Coriander seed water takes about one minute of active prep: soak one tablespoon of coriander seeds in two cups of water overnight, strain, and drink. That’s the cold infusion method, and it’s the most common approach. You can also boil the soaked water for a more concentrated version. Below is a complete walkthrough of both methods, along with what the drink may actually do for your body.
Cold Soak Method (Overnight)
This is the simplest version and the one most people follow. You need one tablespoon of whole coriander seeds and two cups of water.
- Rinse the seeds. Give them a quick rinse under tap water to remove any dust or debris.
- Combine and soak. Drop the seeds into a glass or bowl, add two cups of water, and cover loosely. Let them sit for 6 to 8 hours, or overnight on your counter or in the fridge.
- Strain and drink. In the morning, pour the water through a fine mesh strainer. Discard the seeds or save them for cooking.
The water will have a mild, slightly earthy taste. If you find it too bland, a squeeze of lemon or a small piece of fresh ginger can round out the flavor without adding sugar.
Boiled Method for Stronger Flavor
If you want a more concentrated drink, or you forgot to soak overnight, boiling works well. Start by soaking the same ratio (one tablespoon of seeds to two cups of water) for at least 30 minutes to soften the seeds. Then pour everything, seeds and water together, into a small pot. Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat, and let it simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. The water will turn a pale golden color. Strain and let it cool to a drinkable temperature.
Boiling extracts more of the seeds’ aromatic compounds and gives the water a stronger, slightly warm flavor compared to the cold soak. Either method works fine nutritionally. Choose based on your taste preference and schedule.
When and How Much to Drink
Most people drink coriander seed water first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. Traditional practice suggests this timing helps with digestion and nutrient absorption throughout the day. One glass (roughly 200 ml) per day is a reasonable amount. Drinking significantly more than that in a given week can irritate the stomach and cause nausea or stomach pain.
You can drink it at room temperature, slightly warm, or chilled. Temperature doesn’t change its properties in any meaningful way.
What Coriander Seed Water May Do
Blood Sugar
Coriander seeds contain compounds that appear to help cells absorb and use glucose. In lab studies, an aqueous extract of coriander (essentially seed water) stimulated insulin secretion by 1.3 to 5.7 times the normal rate, depending on concentration. A clinical trial in people with type 2 diabetes found that coriander supplementation over six weeks reduced fasting blood sugar by about 16%. These are promising numbers, though the clinical trial used coriander seed powder rather than steeped water, so the concentration you get from a morning glass will be lower.
Cholesterol
That same clinical trial, published in Preventive Nutrition and Food Science, measured lipid changes. Participants taking coriander saw their LDL (“bad”) cholesterol drop by about 16 mg/dL, a 12.5% decrease. Total cholesterol fell by nearly 39 mg/dL. HDL (“good”) cholesterol didn’t change significantly. These reductions align with what’s considered a meaningful dietary intervention for heart disease prevention. The active compounds responsible are thought to be polyphenols like quercetin and rutin, along with linalool, the essential oil that gives coriander its distinctive scent.
Skin and Inflammation
Coriander seeds are rich in plant sterols and forms of vitamin E that act as antioxidants and reduce inflammation at the cellular level. A double-blind clinical study tested coriander seed oil in women with sensitive skin and found that daily use for 28 days significantly reduced stress-induced redness and itching. Redness continued to decrease even after 56 days. Drinking seed water delivers these compounds in smaller doses than the oil used in the study, but regular consumption over time contributes antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds to your diet.
Tips for Better Results
Use whole coriander seeds, not pre-ground powder. Whole seeds retain their essential oils better during storage and release them more evenly during soaking. Look for seeds that are a uniform tan or light brown color with a mild, pleasant smell. Stale seeds will smell dusty or like nothing at all.
If you’re making this part of a daily routine, consider prepping a larger batch. You can soak two or three tablespoons of seeds in a jar with proportionally more water and keep the strained liquid in the fridge for up to two days. Beyond that, make a fresh batch.
Lightly crushing the seeds with a mortar and pestle or the flat side of a knife before soaking helps release more flavor and compounds into the water. You don’t need a fine grind. Just crack them open.
Who Should Be Careful
Coriander seed water is well tolerated by most people, but there are a few groups who should pay attention. If you take diabetes medication, coriander can lower blood sugar on its own, and the combination could push your levels too low. Monitor your blood sugar closely if you add this to your routine.
People with allergies to related plants in the same botanical family, including fennel, dill, caraway, aniseed, or mugwort, may react to coriander as well. Start with a small amount if you’re unsure. If you have surgery scheduled, stop drinking coriander water at least two weeks beforehand, since it can affect blood sugar, blood pressure, and how your body responds to anesthesia.