Coriander Oil Uses That Go beyond Cooking

By Ashley Ess in Natural Products

Coriander is a culinary herb used in a variety of international cuisines. You have most likely experienced the unique, lemon flavor of the plant's leaves—also known as cilantro—in Mexican and South Asian cooking. Coriander seeds, with their warmer, spicier flavor, are commonly used in Indian-food preparations.

coriander

Although coriander has a broad range of culinary uses, this versatile plant has some lesser-known benefits that extend beyond the kitchen. The essential oil extracted from coriander seeds has been used in a very wide variety of applications. Let's explore some surprising coriander oil uses.

Ways to Use Coriander Oil

coriander oil

It's best to consult with a qualified health practitioner before ingesting any essential oil, but there are many alternative ways to achieve the benefits of essential oils such as coriander. When added to a carrier oil such as jojoba or olive, coriander oil can be applied directly to your skin. It can also be used as an inhalant, by breathing the essence directly from the bottle or by placing a few drops on a tissue. Coriander oil can also be added to a warm bath or an essential oil diffuser to spread the aroma throughout your home.

Deodorant and Breath Freshener

Since coriander oil has a refreshing scent, it's commonly used in deodorant products. When it's ingested or applied topically, coriander has the ability to fight the bacteria that lingers around your sweat glands, thereby battling odor. Added to natural mouthwash, coriander has a refreshing, sweet taste that's sure to tame unpleasant breath. If you don't have mouthwash on hand, try chewing on coriander seeds, as their antiseptic properties aid in freshening breath.

Aches, Pains, and Skin Concerns

Due to its analgesic properties, coriander oil is a wonderful addition to your medicine cabinet. From toothaches to headaches to joint pain, applying coriander oil to an affected area can help you with pain management.

Additionally, one of the most popular coriander oil uses is dealing with inflammatory skin conditions. Because coriander has potentially antiseptic, antifungal, and detoxifying properties, it's an option for soothing eczema, fungal infections, and allergic reactions on your skin.

Mood Issues

Perhaps one of the most surprising benefits of coriander oil is in aiding emotional health. Used as aromatherapy, coriander can create calming and uplifting effects when you're feeling down. The aroma induces mental clarity and can provide you with the peaceful mind-set you seek.

Coriander Seed Benefits

coriander

Beyond essential oil, coriander seeds benefits are abundant as well. Medicinally, coriander seeds can potentially be used to treat digestive issues such as gas, bloating, and irritable bowel syndrome. Additionally, due to its cooling effect, coriander is often utilized to help strengthen and soothe your urinary tract.

Other coriander seeds benefits include the potential treatment of sore throats, temporal headaches, and food poisoning. A tea infusion made with coriander seeds is an ideal method for ingesting the seeds for medicinal purposes.

Do you use coriander oil around the house? Tell us how by sharing your insights on Twitter!

Image sources: Flickr | Pixabay | Flickr | Pixabay

This article was brought to you by Tom's of Maine. The views and opinions expressed by the author do not reflect the position of Tom's of Maine.

Why It’s Good

Coriander oil and seeds have wide-ranging health benefits beyond their culinary uses. Coriander's mild scent and pleasant taste enhance the healing abilities of this naturally powerful yet gentle plant.