 I just love having coriander on my quesadillas and tortillas. What? It's cilantro. No, I mean coriander. No, it's cilantro. We've talked about this. It's coriander. Come on. No, no, no, no, no, no, no. All the way around the world, more people call it coriander. Okay, this is what it's called now. No, it's always cilantro. I'm not talking about this anymore. Hey. What is the difference between the two? Hang on. Back up. Did you say quesadillas at the beginning? It's quesadillas. Dias, you moron. And now, cilantro versus coriander. Round one. Where does the confusion start? Both coriander and cilantro are from the same plant, Coriandrum sativum. Now, as is rather obvious, coriander is derived from the original Latin. However, the common name for this plant is largely a matter of where you're from. See, most people in North America call it cilantro, as cilantro comes from the Mexican translation of coriander, whereas most of the people in the UK call it coriander. And people in India call it dania. But I'm not going to get into all the other things different nations call it, as we're just focusing on those two main English names. Round two. How are they actually different? Okay, let's see if we can be as clear as possible about this. Cilantro actually refers to the edible leaves and stalks of the Coriandrum sativum. But coriander can actually refer to several different things. One, it can mean the whole plant itself. Two, just the leaves or the seeds which can be ground and turned into a spice, which those in North America also call coriander. To be technical, the plant is usually referred to as cilantro when it's in the leafy stage. Once it flowers and produces seeds, then it's called coriander. Though really, if we're being really nitpicky, everyone's actually correct in what they call it, as the whole plant is actually coriander at its root, as cilantro is indeed the Mexican name for coriander. So those in the UK who call the leaves coriander instead of cilantro are technically okay. But for my druthers, it sure does get confusing if both the herb and the spice are called coriander. And I much prefer calling the herb cilantro and the spice coriander. Still confused? Yeah, I don't blame you. This is tricky stuff. Round three. Nutritional differences. So for our purposes in the rest of the video, we're calling the herb cilantro and the spice coriander. Got it? You'd think that coriander and cilantro would have the same benefits as, well, they are from the same plant, right? Cilantro is about 92% water. While coriander seeds are only about 9% water. And that's why cilantro is much lower in minerals. However, when it comes to vitamins, cilantro has a much higher level of vitamin A, K and E, amongst others. While they are different in their nutritional profiles, there are studies showing similar results in their overall health benefits, which include things like reducing inflammation, fighting heart disease, and lowering blood sugar levels. They also both have antimicrobial and antibacterial effects that can help fight infections. Round four. Differences in taste and smell. In this area, cilantro is definitely the more controversial of the two, as cilantro leaves can trigger a chemical reaction in some people that makes it taste like soap and smell like burnt rubber or even stink bugs to a small percentage of the world's population. So sorry, I wish those people could taste what I taste. For everyone else, cilantro has a fragrant, somewhat citrusy, even spicy smell and a flavor that's considered quite refreshing and somewhat piquant, in my own opinion. Coriander seeds, on the other hand, are far less troublesome and don't affect people with that bad taste nasty smelly thing. Coriander seeds have a warmer, even spicier taste that is often described as nutty with a hint of citrus. Coriander spice is often compared to cinnamon or cumin, as they have very similar flavor traits. Round five. Differences in cooking. Another area where cilantro and coriander greatly differ is cooking. No surprise as you'll often find cilantro in many Mexican dishes like salsa, guacamole, and fajitas. You'll also find it in various Indian chutneys, a corda, a Portuguese bread soup, and many Thai, Chinese, and South American dishes. Coriander seeds, on the other hand, will often be found in hearty dishes like curry, rice, soups, stews, meat rubs, pickled vegetables, Russian Brodinsky bread, and dana dal, a popular Indian treat consisting of roasted and crushed coriander seeds. But bear in mind, when cooking with cilantro or coriander seeds, you're not going to substitute one for the other. Their flavor profiles are quite different, and substituting one for the other will yield very different results. Hopefully still tasty. Therefore, you'll need to do a little double-checking to make sure you're using the right one for your particular recipe, as recipes from time to time have been known to call them by the wrong name. And this will definitely make your recipe not turn out quite as expected. Final thoughts. Yes, for me, coriander and cilantro are different. But hey, there are those of you out there who think coriander is coriander is coriander. Whatever works for you, that's fine by me. But I like identifying cilantro leaves and coriander seeds differently. Just say it. What about you? Do you like to call it cilantro, coriander, or a mix of the two? Let me know in the comments down below. Also, let me know if you're in that small percentage of people that actually find cilantro soapy. If you want to learn about the difference between aniseed and star anise, then watch this video right here. Or maybe you're curious about the difference between cassia and salon cinnamon, then watch this fun little video right here. Until next time, please be kind, take care of each other, and enjoy yourself some cilantro or coriander. Whatever you like to call it.