Spices Health Facts: Cumin
Cumin is a Mediterranean spice that belongs to the parsley family. Cumin seeds are extensively used in the India, Asian, Africana and Latin American cuisine. They are marketed in many parts of the world including Western countries as either whole or ground seeds.
Cumin seeds have numerous health benefits because of its natural components:
- *Contains phyto-chemicals which have antioxidant and anti-flatulent properties
*Is a good source of dietary fibers
*Is very rich in important minerals such as iron, calcium, copper, potassium, selenium, manganese, magnesium and zinc
*Contains significant amount of vitamins B-complex, A, C and E
* Contains antioxidant properties
Health Benefits of Cumin
- Anemia – Cumin contains more than 66 mg of iron per 100 grams. It is five times more than the daily iron requirement of an adult. Including cumin in the diet can alleviate or help prevent the symptoms of anemia.
- Common cold – To boost your immune system especially during cold seasons, boil a cup of water with cumin seed and drink it when you start to feel the symptoms of cold or flu. Cumin has antiseptic and antiviral properties which can help fight flu and cold.
- Boils – Cumin contains a significant amount of Thymol and Cuminaldehyde which help in detoxification. Since boils is caused by toxins in the body, regularly including cumin in your diet can help prevent boils and other skin problems such as rashes and pimples.
- Cancer – The anti-carcinogenic properties found in cumin as well as its chemo-preventive and detoxifying properties can help prevent certain types of cancers especially colon cancer.
- Constipation – Cumin is a rich source of dietary fiber which can help prevent constipation.
- Digestive disorders – Cumin tea which is prepared by boiling a teaspoon of cumin seeds with a glass of water and a pinch of salt is excellent for treating digestive disorders such as diarrhea, indigestion, dyspepsia as well as nausea and morning sickness among pregnant women.
- Insomnia – There are some properties in cumin seeds that make it an excellent relaxant. If you have a problem in sleeping, try to drink cumin tea before sleeping.
- Lactation problem – The presence of Thymol in cumin seeds can aid in lactation. Thymol helps in increasing the secretion of milk from mammary glands. Additionally, cumin seeds are also rich in calcium which is an important component in milk. If you are a lactating mother, including cumin seeds in your daily diet as well as drinking cumin tea with honey can alleviate lactation problems.
- Piles and other wounds in digestive and excretory system – Most of the wounds in the digestive and excretory system are caused by constipation. Because cumin seeds are rich in dietary fiber which helps prevent constipation, these wounds can also be prevented. Also, the antimicrobial and antifungal properties of cumin seeds can help speed up healing from infections in digestive and excretory systems.
- Respiratory Disorders – Cumin is also ideal for people suffering from respiratory disorders such as asthma because of its anti-congestive properties.
- Skin Disorders – Vitamin E is good for the skin. It is responsible for keeping the skin glowing and free from any skin problem. And since cumin is rich in vitamin E as well as having antimicrobial and antifungal properties, cumin prevents skin problems. If you are suffering from any skin problem such as acne, rashes, and pimples, prepare a cumin paste composed of ground cumin seeds and a small amount of water and apply topically to the affected area.
We can see that cumin seeds have a lot of amazing health benefits. To enjoy these health benefits, make sure to add a dash of cumin seeds into your daily diet.
