Spices/Leaves Spices

Soft coriander leaves are most commonly used ingredients in meal preparations from garnishing to making various dishes. In every refrigerator, coriander leaves have a special place. Coriander is a powerful herb that used in most cuisines and provides many health benefits. Coriander leaves are rich source of minerals and vitamins, including thiamine, vitamin C, riboflavin, phosphorus, calcium, iron, niacin, sodium, carotene, oxalic acid, and potassium. They also contain carbohydrates, protein, fat, fiber and water. Coriander leaves have a mild peppery taste which adds a distinct flavor to the various dishes when it is used in. The cost of coriander leaves is very low but in terms of health, it is very precious. Along with increasing taste and flavor of food, it also helps to treat many illnesses. Read on to know about some illnesses in which coriander leaves are helpful.
nnate Health Secrets of Fresh Coriander Leaves
Eye disorders

Fresh coriander leaves are great source of vitamin-C, vitamin-A, anti oxidants, and minerals such as phosphorus which are helpful to ease macular degeneration, conjunctivitis, aging of eye, and sooth eyes against stress. Crush some leaves of coriander, boil it in water and strain the liquid with clean cloth. By applying few drops of this liquid, you will get rid of eye irritation and pain as well as tearing of the eyes.

Epistaxis (Nose bleed)

Take 20 grams of fresh coriander leaves and crush it with small amount of camphor. Squeeze out all juice and drop it into the nostrils to stop the bleeding quickly. Or you can also apply this paste on the forehead to stop the bleeding from nose. The aroma of fresh coriander leaves is also helpful for this.

Hives

Fresh coriander leaves are helpful to treat some skin disorders due to its anti-fungal, anti-septic, detoxifying, and disinfectant properties. To get relief from hives, drink it as a juice or make a paste to apply to the skin. For rashes/hives, mix fresh coriander juice & honey and apply this paste on the skin area which is affected. Leave it on the skin for at least 15 minutes, before rinsing off with cool water.

Nausea and vomiting in pregnancy (Morning Sickness)

Many pregnant women feel nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy. In this situation, boil 1 cup coriander leaves with 1 cup sugar and water and drink it after cooling.

Small Pox

Coriander leaves are rich source of anti oxidant, anti microbial, and anti infectious components and acids. Also, the presence of iron and vitamin-C strengthen the immune system. They have a soothing effect on pox and also decrease the pain of small pox.

Mouth Ulcers

Essential oils of coriander contain citronelol, a component which has an excellent antiseptic property. Additionally, other components of the coriander like essential oil have anti microbial and healing effects which prevent the worsening of the wounds and ulcers in the mouth. They freshen up the breath and help in healing of ulcers.

Effects Cholesterol Levels

Fresh coriander leaves are good source of oleic acid, linoleic acid, stearic acid, palmitic acid and ascorbic acid (vitamin-C), which are very effective to decrease the cholesterol level in the blood. Also, they decrease the deposition of cholesterol along the inside layer of the arteries and veins and thereby reduce the risk of heart attack.

Improves Digestion

As fresh coriander leaves are good source of essential oils and have rich aroma, they acts as an excellent appetizer and helps to stimulate the secretion of enzymes and digestive juices in the stomach. Thus, it helps to stimulate digestion and peristaltic motion. Coriander leaves are also helpful in treating anorexia.

n the Sri Lankan and Indian households, curry leaves are the vital ingredients in cooking. In Ayurveda or traditional Indian medicine, curry leaves are used in treating several illnesses. Curry leaves are botanically known as Murraya keonigi. This is a deciduous shrub which grows to 6 meters high. These are found in the warm tropical climates of the Indian subcontinent.

Nutrients in Curry Leaves:
These leaves contain phosphorus, calcium, iron and vitamin C. They also contain some significant amounts of carbohydrates, fibers and proteins.

