Parsley vs. Coriander — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

by Victoria Mazmanyan | Last updated on May 08, 2023

Medically reviewed by Ani Harutyunyan

Summary

Parsley and coriander have distinctly different flavors. Parsley is nutritionally denser compared to coriander, being richer in protein, fats, dietary fiber, most vitamins, and minerals.

Parsley provides 5 times more vitamin C and vitamin K and 2 times more folate, while coriander contains 3 times more vitamin E.

Introduction

Herbs add delicate flavors to any dish they are added to, making them more fragrant and rich. But what attributes, other than taste, set different herbs apart?

In this article, we will be comparing two of these herbs — coriander and parsley — to see what nutrients they provide us with and how it affects our health.

Classification

Coriander and parsley botanically share the same family. Coriander or Coriandrum sativum belongs to the Coriandrum genus, while garden parsley is scientifically called Petroselinum crispum, belonging to the Petroselinum genus. Both of these greens belong to the family Apiaceae or Umbelliferae. This family is also known as the parsley, carrot, or celery family.

Coriander is the international name for the dried seeds of the coriander plant, while cilantro is often referred to as the plant’s stem and leaves. Coriander is also known as Chinese parsley or dhania.

Appearance

Coriander and parsley leaves are hard to differentiate from each other at first glance. However, coriander or cilantro leaves have more rounded borders, while parsley leaves have sharper edges. Parsley leaves also tend to be larger and have a darker green color.

Taste, Smell, and Use

People often use parsley and coriander interchangeably, confused by their similar appearances. However, the two have distinctly different flavors.

Coriander adds a robust, citrus-like, slightly tart flavor to any meal. Coriander leaves have a more pungent taste when raw and tend to lose some of that flavor when cooked. This plant is often used in Mexican and Latin American cuisines.

Parsley has a much milder, slightly peppery taste. Due to this, parsley is more versatile in the kitchen. It is frequently used in American, European, Middle Eastern, and Brazilian cuisines.

The two herbs can also be distinguished by their scents. Like their tastes, coriander leaves give off a strong, herbal, and slightly sour aroma, while parsley leaves have a milder smell.

Varieties

Different varieties of parsley are divided into three major groups: curly-leaf or common parsley, flat-leaf or Italian parsley, and turnip-rooted or Hamburg parsley. Curly-leaf parsley is the most common variety used for garnish for stew or as a dried herb. Flat-leaf parsley is said to have a stronger taste and is often used in soups, salads, and sauces. The tuberous root of root parsley is mostly used in the kitchen as a vegetable.

The two main varieties of the coriander plant are distinguished by the sizes of their fruits. The fruit diameter of the vulgare variety is 3 to 5mm, while the microcarpum variety has smaller fruits with diameters of 1.5 to 3mm (1).

Nutrition

The nutritional values below are presented for fresh parsley and raw coriander leaves. We will be comparing nutrient contents for 100g servings of these foods.

Macronutrients and Calories

Like most herbs, coriander and parsley are not very dense in nutrients. At the same time, parsley is denser, containing 88% water, while coriander consists of 92% water.

The average serving size of coriander is considered to be a quarter of a cup of chopped coriander, equal to 4g.

Parsley leaves have a similar average serving size of one tablespoon, equal to 3.8g of parsley.

Macronutrient Comparison

Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison

Parsley

Protein: 2.97 g

Fats: 0.79 g

Carbs: 6.33 g

Water: 87.71 g

Other: 2.2 g

Coriander

Protein: 2.13 g

Fats: 0.52 g

Carbs: 3.67 g

Water: 92.21 g

Other: 1.47 g

Contains more ProteinProtein	+39.4%
Contains more FatsFats	+51.9%
Contains more CarbsCarbs	+72.5%
Contains more OtherOther	+49.7%

~equal in Water ~92.21g

Calories

While both herbs are naturally very low in calories, parsley has a higher caloric content. A 100g serving of parsley provides 36 calories, whereas the same serving size of coriander contains 23 calories.

Protein and Fats

Parsley is richer in both protein and fats, being denser in nutrients.

Both of these herbs contain low levels of all essential amino acids.

While parsley and coriander contain a low amount of fats, the predominant fat types found in both of these herbs are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.

Fat Type Comparison

Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison

Parsley

Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 0.132 g

Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 0.295 g

Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.124 g

Coriander

Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 0.014 g

Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 0.275 g

Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.04 g

Contains more Poly. FatPolyunsaturated fat

+210%

Contains less Sat. FatSaturated Fat

-89.4%

~equal in Monounsaturated Fat ~0.275g

Carbohydrates

Parsley contains almost two times more carbohydrates compared to coriander. The two herbs contain similar amounts of sugar. However, parsley is richer in dietary fiber.

