We are always looking for ways to naturally support healthy blood sugar, but today’s option is slightly controversial. Cilantro is either a tasty herb that adds a bright flavor to salads and guacamole, or it tastes like soap, depending on who you ask. But it can help lower blood sugar.
“It is estimated that four to 14 percent of the U.S. population has this genetic variation, making cilantro taste like soap,” said Brooke Baevsky, a private chef and CEO of In the Kitchen with Chef Bae. “For everyone else, the leafy green tastes like a fresh herb.”
Cilantro can lower inflammation that contributes to autoimmune neurodegenerative, gastrointestinal, and heart diseases, as well as some cancers. The plant, which also produces coriander, is rich in vitamin C and antioxidants that aid health.
A 2023 study said, “Due to the bioactivities of coriander extract, this herb can be considered a valuable functional food against obesity, metabolic syndrome and [blood sugar concerns].”
Cilantro can lower blood sugar so dramatically that if you take medication for your blood sugar, you should be careful about eating it. It may cause dangerous lows. In animal studies, coriander seeds lowered blood sugar by activating the enzyme that removes sugar from the blood. Animal studies have also shown it increases insulin sensitivity. However, those results have not been confirmed in humans.
A study published in the Journal of Food Science showed that cilantro aids liver function in a way that helps balance blood sugar and overall health. It boosts health in many ways. For instance, studies have found it can produce the same antianxiety effects as Valium, without the side effects. To eat enough of it to get the effect is almost impossible, and you would need to make it as an extract.
Because it adds so much flavor to your food, it can be an excellent way to aid weight loss. There is less than a single calorie in a quarter cup of cilantro. If you like the taste of it, adding it to your food may make it more satisfying, without increasing your calorie count. That same quarter cup of cilantro contains 16 percent of your daily vitamin K, aiding bone health.
In ancient China, it was used in immortality potions. While it won’t make you immortal, it does have antibacterial properties that make food safer. Cilantro fights salmonella, dysentery, cholera and listeria, all of which are foodborne pathogens that cause vomiting and diarrhea and can make a person severely ill.
