Coriander Seed
(Coriandrum sativum L.)
Background
Distilled from the dried seeds (not the fresh leaf, which has a very different smell). It is a staple in both perfumery and food flavoring, and one of the oldest cultivated spices.
Therapeutic
properties
Carminative, digestive, analgesic, warming, antimicrobial, mildly antioxidant, mildly stimulating.
Detailed uses
Digestion
Bloating, gas, cramps, and poor appetite (abdominal massage at 1-2%).
Muscle and joint pain
Rheumatic or arthritic stiffness, especially in cold weather (warming rub, often with ginger, black pepper, or rosemary).
Mental
Fatigue, mental fog, and nervous exhaustion (diffuser blend with citrus).
Cooking and flavoring:
Used in tiny amounts in food products and liqueurs (commercial food-grade only).
Perfumery
Gives a fresh, spicy-woody top note in men's and unisex scents.
Skin
Helps with cold hands and feet and sluggish circulation when massaged in.
Herbal medicine
Seed tea or infusion
Classic remedy in Ayurveda, Unani, Mediterranean, and European folk medicine for gas, indigestion, and cramps.
Appetite
A pinch of crushed seeds chewed after meals, as in Indian practice.
Traditional uses
Fatigue, mental fog, and nervous exhaustion (diffuser blend with citrus).
Blends well with
- Citrus oils
- ginger
- cardamom
- cinnamon
- clary sage
- frankincense
- Lavender