The medical benefits of herbs are regularly touted in the press and on the packages of New Age teas, but it looks like that soapy-tasting salsa fave Cilantro is now entering the pantheon of the herbal remedy gods:
Another reason to eat spicy foods: cilantro, a herb key to many cuisines and central to salsa, can kill food poisoning bacteria, researchers said on Tuesday.
U.S. and Mexican researchers said they had identified a compound in cilantro that kills harmful Salmonella bacteria. They hope it can be developed into a safe food additive that could help prevent foodborne illness.
The study, published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, shows why salsa, a staple of Mexican food, and many other spicy foods seem to have innate antibacterial activity. It fits in with other studies done over the years that show popular spices can keep food from spoiling.
Of course, not all the news is good. According to a medical expert quoted in same Reuters story:
"If you were eating a hot dog or hamburger you would probably have to eat an equivalent weight of cilantro to have an optimal effect against food poisoning."
Talk about eating your greens...Think I'll stick to the produce aisle's "apple a day" home remedy instead. It's easier to swallow and rarely tastes like soap.
Ouauuhh, it's so good! I like this pic, is very nice. And the strawberry pic is excellent too.
Posted by: cooking recipes | June 08, 2004 at 07:48 AM