Drink
Coriander green smoothie
Coriander divides people in two. Either it tastes fresh and citrusy, or it tastes of soap, and that is not imagination — it sits in a gene, and about one in ten has it.
If you are among those who like it, this is a green, tart and very fresh smoothie.
And I should be honest with you about what it is known for. Coriander is often described as something that draws heavy metals out of the body. That has been studied in the laboratory and in animals with promising results — but it has never been properly shown in people.
So drink it because it is fresh and full of vitamin C. Not because it cleanses you. If you have reason to think you have been exposed to heavy metals, the safety section says what you should actually do.
Ingredients
- 1 large handful fresh coriander
- ½ cucumber
- 1 apple
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 100-200 ml water
Equipment
- Blender
- Glass
- Strainer if you want it smooth
Method
- 1
Blend a large handful of fresh coriander with cucumber, apple and lemon juice.
Dosage
One glass daily, preferably mid-morning.
Drink it fresh. A green smoothie loses both colour and vitamin C within hours.
Shelf life
Drink immediately. Keeps at most 1 day refrigerated in a sealed jar.
Safety
If you genuinely suspect heavy metal exposure — old amalgam fillings that have broken, old paint, contaminated drinking water, or work with lead, mercury or cadmium — get a blood test. It is cheap, it takes ten minutes, and then you know. A smoothie does not settle it.
Actual heavy metal poisoning is treated with medical chelation, not with vegetables. It is a treatment that works, and it requires a doctor.
Coriander can cause an allergic reaction in some people, particularly if you react to carrot-family plants such as celery, carrot or mugwort.
If you are pregnant, stick to ordinary culinary amounts.
Wash coriander thoroughly. Leafy greens are among the crops where pesticide residues are most often found, and organic is a sensible choice here.
If coriander tastes of soap to you, do not force it. Use parsley instead, it is just as nutritious and just as diuretic.
How the herbs work
Coriander contains high levels of vitamin C, vitamin K and antioxidants, and the leaves are among the most nutritious green herbs we use in the kitchen.
On heavy metals: laboratory and animal studies have shown that compounds in coriander can bind certain metals and increase excretion. But this has not been confirmed in controlled human trials, and the effect should not be confused with the chelation used medically in actual poisoning.
Cucumber contributes fluid and potassium, the apple fibre and sweetness, and the lemon vitamin C and acid that keeps the colour green a little longer.
It is a good drink. It is simply not a cure.
The content here is general knowledge and folk herbal lore, not medical treatment. In illness, pregnancy, breastfeeding or alongside medication: always talk to your doctor first.