Second Prize Works of the First Ningxia Middle School Student Science Popularization and Science Fiction Writing Competition: Coriander, a Love-Hate Affair

Editor: Liu Yuxin Reviewer: Yang Pengbin

The second provincial prize winner of Tian Yixin, Grade 2021, Zhongwei Zhongning County No. 1 Middle School, Instructor: Lin Wenping

When it comes to coriander, some people are happy and some are uncomfortable. Because of its taste, people are divided into two extremes, just like durian. Let's learn more about it!

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The scientific name of coriander is Wucai. It’s surprising, right? In many local dialects, it’s called “ji”, which is actually its real name.

It is native to the Mediterranean coast of Europe and Central Asia. In the "Records of Natural History" of the Western Jin Dynasty, "Zhang Qian went on a diplomatic mission to the Western Regions and obtained garlic and Hu Lao. In the 20th century BC, Zhang Qian of the Han Dynasty went on a diplomatic mission to the Western Regions and opened up the Silk Road. Teams came along the Silk Road and brought our "respectable and lovely" coriander. It was still called cilantro at that time, which also shows that it is an "imported product". Later, during the Northern and Southern Dynasties, the Zhao Emperor Shi Le thought he was a Hu person, which sounded unpleasant, so he changed the name to Yuan Cilan, which evolved into today's coriander.

Coriander is a flowering plant belonging to the genus Coriander of the family Apiaceae. Humans have been planting it for a long time. Archaeologists found coriander seeds in the tomb of the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun more than 3,300 years ago. Perhaps the ancient Egyptians had already planted it since then, and it was a frequent guest on the tables of the ancient Greeks and Romans. It is not only used as a food, but also as a condiment and spice.

Its medical effect is also quite large. It has been used to treat diseases for thousands of years. The roots, leaves, seeds and whole plants can all be used as medicine, and all of them have been recorded. The "Food Classic" of the Northern and Southern Dynasties recorded that it can "regulate food and reduce gas". The "Food Therapy Materia Medica" of the Tang Dynasty said that it can benefit the internal organs, replenish the tendons and veins, help digestion, and treat intestinal wind. Li Shizhen of the Ming Dynasty also said in his book "Compendium of Materia Medica" that coriander "has a pungent and warm nature and fragrance, and it can connect the heart and spleen inside and reach the limbs outside". This shows that in addition to being aromatic and refreshing, dispelling wind and detoxifying, coriander can also benefit the intestines and promote urination, and it is also helpful to promote blood circulation. It reminds me of "The Legend of the Condor Heroes". Huang Rong wanted to use coriander to treat Hua Zheng's cold, and there was indeed a trace to follow. Then the question that everyone is most concerned about is here, why does coriander make people love and hate it? Some people say it's just a personal preference, but it's not. Let's listen to its own story!

I have more than 40 compounds in my body, 82% of which are aldehydes, 17% are alcohols, soaps and hand sanitizers also have aldehyde compounds similar to mine; I didn't expect it, but I also have past events that I don't want to mention. Stink bugs, also known as the stinky big sister in your mouth, also have toxic mist when defending or attacking the enemy. So some people think I smell like soap or stink bugs, but some scientists have conducted experiments and found that this is also related to genes. The American Chemical Society gave a data that about 4% to 14% of people hate me because of genetic changes that lead to their disgust for me.

This is the coriander that makes people love and hate it.