Friday, March 09, 2007

More Love for Cilantro

I love cilantro and I get really sad when my friends don't like it, or even worse some "hate" it. The other night, I was invited to dinner and wanted to try my latest salad recipe on these friends..Apparently, the host "hated" cilantro and he wouldn't even let me open the cilantro bag...To his credit, it is true that when Cenk and i first got cilantro, instead of parsley, I puked. It was aweful...but then I developed this love for it and now, I can't imagine salsa or avocado, or lentils without it...hmmm so good...but ok, I realize people have different tastes...and I also have hope that my new salad with mangos, papayas and avocados will taste fantastic with cilantro than anything else and maybe I can convert some these anti cilanto people...Wishful thinking continues...

Here is what Sarma has to say on Cilantro:

Free radicals are everywhere - in the water we drink, food we eat, and in the air we breathe. The main defense to free radicals (coming from pollution, x-rays, radiation, chemicals, heavy metals) are antioxidants.  Cilantro leaves are rich in calcium, iron, carotenes, and vitamin C, which it happens are great antioxidants.  A Japanese investigator, Yoshiaki Omura, has made the revolutionary discovery that cilantro can mobilize mercury and other toxic metals from the central nervous system if large enough amounts are consumed daily. Reuters reports that cilantro contains a chemical which has been found to kill the Salmonella bacteria that cause foodborne illness.

The heavy metal detox capabilities of cilantro should also make it of great use in the treatment of depression, Alzheimer's disease, lack of concentration and other related disorders.  In other words, this herb can apparently help to keep you happy, focused, and sane!  Just eat it, don't smoke it.

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