One of my weekly rituals is to go to the local Byron Bay farmers markets and stock up on my organic fresh produce, then to wash them in Young Living’s Thieves Fruit & Veggie Soak. I’ll come home with a pumpkin, some fresh bananas and papaya, avocadoes, some apples, beetroot, cucumber and carrots for juicing, a bunch of beautiful roses for myself….and of course an armful of fresh organic herbs.

I love eating salads, but I don’t buy lettuce – instead, my salads are all made on a foundation of fresh herbs. I start with coriander, and then add some other flavours in with it – a flash of mint, some strips of betel leaves, some micro herbs. Sometimes I’ll make dishes and instead of using just the fresh coriander, I’ll add some extra magic with some Cilantro oil. And that got me thinking about Coriander oil versus Cilantro oil.

Generally when we produce an essential oil, it comes from just one part of the plant. For example, Vetiver and Ginger oil comes from the roots, Eucalyptus and Rosemary oil comes from the leaves, Cinnamon Bark oil comes from the bark, Frankincense oil comes from the sap (which hardens into a resin), and Rose and Geranium oil comes from the flowers.

But what’s really interesting with Coriander is that we can obtain two different oils from the one plant. Young Living’s “Coriander” oil comes from the seeds of the plant, whereas “Cilantro” oil comes from the leaves.

Would you like to know the difference between these two oils, and how you can use them? That’s what this post is all about. Enjoy!

Coriander – a herb with an ancient past

The name “Coriandrum” comes from the Latin word “koros”, which means “bed-bug”.

That’s because its strongly scented leaves are likened to the smell like an insect!

How anyone could liken the heavenly smell and taste of coriander leaves to an insect is beyond me!

With its soft aromatic leaves and its sprays of white flowers, Coriander may strike us as the gentlest of herbs. Yet its softness belies its strength.

Native to both the Mediterranean region and to Western Asia, this herb has been cultivated for over 3,000 years, and has an extraordinarily diverse history.

Coriander (Seed) oil

Coriander seeds are used as a spice in many cultures, including India (think curries and garam masala), the Middle East, Latin America (where it features alongside of cumin), and S.E. Asia.

That means we can use Coriander* (Seed) oil in our cooking, in place of the raw herb.

It’s the perfect oil to add to spicy dishes and curries. Remember to start with a small amount (one drop in a whole dish) and build up to taste. Essential oils are much more potent than the herb, so a little goes such a long way.

Like Lavender oil, Coriander (Seed) oil is high in a plant compound called Linalool. But where Linalool is 20-43% in Lavender oil, it’s 65-78% in Coriander Seed oil.

Because of its high linalool content, Coriander Seed oil shares many of the same qualities as Lavender oil. It’s great for skin care (having natural skin balancing qualities). It’s also very calming to the nervous system, helping with relaxation and stress reduction.

And here’s something I didn’t know until I started doing some research. Linalool is amazing for promoting a restful night’s sleep.

So instead of putting some Lavender oil under your feet or in your diffuser when you go to bed, try some Coriander (Seed) oil instead.

Coriander (Seed) oil is incredibly versatile. You can even mix a little with some Marjoram and Clary Sage oil, and you have the perfect pamper for those tired or tight muscles.

Emotionally, Coriander (Seed) oil is the perfect oil to use when your mind is overthinking and consumed with worries. Viewed as a Herb of Protection and Immortality, it replaces those worries with feelings of security and peace. Yet it also has the gift of igniting spontaneity and passion, so whilst it is very balancing, it blends balance with joy to leave us feeling emotionally secure and connected with our inner passions.

Cilantro oil

Cilantro oil comes from the leaves of the Coriander plant. While the essential oil from the leaves does share many of the same calming and skin-enhancing properties as the essential oil from the seeds, Cilantro oil contains only 10-21% Linalool (less than in Lavender oil).

Yet it’s still considered a great oil for a restful night’s sleep.

As I scoured the scientific research, almost all of it relates to Coriander Seed oil (which is amazing in so many ways – do a google search to find out). But there isn’t much research (yet) into Coriander Leaf (aka Cilantro) oil. Here’s what I did find….

Like many berries, Cilantro oil is rich in polyphenols. These plant compounds are natural antioxidants, supporting both health and longevity.

Cilantro oil is also wonderful for stimulating concentration. Diffusing or inhaling Cilantro oil is a great way to enhance focus and memory recall.

But let’s not forget one of the main ways we can use this beautiful oil. It can be used in place of (or addition to) fresh coriander leaves, to flavour our dishes and our drinks. Obviously it can’t substitute for the coriander leaves I put into my salads, because for that we need the texture and bulk of the whole leaf. But where it does come into its own is with salad dressings and dips. Wherever you’d normally use fresh Coriander Leaf (called Cilantro in the US), you can substitute with a tiny bit of Cilantro oil*.

If you want a very delicate flavour, a whole drop of essential oil may be too much. In that case you can dip a toothpick into the essential oil bottle, and swirl it through your dressing in order to get less than a full drop….or mix one drop with some olive oil, and use a portion of that mixture in your salad dressing. Either way will work.

Artemis’s Cilantro Guacamole – soooo scrumptious!!!

Here’s one of my favourite recipes with Cilantro oil. It’s so easy, and mouth-watering too!

I start by smashing a half of an avocado….let your inner lion out, and have fun in this process. Then I sprinkle some Celtic sea salt onto my smashed avo.

Next, add your essential oils:

• 2 drops Lemon oil
• 1 drop Lime oil
• 1 drop Cilantro oil (optional)

I know I’ve said the Cilantro oil is optional, but for me I wouldn’t want to make this dish without it, as it adds such a delightful twist to the flavour (unless you are one of those very rare people who don’t enjoy the taste of fresh coriander/cilantro leaves….and if you are, fortunately we have another 160 or more essential oils that you can fall in love with!!!).

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