Fiber

Herbs such as parsley and coriander are excellent sources of dietary fiber. Parsley is 0.5g higher in fiber than coriander. Parsley is particularly rich in soluble fiber called inulin (2). Coriander seeds are high in insoluble fiber.

Vitamins

Coriander and parsley can both provide numerous vital vitamins; however, parsley provides a higher level of a few more vitamins.

Parsley contains almost 5 times more vitamin C and vitamin K, over 2 times more folate, and 1.2 times more vitamin A. A 100g serving of parsley provides the needed daily values of all of these vitamins. Parsley is also richer in vitamin B1 and vitamin B3.

On the other hand, coriander provides over 3 times more vitamin E and more vitamins B2, B5, and B6.

Vitamin Comparison

Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.

Parsley

Coriander

Contains more Vitamin CVitamin C	+392.6%
Contains more Vitamin AVitamin A	+24.8%
Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1	+28.4%
Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3	+17.9%
Contains more Vitamin KVitamin K	+429%
Contains more FolateFolate	+145.2%

Contains more Vitamin EVitamin E	+233.3%
Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2	+65.3%
Contains more Vitamin B5Vitamin B5	+42.5%
Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6	+65.6%

~equal in Vitamin D ~0µg

~equal in Vitamin B12 ~0µg

~equal in Choline ~12.8mg

Minerals

Between these two herbs, parsley is richer in most minerals. A 100g serving of parsley provides more calcium and iron than the same serving size of milk and beef.

Parsley contains higher levels of iron, calcium, magnesium, zinc, and phosphorus.

At the same time, coriander is richer in copper, manganese, and selenium. Coriander is also lower in sodium.

Mineral Comparison

Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.

Parsley

Coriander

Contains more MagnesiumMagnesium	+92.3%
Contains more CalciumCalcium	+106%
Contains more IronIron	+250.3%
Contains more ZincZinc	+114%
Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus	+20.8%

Contains more CopperCopper	+51%
Contains less SodiumSodium	-17.9%
Contains more ManganeseManganese	+166.3%
Contains more SeleniumSelenium	+800%

~equal in Potassium ~521mg

Glycemic Index

The sugar content found in both coriander and parsley is too low to measure an exact glycemic index value. However, the glycemic index values of both of these herbs are considered to be very low.

Coriander seeds have also demonstrated glycemic index reducing abilities, decreasing the glycemic index of plain glucose from 97 down to 88 (3).

Acidity

The average pH value of parsley falls in the range of 5.7 to 6, making this herb acidic (4). At the same time, fresh coriander has a slightly more acidic pH value of 5.18±0.4 (5).

Another way of viewing the acidity of foods is the potential renal acid load. The PRAL value of the food demonstrates how much acid or base the given food produces when broken down inside the body.

The PRAL values of coriander and parsley are -9.7 and -11.1, respectively. This indicates that parsley is more alkaline-forming compared to coriander.

Weight Loss & Diets

Herbs are famously well suited for weight loss diets, as they provide beneficial nutrients but few calories.

Both of these herbs fit well in low-calorie, low-fat, and low-carb diets. However, between these two herbs, coriander is the relatively better option for these diets.

Various herbs, and coriander, in particular, have been studied for their potential to ameliorate obesity and its associated risk factors by reducing body mass index (6).

Parsley has been studied to have a protective effect against hyperlipidemia, preventing the development of obesity (7).

Coriander and parsley are also great sources of vitamins and minerals on keto, Atkins, Mediterranean, and Paleo diets.

Health Impact

Health Benefits

We’ve all heard about how herbs can do miracles for our health. In this section, we will examine those miracles from a scientific point of view.

Cardiovascular Health

Section reviewed by cardiologist Astghik Grigoryan

Due to its strong antioxidant qualities, the extract of coriander leaves has the potential to prevent myocardial infarction by inhibiting damage to heart muscle fibers (8).

Coriander also has anti-inflammatory and anti-dyslipidemic abilities, decreasing total cholesterol levels and reducing low-density lipoprotein oxidation (9).

Parsley has protective effects against hyperlipidemia and can improve pathological tissue alterations in the heart and liver (7).

Parsley has also been researched to possess hypotensive, anti-platelet, cytoprotective, antibacterial, anti-fungal, and various other qualities (10).

Diabetes

Coriander has been used to treat diabetes in traditional medicine. Here, science supports traditional medicine, as research has demonstrated coriander to have antihyperglycemic, insulin-releasing, and insulin-like activities (11).

Parsley has also exhibited beneficial anti-diabetic qualities. Animal studies have found that rats treated with parsley had significantly lower blood sugar and liver damage marker levels (12).

