Health benefits of coriander leaves:

Nutrition facts of Coriander leaves:

Cilantro is one of the popular Mediterranean herb, which commonly recognized as leaf-coriander in Asia. It is widely employed in savory dishes in almost all parts of the world. The herb contains many notable plant derived chemical compounds that are known to have disease preventing and health-promoting properties. Coriander is quite similar to dill in utility terms since its leaves as well as seeds can be used in cuisine.

Botanically, coriander herb belongs to the family of Apiaceae, in the genus: Coriandrum. Botanicall name: Coriandrum sativum.

Cilantro herb is native to Mediterranean, and Asia Minor (Turkey) regions. It is perennial plant but grown as an annual which requires well-draining fertile soil supplemented with warm summer climates to flourish. The plant reaches about 1 to 2 feet in height and features dark green, hairless, soft leaves that vary in shape; broad-lobed near the base, and slender and feathery higher up near its flowering stems. The leaves and stem possess slightly citrus flavor. The plant bears umbels of small white or light pink flowers in midsummer, followed by round-oval shaped aromatic seeds.

Coriander seeds, used as spice, are round-to-oval in shape, yellowish brown in color with vertical ridges and have a flavor that is aromatic, sweet and citrus, but also slightly peppery.

Health benefits of coriander  leaves:

    Cilantro herb is very low in calories and contains no cholesterol. However, its deep-green leaves possess good amounts of antioxidants, essential oils, vitamins, and dietary fiber, which help reduce LDL or "bad cholesterol" while rising HDL or "good cholesterol" levels.

    Its leaves and seeds contain many essential volatile oils such as borneol, linalool, cineole, cymene, terpineol, dipentene, phellandrene, pinene, and terpinolene.

    The leaves and stem tips are also rich in numerous anti-oxidant polyphenolic flavonoids such as quercetin, kaempferol, rhamnetin, and epigenin.

    The herb is a good source of minerals like potassium, calcium, manganese, iron, and magnesium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps control heart rate and blood pressure. Iron is essential for red blood cell production. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase.

    It is also rich in many vital vitamins, including folic-acid, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin-A, beta carotene, vitamin-C, which are essential for optimum health. Vitamin-C is a powerful natural antioxidant. 100 g of cilantro leaves provide 30% of daily recommended levels of vitamin-C.

    It provides 6748 IU of vitamin-A per 100 g, about 225% of recommended daily intake. Vitamin-A, an important fat soluble vitamin and anti-oxidant, is also required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin and is also essential for vision. Consumption of natural foods rich in vitamin-A and flavonoids (carotenes) helps body protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.

    Cilantro is one of the richest herbal sources for vitamin K; provide about 258% of DRI. Vitamin-K has a potential role in bone mass building by promoting osteotrophic activity in the bones. It also has established role in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease patients by limiting neuronal damage in their brain.

Dr.S.Senthil Karunakaran, M.D(Siddha)

AVIZTHAM SIDDHA HOSPITAL

No 6, Mounasamy Mutt Street,

Ambattur O.T, Chennai – 53

Contact no: 9444403023

drkarunakaran@gmail.com

Health benefits of lemongrass

lemongrass nutrition facts:

Refreshing, citrus-scented lemongrass imparts unique flavor to recipes. Its coarse tufted stems and leaf buds are among the most sought after herbal parts used in an array of cuisines all over South and East Asian regions.

Botanically, the herb belongs to grass family of Poaceae. Botanicall name: Cymbopogon citratus. It is native to Southern part of India and Sri Lanka. The herb is one of the popular ingredients employed in Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia, and Indonesia and as far as African and American continents for its culinary and medicinal uses.

Lemongrass (Cymbopogon) grows in dense clumps, erupting from tough bulbous base with a spread of about 1 meter wide and about 3 feet in height. Its leaves are bright green with sharp edges with appearance similar to that of grass. It flourishes well in fertile sandy soils with tropical climates receiving heavy rain.

Several cultivars of cymbopogon, based upon their origin, culinary, and oil properties, are grown around the world at a commercial level. West-Indian lemongrass (C. citratus) is an important culinary herb, and spice used extensively in cooking in many East Asian countries. Indian lemon grass (C. flexuosus) is dominantly used in the perfume industry since it contains fewer myrcene and, therefore, has a longer shelf-life.

Health benefits of lemongrass

    Lemongrass herb has numerous health benefiting essential oils, chemicals, minerals and vitamins that are known to have anti-oxidant and disease preventing properties.

    The herb contains 99 calories per 100 g but contains no cholesterol.

