Coriander Leaves Calories & Nutrition Calculator

Fresh coriander leaves provide 337mcg vitamin A as RAE per 100g (37% DV) — derived from 3,930mcg beta-carotene plus 202mcg beta-cryptoxanthin. This vitamin A density places coriander above carrot (835mcg RAE but at 41 kcal) on a per-calorie basis: coriander delivers 14.7mcg vitamin A per calorie versus carrot's 20.4mcg/kcal. Among common garnish herbs, coriander exceeds parsley (421mcg RAE at 36 kcal) in vitamin A efficiency ^[1][2].

The practical challenge is serving size. A 1/4 cup garnish (4g) provides just 13.5mcg vitamin A (1.5% DV) — meaningful but modest. A 30g bunch (used in chutney) delivers 101mcg vitamin A (11% DV) at only 7 calories. Coriander chutney made with 50g of leaves provides 168mcg vitamin A (19% DV) at 12 calories before any oil or other ingredients are added ^[1].

For food journaling, fresh coriander is a low-calorie vitamin A contributor that adds up across meals — especially in South Asian and Mexican cuisines where it appears in multiple dishes daily. The beta-carotene is fat-soluble, so pairing with a small amount of fat (as in most Indian preparations) improves bioavailability.

Fresh coriander leaves pack 521mg potassium (11% DV) and 67mg calcium (5% DV) per 100g — at only 23 kcal. The potassium-per-calorie ratio is 22.7 mg/kcal, which exceeds banana (4.0), spinach (7.0), and even coconut water (5.5). Among common herbs and leafy greens, only parsley (554mg potassium at 36 kcal = 15.4 mg/kcal) comes close, and coriander still beats it on efficiency ^[1][3].

Additional minerals include 1.77mg iron (10% DV), 26mg magnesium (6% DV), 48mg phosphorus (4% DV), and 0.50mg zinc (5% DV). A practical 30g bunch provides: 156mg potassium (3% DV), 20mg calcium (2% DV), and 0.53mg iron (3% DV). These are modest absolute amounts, but the near-zero caloric cost makes coriander a free mineral contribution to any meal ^[1].

For food logging, coriander's mineral profile is genuinely impressive per 100g, but honest portion-size accounting matters. Track it for what it is: a daily accumulation of trace minerals at zero caloric cost, not a primary mineral source in any single serving.

Beyond its well-known vitamin A, coriander leaves provide 62mcg folate per 100g (16% DV) and 2.5mg vitamin E per 100g (17% DV) — two micronutrients rarely associated with garnish herbs. The folate content is higher than lettuce (29mcg), tomato (15mcg), and cucumber (7mcg), but lower than spinach (194mcg). The vitamin E content exceeds most leafy greens: spinach has 2.0mg, lettuce 0.18mg, and kale 1.5mg per 100g ^[1][2].

A 30g bunch provides 18.6mcg folate (5% DV) and 0.75mg vitamin E (5% DV). A 50g chutney base provides 31mcg folate (8% DV) and 1.25mg vitamin E (8% DV). These are not headline contributions, but for anyone tracking folate intake — particularly important for women of childbearing age — fresh coriander is a measurable daily source ^[1].

For food journaling, coriander's vitamin E and folate are bonus entries that appear alongside its vitamin A and mineral contributions. Per calorie, this is one of the most micronutrient-packed garnish herbs: 23 kcal delivers measurable percentages of five different daily values (vitamins A, C, E, folate, and potassium).

Dried coriander leaves look extraordinary on paper: 279 kcal, 42.5mg iron (236% DV), 1,246mg calcium (96% DV), 4,466mg potassium (95% DV), and 694mg magnesium (165% DV) per 100g. But nobody uses 100g of dried coriander leaves. A teaspoon (0.6g) provides just 1.7 kcal, 0.25mg iron (1.4% DV), 7.5mg calcium (0.6% DV), and 27mg potassium (0.6% DV) ^[1][4].

The concentration factor from fresh to dried is roughly 12x for most minerals (100g fresh → ~8g dried equivalent), but vitamin A drops from 337mcg to 293mcg RAE per 100g dried — suggesting beta-carotene degradation during dehydration. Vitamin C, paradoxically, appears concentrated at 566.7mg per 100g dried, but the real-world contribution per teaspoon is just 3.4mg ^[1].

For food journaling, always select the correct variant (fresh vs. dried) when logging. The dried form should be tracked in teaspoon or tablespoon measures, not grams. A tablespoon of dried coriander (1.8g) adds 5 kcal and trace minerals — meaningful over months of daily use but negligible in a single meal.

The distinctive aroma and flavor of coriander leaves comes from volatile compounds — primarily linalool (accounting for 26–40% of essential oil), decanal (responsible for the soapy taste some people perceive), and 2-decenal. These compounds are present at concentrations of 0.03–0.10% of fresh weight and are completely invisible to standard nutrition panels ^[2][3].

The genetic basis for coriander taste perception is well-documented: approximately 4–14% of the population carries the OR6A2 olfactory receptor variant that makes coriander taste soapy. This is a genetic trait, not a nutritional one, but it directly affects whether this herb appears in someone's food log at all ^[3].

Beyond volatile oils, coriander leaves contain quercetin (a flavonoid found at ~5mg per 100g fresh), kaempferol, and various phenolic acids. These polyphenols are not measured in standard USDA nutrient panels. For food journaling purposes, they represent an invisible phytonutrient layer that distinguishes coriander from other garnish herbs.