Benefits of Curry Leaves:
Following are the health benefits of curry leaves:

• Skin Care: These are good for skin. Curry leaves juice cures the irritations from the insect bites. Curry leaves juice can also be used for treating minor burns.
• Hair care: These are also used for hair care. This helps to retain the original color of the hair. Add a handful of these leaves in 200 ml of the coconut oil and boil the oil for 15 – 20 minutes. This mixture acts as a great tonic for hair. Premature hair graying can be avoided by regular intake of the curry leaves.
• Weight loss: These help in removing fats from the body. They reduce the bad cholesterol levels in the body. Obese people can take curry leaves, that along with the exercises and healthy diet helps to reduce the weight.
• Digestion: These help in digestion. This is widely used in Ayurvedic medications for the treatment of diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. Take 2 tablespoons of curry leaves juice for curing digestion problems. For enhancing the taste, you can add lime juice to curry leaves juice.
• Diabetes Remedy: People with type 2 diabetes can have curry leaves for reducing the blood sugar levels. Daily in the morning on an empty stomach, have 8 – 10 fresh curry leaves. This helps in normalizing the blood glucose levels in 3 – 4 months. Diabetes which is associated with obesity can be cured easily with the regular consumption of curry leaves.
• Piles: Hemorrhoids or piles can be cured by taking the fresh curry leaves.

Fenugreek leaves are enriched with minerals like Potassium, Calcium, and Iron. One hundred grams of fenugreek leaves comprise only 49 calories. The leaves have good dietary fiber and are enriched with Vitamin C. The Vitamin K from fenugreek greens are comparable to spinach.

Fenugreek, or  Methi, Kasoori Methi (Hindi), Trigonella foenum-graecum (botanical name), Leguminosae family, seeds are very popular as a spice. Fenugreek leaves are bitter in taste. People have also recognized the leaves of the plant as a powerful herb. The herb grows about 2 feet in height. Fenugreek has slender stems and the tripartite, serrated leaves appear in light green color. Each fenugreek seed shell or pod produces around twenty brownish yellow seeds. The bitter, spicy, pungent, aromatic seeds appear oblong, small, flat, and hard.

If you want to boost cooking flavor, you may add fenugreek leaves to any kind of cooking using dal, vegetable, rice, or atta (chapathi flour). Nutrition Data on Fenugreek Leaves

Fenugreek leaves are enriched with minerals like potassium, calcium, and iron. Fresh leaves comprises 3 to 5 % of protein.

Vitamins Available

Fenugreek leaves are enriched with Vitamin C. The Vitamin K from fenugreek greens are comparable to spinach.

Calorie Content of Fenugreek

One hundred grams of fenugreek leaves comprises only 49 calories. The leaves have has good dietary fiber.

Health Benefits of Fenugreek Seeds

1. Fenugreek leaves are cooling, mildly laxative, pungent, and aromatic.
2. Consumption of fenugreek leaves restores excellent digestion abilities. You will not get common digestive problems like digestive disorders and iron deficiency.
3. Regular gargle using water soaked leaves will prevent or heal mouth ulcers. It is a quick remedy for sore throat.
4. Improving the milk secretion in lactating mothers.
5. Protect against cancers of the breast and colon.
6. Lowering type-1 and type-2 diabetes. 
7. Lower serum cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein. 

The benefits of using fresh mint leaves in our daily diet is manifold. Here are some of them

• Inhaling fresh mint leaves relieves you from congestion problems, like sinus infections and common cold.

Your teeth becomes white when you chew fresh mint leaves for a while at least once or twice a week.

• Mint leaves eliminate toxins from the body and when included in the diet on a regular basis, eliminates bacteria and fungus  from the body.

Tips to brewing an excellent fresh mint tea

• Drinking herbal mint tea reduces irritated bowel syndromes and cleanses the stomach.

Mint is used in a variety of ways, but the most common is through the brewing of mint tea.Fresh mint tea can be made by pouring hot, but not boiling, water over fresh leaves of mint. When preparing mint tea, it is important that the preparation be covered while it is steeping to prevent the valuable volatile oils from evaporating.
Milk and sweetener can be used optionally.

• The antifungal properties associated with mint help in curing asthma and other allergic conditions.
• Mint helps in getting rid of headaches and migraines.