Know2eat

Cilantro

Coriandrum sativum

Also known as cilantro, coriander leaf, fresh coriander, Chinese parsley, dhania

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The fresh leaf of Coriandrum sativum, the same plant that yields coriander seed. A well-documented genetic variation in olfactory receptor genes makes the leaf taste soapy to a substantial minority of people.

Kidney & Urinary HealthAntioxidant & Oxidative Stress

Potential health benefits

Best supported: Insufficient

Ordered by how well the human research supports them — strongest first. A rating describes the state of the evidence, not how impressive the food is. How we rate evidence.

Kidney and urinary function

Kidney & Urinary Health
Insufficient evidence

Cilantro is heavily promoted as a way to clear heavy metals from the body, often alongside chlorella. The claim rests on laboratory and rodent work; controlled human research does not support it, and people with genuine heavy metal exposure need medical assessment rather than a smoothie ingredient.

Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.

1 source

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Oxidative stress markers

Antioxidant & Oxidative Stress
Insufficient evidence

Cilantro performs well on laboratory antioxidant assays, but human studies using the herb with oxidative-stress markers as an endpoint are essentially absent. There is nothing here to rate yet.

Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.

No source is attached to this association yet, so it is rated insufficient by default. It is listed because people commonly ask about it — not because there is evidence for it.

Ask about Cilantro

Ask about Cilantro

Answers are written only from the entries on this page — the same nutrients, compounds, claims and citations you can read above. Nothing is added from outside the database, and every answer lists what it was built from.

AI explanations are not switched on for this site, so there is nothing to ask here. Everything above is read straight from the database and does not need them.

Key nutrients

Nutrient content per 100 grams
NutrientAmount% DV
Macronutrients
Calories23 kcal1%
Protein2.13 g4%
Total fat0.52 g1%
Carbohydrate3.67 g1%
Fibre2.8 g10%
Total sugars0.87 g—
Water92.2 g—
Fats
Saturated fat0.014 g0%
Monounsaturated fat0.275 g—
Polyunsaturated fat0.04 g—
Cholesterol0 mg0%
EPA (omega-3)0 g—
DHA (omega-3)0 g—
DPA (omega-3)0 g—
Linoleic acid (omega-6)0.04 g—
Vitamins
Vitamin A337 µg37%
Vitamin C27 mg30%
Vitamin D0 µg0%
Vitamin E2.5 mg17%
Vitamin K310 µg258%
Thiamin (B1)0.067 mg6%
Riboflavin (B2)0.162 mg12%
Niacin (B3)1.11 mg7%
Pantothenic acid (B5)0.57 mg11%
Vitamin B60.149 mg9%
Folate62 µg16%
Vitamin B120 µg0%
Choline12.8 mg2%
Minerals
Calcium67 mg5%
Iron1.77 mg10%
Magnesium26 mg6%
Phosphorus48 mg4%
Potassium521 mg11%
Sodium46 mg2%
Zinc0.5 mg5%
Copper0.225 mg25%
Manganese0.426 mg19%
Selenium0.9 µg2%
Other measured compounds
Beta-carotene3930 µg—
Alpha-carotene36 µg—
Lycopene0 µg—
Lutein + zeaxanthin865 µg—
Caffeine0 mg—
Ash1.47 g—

Nutrient values are per 100 g of the USDA reference entry named on this page and vary with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

Source record: Coriander (cilantro) leaves, raw (USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 169997).

% DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. A dash means no Daily Value has been established for that nutrient.

Bioactive compounds

Compounds present in meaningful amounts. Presence is banded rather than quantified, because whole-food levels vary enormously with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

How preparation changes things

Only effects with real support are listed. If a preparation method is missing, it is because nothing dependable is documented — not because it makes no difference.

  • rawPreserves volatile aldehydes

    Cilantro’s aroma comes from volatile aldehydes that dissipate almost immediately with heat, which is why it is added off the heat rather than cooked.

Things to know

Allergies, interactions and intake concerns. Every food gets this section — a reference where everything is uniformly good is not a reference.

  • Worth knowing

    Repeatedly implicated in foodborne outbreaks

    Fresh cilantro has been linked to outbreaks of cyclosporiasis, salmonella and E. coli, because it is eaten raw and is grown low to the ground. Washing reduces but does not eliminate the risk.

  • Allergy

    Carrot-family allergy

    Allergy to cilantro is documented, including systemic reactions, and often occurs alongside sensitivity to other Apiaceae plants such as celery, carrot and fennel, or to mugwort pollen.

  • Worth knowing

    The soapy taste is genetic, not a preference

    Variation near a cluster of olfactory receptor genes, including OR6A2, is associated with perceiving cilantro as soapy. The proportion affected varies considerably between ancestry groups.