cuisine in dishes like dhania chutney, salsa, and pho. The seeds of the plant are called coriander and are used in some pickling recipes, as well as in boerewors, a South African sausage.
Health benefits of cilantro (coriander):
- Cilantro herb contains no cholesterol; however, it is rich in antioxidants, essential oils, vitamins, and dietary fiber, which help reduce LDL or “bad cholesterol” while increasing HDL or “good cholesterol” levels.
- Its leaves and seeds contain many essential volatile oils such as borneol, linalool, cineole, cymene, terpineol, dipentene, phellandrene, pinene and terpinolene.
- The leaves and stem tips are also rich in numerous anti-oxidant polyphenolic flavonoids such as quercetin, kaempferol, rhamnetin and epigenin.
- The herb is a good source of minerals like potassium, calcium, manganese, iron, and magnesium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps control heart rate and blood pressure. Iron is essential for red blood cell production. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase.
- It is also rich in many vital vitamins, including folic-acid, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin-A, beta carotene, vitamin-C that is essential for optimum health. Vitamin-C is a powerful natural antioxidant. 100 g of cilantro leaves provide 30% of daily recommended levels of vitamin-C.
- It provides 6748 IU of vitamin-A per 100 g, about 225% of recommended daily intake. Vitamin-A, an important fat soluble vitamin and anti-oxidant, is also required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin and is also essential for vision. Consumption of natural foods rich in vitamin-A and flavonoids (carotenes) helps body protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.
- Cilantro is one of the richest herbal sources for vitamin K, providing about 258% of the recommended daily intake. Vitamin-K has a potential role in bone mass building by promoting osteotrophic activity in the bones. It also has established role in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease patients by limiting neuronal damage in their brain.
- Coriander seed oil has been found in many traditional medicines such as analgesic, aphrodisiac, anti-spasmodic, deodorant, digestive, carminative, fungicidal, lipolytic (weight loss), stimulant and stomachic.
Cilantro leaves provide only 23 calories/100 g, but their phyto-nutrients profile is no less than any high-calorie food item; be it nuts, pulses or cereals or meat group.
This humble backyard herb provides (% of RDA/100g):
15% of folates,
11% of vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine),
45% of vitamin C,
225% of vitamin A,
258% of vitamin K,
22% of iron and
18% of manganese.
(Note: RDA-Recommended daily allowance)
Next week I’ll look at the good ol’ mint. Jamaicans have a history with mint and I need to see why. Though not a herb, I need to plant one. Mi granny used to say it good fi everyting :).
References:
Posh Farming 