I keep a bunch of coriander in the fridge most weeks and it always outlives its welcome, so this juice started as a way of using up the last of it before it went yellow. It turned out to be one of the better green juices I make. Coriander is grassy and quite punchy on its own, which is exactly why it needs a sharp green apple and a whole lime rather than anything sweet. Ten minutes, one bunch, two glasses.
Why these ingredients work
Coriander is the herb earning its place here rather than being thrown in at the end. Raw coriander leaves are one of the richest everyday sources of vitamin K there is, around 310 micrograms in every 100 g, and they carry a decent amount of vitamin A as well. A 50 g bunch split between two glasses puts a real amount of both in front of you.
The green apple does two jobs. It sweetens a herb that is not sweet at all, and its own acidity stops the glass tasting flat. The lime sharpens that further, and the ginger gives it a warm edge without turning it fiery. A glass works out at roughly 100 calories, so it is a light one.
One genuine caution while we are here. Because coriander is so high in vitamin K, this is not a juice to drink in unpredictable amounts if you take warfarin or another blood thinner. Keep it steady day to day and mention it to your GP at your next review.
FAQ
Does coriander juice actually detox your body?
Not in the way the internet means it. The idea that coriander pulls heavy metals out of your brain traces back to a small 2013 study in which coriander was given alongside chlorella to a handful of people, and the fact checkers who looked at the claim found it unproven. Your liver and kidneys do the filtering and no glass of juice speeds them up. What this drink honestly gives you is a light, fresh glass carrying a good amount of vitamin K, vitamin A and vitamin C.
Should I use the stems or only the leaves?
Both. The soft green stems hold a lot of the flavour and they go through a juicer without any trouble. Cut off the woody bottom inch or two of the bunch and use everything above it. If you are blending instead, chop the stems smaller so they break down properly.
Can I make it without a juicer?
Yes. Blend everything with 150 ml of cold water for about a minute, then strain it through a nut milk bag or a fine sieve and squeeze the pulp hard to get the liquid out. Unstrained it is a green smoothie rather than a juice and the texture is a different drink entirely. Both methods are in the card below.
More detox recipes: see the full Detox collection.
Coriander, Apple and Lime Juice
Equipment
- Nut milk bag
Ingredients
- 1 large bunch fresh coriander leaves and soft green stems, roughly 50 g
- 2 green apples Granny Smith, roughly 300 g, cored and cut to fit your juicer
- 1 lime unwaxed, peeled, as much of the white pith taken off as you can
- 2 cm fresh ginger peeled, roughly 10 g
Instructions
Juicer method
- Wash the coriander properly and shake it dry. You want the leaves and the soft green stems, about 50 g, and the tough lower stalks can go in the bin.
- Quarter and core the two green apples. Leave the skin on, that is where a lot of the flavour and colour sits.
- Peel the lime and take off as much of the white pith as you can, because the pith is what makes a juice bitter. Peel the ginger too.
- Feed the coriander through the juicer first, then the ginger, then the apples, then the lime. Running the apples through behind the herbs helps carry the coriander oils out of the machine and into the glass.
- Stir it once and pour it into two glasses. It is at its best straight away. In a sealed bottle in the fridge it holds its flavour for about 24 hours, though it will separate and want another stir before you drink it.
Blender method
- Roughly chop the coriander, the cored apples and the peeled lime and put them in the blender with the ginger and 150 ml of cold water.
- Blend on high for 45 to 60 seconds, until there are no chunks of apple left.
- Pour it through a nut milk bag or a fine sieve set over a jug, then squeeze the pulp hard to get all the liquid out. This is the step people skip and it is the difference between a juice and a green smoothie.
- Taste it before you pour. If your apples were sharp, add a touch more lime. If the coriander is very strong, a splash more water settles it.
- Serve straight away, over ice if you like it properly cold.