Parsley can be used as a traditional anti-diabetic and antioxidant remedy in type 1 diabetes mellitus patients due to its ability to lower plasma glucose and increase plasma insulin levels (13).

Cancer

Due to significant antioxidant qualities, parsley and coriander possess potential anticancer activities.

The coriander herb has been shown to possibly protect against DNA damage and cancer cell migration (14). Coriander seeds have been researched to inhibit the growth of gastric, colon, prostate, breast, and lung carcinomas (15).

Apigenin, a flavone abundantly found in parsley, has been researched as a promising reagent for cancer therapy (16).

Neurological Health

Coriander leaves have been researched to alleviate anxiety in a dose-dependent manner, enhance mood and improve cognitive functions (17). Some of these qualities may be owing to a compound found in coriander called linalool.

Coriander extract contains a lot of antioxidants showing anti-inflammatory effects on the nervous system and preventing degenerative diseases like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease, and multiple sclerosis (19).

Apigenin found in parsley also improves the functional differentiation of neurons, strengthening the connections between brain cells (16).

Research has suggested that parsley exhibits anti-anxiety and antidepressant activities, surprisingly better than some classic medications (18).

References

Author name: Victoria Mazmanyan

Education: General Medicine at YSMU

Last updated: May 08, 2023

Medically reviewed by Ani Harutyunyan

Infographic

Infographic link

Comparison summary table

Pay attention to the rightmost column. It displays the amounts side by side, giving a clearer understanding of the difference.


Lower in Sugar
Lower in price
Rich in minerals
Lower in Sodium
Lower in Saturated Fat
Lower in Cholesterol	Equal
Lower in Glycemic Index	Equal
Rich in vitamins	Equal

All nutrients comparison - raw data values

Nutrient			Opinion
Calories	36kcal	23kcal
Protein	2.97g	2.13g
Fats	0.79g	0.52g
Vitamin C	133mg	27mg
Net carbs	3.03g	0.87g
Carbs	6.33g	3.67g
Magnesium	50mg	26mg
Calcium	138mg	67mg
Potassium	554mg	521mg
Iron	6.2mg	1.77mg
Sugar	0.85g	0.87g
Fiber	3.3g	2.8g
Copper	0.149mg	0.225mg
Zinc	1.07mg	0.5mg
Phosphorus	58mg	48mg
Sodium	56mg	46mg
Vitamin A	8424IU	6748IU
Vitamin A	421µg	337µg
Vitamin E	0.75mg	2.5mg
Manganese	0.16mg	0.426mg
Selenium	0.1µg	0.9µg
Vitamin B1	0.086mg	0.067mg
Vitamin B2	0.098mg	0.162mg
Vitamin B3	1.313mg	1.114mg
Vitamin B5	0.4mg	0.57mg
Vitamin B6	0.09mg	0.149mg
Vitamin K	1640µg	310µg
Folate	152µg	62µg
Choline	12.8mg	12.8mg
Saturated Fat	0.132g	0.014g
Monounsaturated Fat	0.295g	0.275g
Polyunsaturated fat	0.124g	0.04g
Tryptophan	0.045mg
Threonine	0.122mg
Isoleucine	0.118mg
Leucine	0.204mg
Lysine	0.181mg
Methionine	0.042mg
Phenylalanine	0.145mg
Valine	0.172mg
Histidine	0.061mg

Which food is preferable for your diet?

Low Calories diet

Low Fats diet

Low Carbs diet

Low Glycemic Index diet

is better in case of low diet


Low Calories diet
Low Fats diet
Low Carbs diet
Low Glycemic Index diet	Equal

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Vitamins & Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score

The summary scores indicate the extent to which this food can fulfill your daily vitamin and mineral requirements if you consume 3 servings, consisting of 100 grams of each (an approximation of 3 serving sizes).

Vitamins Daily Need Coverage Score

408%

117%

Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score

49%

33%

Comparison summary

Which food is lower in Sugar?

Parsley is lower in Sugar (difference - 0.02g)

Which food is cheaper?

Parsley is cheaper (difference - $1.7)

Which food is richer in minerals?

Parsley is relatively richer in minerals

Which food contains less Sodium?

Coriander contains less Sodium (difference - 10mg)

Which food is lower in Saturated Fat?

Coriander is lower in Saturated Fat (difference - 0.118g)

Which food contains less Cholesterol?

The foods are relatively equal in Cholesterol (0 mg)

Which food is lower in glycemic index?

The foods have equal glycemic indexes (32)

Which food is richer in vitamins?

It cannot be stated which food is richer in vitamins. See the charts below for detailed information. See the charts below for detailed information. See the charts below for detailed information.