A tasty spice costing just 6p a serving might help reduce your chances of developing certain severe health conditions. Research suggests that coriander seeds may assist in reducing cholesterol levels and blood pressure.

This could also lower yourlikelihood of related problems including heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. Coriander seeds, which are also used as ground coriander, are a key ingredient in many dishes like curries and stews.

A study, featured in the Journal of Environmental Biology in 2008, involved giving coriander seeds to laboratory rats. The findings revealed that rodents consuming the seeds showed reduced levels of "bad" cholesterol, termed low-density lipoprotein, whilst displaying elevated levels of "good" cholesterol - high-density lipoprotein.

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The research noted: "The level of low density lipoprotein (LDL) and very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol decreased while that of high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol increased in the experimental group compared to the control group."

Additionally, research published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology in 2009 found that the seeds - or fruit - of the herb could effectively reduce blood pressure - or hypertension.

The study states: "These results indicate that coriander fruit exhibits gut stimulatory, inhibitory and hypotensive effects mediating possibly through cholinergic, Ca(2+) antagonist and the combination of these mechanisms respectively.

"Diuretic activity adds value to its use in hypertension." Generally speaking, a normal total cholesterol reading in the blood should be five or less millimoles per litre (mmol/l). More precisely, a normal high-density lipoprotein level should be one or more mmol/l.

Meanwhile, your low-density lipoprotein should measure four or less mmol/l. To determine whether your cholesterol levels are elevated, your GP will need to carry out a blood test.

If you have concerns about your blood pressure, you should monitor it using a home testing kit or request that a pharmacist or doctor takes your reading.

Coriander seeds can be used in cooking whole or you can buy them ground as a powder form. The plant of the coriander is also popularly used as a herb.

At the time of reporting, you could buy 36g of ground coriander from Sainsbury’s and Tesco for £1.10, working out as just 6p per 6g serving.