    The primary chemical component in lemongrass herb is citral or lemonal, an aldehyde responsible for its unique lemon odor. Citral also has strong anti-microbial and anti-fungal properties.

    In addition, its herb parts contain other constituents of the essential oils such as myrcene, citronellol, methyl heptenone, dipentene, geraniol, limonene, geranyl acetate, nerol, etc. These compounds are known to have counter-irritant, rubefacient, insecticidal, anti-fungal and anti-septic properties.

    Its leaves and stems are very good in folic acid content (100 g leaves and stem provide about 75 µg or 19% of RDA). Folates are important in cell division and DNA synthesis. When given during the peri-conception period can help prevent neural tube defects in the baby.

    Its herb parts are also rich in many invaluable essential vitamins such as pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), pyridoxine (vitamin B-6) and thiamin (vitamin B-1). These vitamins are essential in the sense that body requires them from external sources to replenish.

    Furthermore, fresh herb contains small amounts of anti-oxidant vitamins such as vitamin-C, and vitamin-A.

    Lemon grass herb parts, whether fresh or dried, are rich sources of minerals like potassium, zinc, calcium, iron, manganese, copper, and magnesium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids, which helps control heart rate and blood pressure. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase.

Dr.S.Senthil Karunakaran, M.D(Siddha)

AVIZTHAM SIDDHA HOSPITAL

No 6, Mounasamy Mutt Street,

Ambattur O.T, Chennai – 53

Contact no: 9444403023

Health benefits of peppermint:

Nutrition facts of Peppermint.

Peppermint has been one of the popular herbs known since antiquity for its distinctive aroma and medicinal value. The herb has a characteristic refreshing cool breeze sensation on taste buds, palate and throat when eaten; and on nasal olfaction glands when inhaled. This unique quality of mint is due to the presence of menthol, an essential oil in its fresh leaves, and stem.

Botanically, the herb belongs to the Lamiaceae family, in the genus; Mentha, and botanically named as Mentha piperita.

  

Mint herb is originally native to Europe, and now-a-days cultivated in almost all the regions of the world. It grows well under shady conditions and feature lance-shaped purple-veined, dark-green leaves with serrated margins and purple color whirly-flowers.

In general, the mint plant is sterile, producing no seeds. However, its growth happens through vegetative reproduction, spreading laterally all along its underground rhizomes. There exist more than 20 varieties of mint herbs with a wide range of color, fragrance, and flavor.

Health benefits of peppermint:

    Mint composes numerous plant derived chemical compounds that are known to have been anti-oxidant, disease-preventing and health promoting properties. Total antioxidant strength (ORAC) of fresh peppermint herb is 13,978 µmol TE/100 g.

    The mint herb contains no cholesterol; however, it is rich in essential oils, vitamins and dietary fiber, which helps to control blood cholesterol and blood pressure inside the human body.

    The herb parts contain many essential volatile oils like menthol, menthone, menthol acetate. These compounds effect on cold-sensitive receptors in the skin, mouth and throat, the property which is responsible for the natural cooling-sensation that it initiates when inhaled, eaten, or applied on the skin.

    The essential oil, menthol also has been analgesic (painkiller), local anesthetic and counter-irritant properties.

    Research studies have also been suggested that the compounds in the peppermint relax intestinal wall and sphincter smooth muscles through blocking calcium channels at cell receptor levels. This property of mint has been applied as an anti-spasmodic agent in the treatment of "irritable bowel syndrome" (IBS) and other colic pain disorders.

    Peppermint-herb is an excellent source of minerals like potassium, calcium, iron, manganese and magnesium. 100 g fresh herb provides 569 mg of potassium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps control heart rate and blood pressure. Manganese and copper works as co-factors for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide-dismutase.

    Further, it is rich in many antioxidant vitamins, including vitamin A, beta carotene, vitamin-C and vitamin E. The leaves of mint also contain many important B-complex vitamins like folates, riboflavin and pyridoxine (vitamin B-6); and the herb is an excellent source of vitamin-K.

Dr.S.Senthil Karunakaran, M.D(Siddha)

AVIZTHAM SIDDHA HOSPITAL

No 6, Mounasamy Mutt Street,

Ambattur O.T, Chennai – 53

Contact no: 9444403023

Health Benefits of Turmeric

Health Benefits of Turmeric

• Turmeric has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties which help in inhibiting the inflammation inside the brain, thereby treating and preventing the onset of the neuron-degenerative disease, Alzheimer’s.

