CORIANDER SEEDS IN AYURVEDA

Coriander seeds are widely used in Ayurveda and traditional cooking for their distinctive taste and qualities. In Ayurvedic tradition, coriander is traditionally valued for its cooling and digestive properties and is often used in food, herbal preparations and infusions.

Known botanically as Coriandrum sativum, coriander is native to the Mediterranean region and is now widely cultivated, including in India. Coriander has a long history of culinary and traditional use across different cultures, including the Egyptians, Romans and Greeks.

In Ayurveda, coriander seeds can be used in cooking or prepared as an infusion or decoction. You can discover a cooling summer coriander seed infusion recipe here, or try coriander and ginger tea as a warming digestive drink.

PROPERTIES OF CORIANDER SEEDS

Taste (rasa): sweet (madhura), astringent (kashaya), bitter (tikta) and pungent (katu)

Qualities (guna): light (laghu), unctuous (snigdha)

Potency (virya): traditionally described as cooling

Post-digestive effect (vipaka): sweet (madhura)

Effect on Dosha: traditionally considered supportive for all three Doshas, depending on the individual and how it is used

Action (karma): traditionally used to support comfortable digestion and to soothe thirst and sensations of heat.

TRADITIONAL USES OF CORIANDER SEEDS

In Ayurveda, coriander seeds are traditionally used in different ways depending on the individual, season, preparation and wider dietary context.

They are traditionally associated with:

• Supporting comfortable digestion
• Soothing thirst
• A cooling quality
• Supporting comfortable elimination
• Use in seasonal and everyday cooking
• Supporting a sense of digestive comfort

The traditional Ayurvedic understanding of an herb does not necessarily correspond to modern medical evidence, and individual responses may vary.

Coriander seeds are generally used as a culinary spice, but concentrated preparations and herbal products may not be appropriate for everyone.

If you have a medical condition, take medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are considering coriander in a concentrated herbal preparation, consult an appropriate healthcare professional before using it.

This article is provided for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

Elena Beurdeley
Ayurveda Practitioner & Educator
Nutrition • Lifestyle • Herbal Medicine • Massage Therapies
BA (Hons), DipPrac (Ayur), DipALN (Ayur), DipAMT (Ayur) • Yoga Instructor