Thursday, March 27, 2014

Benefits of Coriander / Cilantro

Coriander (also known as dhaniya) is an almost inevitable spice of daily Indian cooking. Coriander seeds and leaves both are used equally in Indian cooking. Coriander is also known as Cilantro in some parts of the world. Both the coriander seeds and coriander leaves have a pleasant smell which is why they are used as spices in cooking. Coriander seeds and oil have been used in ancient traditional medicines since old days.
Coriander is a humble backyard herb which can be grown in every household. They grow up to 2 feet in height and is vibrant green in colour. Coriander is grown extensively in the countries of Europe, Middle East, China, India, and Turkey.

Health Benefits of Cilantro


Like we have said earlier, coriander is used in ancient traditional medicines which imply the fact that coriander has a number of health benefits. Coriander leaves and seeds are an essential part of the Indian Kitchen. In India, coriander is used extensively as a spice and garnish in salads, soups and lentils. Coriander is a great source of Calcium. Potassium, magnesium, folic acid, Iron, vitamin A, vitamin K and vitamin C. We have mentioned some of the health benefits of Coriander seeds below :


Helps in digestion :
Coriander seeds and leaves both help in digestion equally. Its antioxidant properties, promotes healthy bowel movement and functioning of the liver. It promotes digestion by production of digestive juices and enzymes.

Rich Source of Vitamin C:
Unlike other dried spice seeds, dried coriander seeds are a huge resource of Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Folic Acid and Beta Carotene all of which is very beneficial for the skin.

Anti-diabetic:
Coriander is said to stimulate the production of insulin, thereby help to maintain blood sugar levels. It increases the amount of HDL (good cholesterol) and decreases the amount of LDL (bad cholesterol) in the blood.

Antibacterial :
Coriander is anti-bacterial in nature and property. Daily intake of coriander may help in the protection from many of the water and food borne diseases like cholera, typhoid, food poisoning and dysentery.

Anemia : 
Coriander or Cilantro is high in iron content which helps in the prevention of anemia. Daily inclusion of coriander seeds and leaves in food is beneficial in cases of anemia in women.

Eye Care : 
Coriander is considered as one of the best remedies of conjunctivitis. Its high antioxidant content helps in the prevention of infection in the eye.

Women's Health :
Heavy menstrual flow can be controlled by including coriander seeds in our regular diet.

Remedy for detoxification : 
Coriander seeds help us to detoxify our bodies and remove all traces of heavy toxic metals which lead to dangerous diseases like Alzheimer’s disease, loss of memory and eyesight, improper functioning of cardiovascular and neurological system.


Anti Inflammatory :
Coriander’s anti-inflammatory property may alleviate symptoms of arthritis.

Urinary Tract Infections : 
Coriander protects from Urinary tract infections.

Anti-nauseatic:
Coriander helps in the prevention of nauseatic bouts.

Anti-gas: 
Coriander seeds help to get rid of intestinal gas.

Pimple and Acne :
Coriander may be used to reap benefits in acne and pimple-prone skin.

Keep a pot in your backyard and plant cilantro or coriander. Soon you will get to see your own cilantro plant and can reap the benefits of including them in your regular diet.

Affordable and attractive wall art

Ever felt that something was missing to make your room complete? If you are surrounded by four blank, white walls, then it is probably time to inject some life and color to your home, and you may find that wall art is what you are looking for. Today, wall art is a vital part of interior design. It can be used to brighten and give character to almost any room in the house. Wall art has been used for centuries to improve the atmosphere of the rooms. Proper early wall art however was very exclusive and expensive. But now, proper wall art comes at reasonable prices that almost anyone can afford. This is mainly because it is now cheaper and easier to produce great pieces of wall art.

When it comes to choosing the right piece of wall art for your home, there are several things you would need to consider. You must take into account the surrounding colors, lighting, size of the painting and its placement.  It’s important to get these things right because a piece of wall art is meant to become the center focus and give character to the room. It is always prudent to consult and interior designer or someone with related experience on what the best thing is to get. But it’s your room; you’re going to live in it, so always chose whatever agrees with your preferences. Ideal for achieving a contemporary touch to your home or office, wall art generally works best for oversized spaces which act as a foil to this unique art form.

When choosing wall art, it is also important to select an appropriate medium that does not clash with the room or space in consideration. A myriad of alternatives confront  the would-be purchaser when selecting  a medium of choice, for it can be in the form of  3D art, art constructions, friezes, panel art, scroll art, shadow boxes, oils, water color paintings, vinyl art, posters or even wall sculpture. Wall art also comes in a variety of layouts such as horizontal, square, vertical, oval and round; and once chosen, it should complement the setting and fixtures of the room it is to be placed in. Similarly, size too plays an important role when selecting appropriate wall art, as a small space would be cramped by the selection of a very big item of art, and vice versa.

When purchasing the right wall art, you have many options available. Unlike traditional wall art that is slowly painted onto a canvas, wall art can be printed onto the canvas. This way you can conveniently choose the design you like, size it to your requirements and print it on within minutes. The printing method is used to print photos that can be used as wall art. But if you like, you can still shop for unique wall art at galleries and stores. Another place to look for art pieces is on the internet. This is because a lot of interesting artists who can’t afford galleries yet, always put their work up in online galleries.

The material used to create wall art is indeed diverse, and includes, but is not limited to, wood, pottery, bamboo, silk screen, glass, stone, canvas, and metal. Of these, metal and its constituent elements such as copper and brass evoke a high demand in today’s market, readily apparent when surveying the many stores that carry wall art products made of these aforementioned materials. Another critical factor that merits consideration, prior to purchase, is the quoted cost of the item in question. This is of special importance when ordering from a distant store and particularly if the item bears considerable weight, as sometimes shipping costs can be prohibitive.


Whichever way you choose to do it, searching for the right piece of wall art for your home or office, is always fun. One thing to keep in mind thought is that the print-to-canvas pieces are easier to maintain. While the painted on canvas ones are harder to maintain because they tend to fade as time goes by. In all, a piece of wall art is a great way to enhance the atmosphere in any room. Would-be purchasers can choose wall art, by visiting local stores/galleries that have such fare on offer, ordering on-line, or maybe even creating a notable piece themselves. Whichever way you choose to do it, searching for the right piece of modern wall art for your home or office, is always fun. One thing to keep in mind thought is that the print-to-canvas pieces are easier to maintain. While the painted on canvas ones are harder to maintain because they tend to fade as time goes by. In all, a piece of wall art is a great way to enhance the atmosphere in any room.