• Turmeric gives rise to apoptosis, a process that triggers the self-destruction and elimination of cancerous cells. As a result, daily consumption of turmeric inhibits the growth of cancerous cells in the colon, prostate, pancreas, lungs and breast.

• The spice gains its anti-inflammatory abilities from the active compound, curcumin, which, when used internally or externally, helps in relieving pain associated with arthritis, pancreatitis and inflammatory bowel disease.

• Due to the presence of the essential nutrients, turmeric helps in protecting the eyes’ health, particularly cataract which can eventually lead to blindness, if not operated.

• The anti-inflammatory properties of curcumin in turmeric are known for alleviating acute pain in the joints and stiffness, caused due to gout.

• High presence of toxins in the body often leads to liver diseases. Turmeric, being an antioxidant, promotes a healthy life; thus, preventing headaches, hormonal imbalances, bloating, fatigue, constipation, long-term skin conditions, and premenstrual tension.

• It acts as a natural agent for avoiding the formation of gallstones or ulcers by stimulating the production of bile in the gallbladder, inducing the bile to dissolve cholesterol and calcium, and improving digestion. As a result, symptoms of indigestion, like bloating and gas, are reduced and recurrence of ulcerative colitis is prevented.

• Apart from possessing anti-inflammatory properties, turmeric is an excellent antibacterial agent which relieves toothaches and prevents it from spreading to the rest of the mouth.

• With several key nutrients found in turmeric, the spice promotes strong and healthy bones, regulates the thyroid gland and stimulates the health of the nerves.

• Turmeric is regarded as one of the richest sources of iron, which is necessary for boosting the immune system and inducing red blood cells to build hemoglobin, thereby preventing anemia.

• Vitamin B6 found in turmeric helps in processing glucose and carbohydrates in the body; thus, preventing homocysteine levels in the blood from shooting up high. Homocysteine is a part of the amino acids, but can cause medical problems when found in high amounts. This is regulated by this nutrient, apart from preventing different skin problems, including eczema and psoriasis.

• Turmeric contains potassium which is essential for regular heart beats, fluid balances in the body, blood pressure regulation and increased muscle energy.

• The antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties of turmeric are beneficial for disinfecting and healing skin wounds, scrapes, cuts, and minor burns.

• Turmeric has also been linked with preventing osteoporosis and bone fractures occurring due to this illness. Consumption of turmeric effectively reduces the loss of bone mineral density and improves the bone structure.

• When diluted in milk, turmeric helps in reducing the redness and swelling caused due to acne. The anti-inflammatory capabilities work towards minimizing the side effects of acne.

• Other health benefits of turmeric are associated with treating cerebrovascular disease, Parkinson’s disease, jaundice, obesity, dysentery, fever, allergies, scars, pigmentation, pregnancy stretch marks, menstrual disorders, lactation problems, hemorrhoids pain, skin inflammation, sinus congestion, asthma, muscle soreness, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, diarrhea, urinary disorders, insanity, food poisoning, poor circulation, leucoderma, scabies and worm infections.

Turmeric Nutrition Facts

Amount: 100 g
Total Weight: 100 g

Nutrients	Amount
Basic Components
Proteins	7.8 g
Water	11.4 g
Ash	6 g
Phytosterols	82 mg
Calories
Total Calories	354
Calories From Carbohydrate	249
Calories From Fat	83
Calories From Protein	22
Carbohydrates
Total Carbohydrates	65 g
Dietary Fiber	21 g
Sugar	3.2 g
Fats & Fatty Acids
Total Fat	9.9 g
Saturated Fat	3.1 g
Monounsaturated Fat	1.7 g
Polyunsaturated Fat	2.2 g
Omega-3 Fatty Acids	482 mg
Omega-6 Fatty Acids	1.7 g
Vitamins
Vitamin C	26 mg
Vitamin E	3.1 mg
Vitamin K	13 mcg
Thiamin	152 mcg
Riboflavin	233 mcg
Niacin	5.1 mg
Vitamin B6	1.8 mg
Folate	39 mcg
Choline	49.2 mg
Betaine	9.7 mg
Minerals
Calcium	183 mg
Iron	41 mg
Magnesium	193 mg
Phosphorus	268 mg
Potassium	2.5 g
Sodium	38 mg
Zinc	4.4 mg
Copper	603 mcg
Manganese	7.8 mg
Selenium	4.5 mcg

Dr.S.Senthil Karunakaran, M.D(Siddha)

AVIZTHAM SIDDHA HOSPITAL,

No. 6, Mounasamy Mutt Street,

Ambattur, Chennai – 53,

Contact No - 9444403023