Spices play an essential role in adding more taste to our food especially Indian spices. Cumin(Jeera) seed is a herb with a nutty, peppery flavor and is commonly used in most households. The scientific name of cumin is Cuminum cyminum. It originated in Egypt and is now used everywhere across the globe. Traditionally, cumin has been used to reduce inflammation.
Cumin seeds are consumed to avoid gastric problems, increase urination, and aiding digestion are amongst a few of the many benefits of eating cumin. However, over a period. of time, various researches have been conducted to know more about the medicinal properties of these tiny aromatic seeds we call jeera in India. Sharing the typical benefits of Jeera seeds in our daily life.
Cumin is a part of every Indian kitchen.
Cumin or Jeera as it is popularly known is a must-have ingredient for every Indian Kitchen. It not only adds aroma to the food but has a lot of nutritional benefits too given it is rich in Vitamins and minerals like iron, copper magnesium, and so on.
Table of Contents
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Benefits of Cumin For Health & Wellness
1. Cancer Treatment and Prevention
Research says spices like black cumin has cancer-preventing properties. It can avoid cancer cell multiplication. This is due to its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and immunomodulatory benefits found in black cumin (Nigella Sativa)
2. Cumin Helps in Controlling Blood Sugar
Jeera Seed is used as a hypoglycemic agent, meaning it helps in controlling blood sugar and, as a result, diabetes. It reduces the A1C levels of blood glucose which are the glucose attached to RBC. It is helpful for treating type -II diabetes.
3. Memory Booster
It is supposed to be used in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. It has a favorable implication on the central nervous system, which eventually helps in improving memory.
4. Cumin is a Rich Source of Iron
Iron is a crucial component required by the body for the transportation of oxygen. It is an essential part of hemoglobin and is necessary for the assembly of red blood cells.
Cumin seeds are a superb source of iron. The deficiency of iron may result in anemia. An anemic person feels dizzy and tired, drinking a glass of cumin-infused tea could help in reducing this tiredness and lethargy.
5. For Treating Respiratory Disorders
Cumin seeds are used to treat respiratory problems like asthma, allergies, and cough. Emphysema, bronchitis, the flu, congestion also can be managed with jeera seeds. Cumin oil helps in controlling respiratory problems like bronchitis, asthma, etc.
6. Healing of Piles
Piles occur due to constipation and infections within the anal tract. Cumin helps in the healing of diseases within the digestive and excretory systems. Add one teaspoon of shah jeera powder in one glass of water and drink in the early morning to get benefited from the problem of piles.
7. Aids In Digestion
Cumin contains thymol which stimulates the salivary glands. It also helps in the digestion of food and strengthening of the gastrointestinal system along with improved nutrient assimilation.
Like many herbs, jeera (cumin) has medicinal benefits and is used for diseases of the alimentary canal for treating coughs and chest colds. Scientific evidence suggests cumin may aid digestion by stimulating enzymes to interrupt down the food you eat.
8. Relieves Pain
Cumin is used as a painkiller, especially a toothache and acute stomach pains. Some herbalists also recommend cumin seeds to relieve carpal tunnel syndrome (A condition, where-in hand and arms undergo numbness)
As cumin is a rich source of iron, it is also given to pregnant women to improve blood flow and maintain good health of the mother.
9. Uses of Cumin Seeds For Women
Cumin seeds stimulate and help increase milk flow for nursing mothers. When it is used to treat allergies, it has an antihistamine effect.
10. Reduce foodborne illness
Eating unhygienic or contaminated food can cause foodborne illness and stomach pain. Drinking cumin water can help to reduce food-related health risks.
Cumin release a chemical constituent called megalomycin that reduces the growth of foodborne microorganism responsible for causing stomach pain. The antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties of cumin seeds are used for reducing the infection caused by foodborne microbes.
11. Cumin Tea and their benefits
Cumin tea or Jeera tea has a high therapeutic value. To prepare the same, simply boil some Jeera seeds in a cup of water and strain it in your tea-cup. You may add drops of honey to improve the taste and for better results. It serves as a low-calorie drink for a person doing workouts.
It also helps to spice up the system during cold and flu season. This tea is also helpful if you have a throat infection or swelling in the neck. Cumin tea also makes the digestion process faster and prevent problems of acidity.
12. Cumin Seeds as cosmetics
It has the advantage of softening the skin and strengthening hair and nails. Cumin seeds are used in the preparation of moisturizing cream to reap the benefits of healthier skin. Their standard dosage doesn’t show any toxic effects or adverse reactions.
Home remedies using cumin
Cumin powder can be mixed up with turmeric and honey and used as a face pack for glowing skin and removing acne and pimples. It also acts as an antiseptic for treating an infection on your skin.
Washing your face with cumin water removes skin tanning due to sunlight.
Applying cumin paste to the hair prevents hair loss and promotes healthy growth of hair follicles.
Heating cumin oil and gently massaging the scalp helps to strengthen your hair.
1. Cumin as Toxins Neutralizing agents
The saponin constituents present in black cumin help to clean the toxic metabolites in the body and purification of blood from poisonous substances. It is a pro-immunity builder for all. Black Cumin benefits our body by sending all the dead and decaying microbes from the tissue towards the spleen for degradation.
2. Antioxidant property for removing cholesterol
Cumin contains chemical constituents like terpenes, phenols, flavonoids, and alkaloids. This chemical has functional therapeutic importance in the maintenance of health. The antioxidant property of Cumin(Jeera) seed also comes from the above chemical supplements.
Thus, it increases the speed of healing faster. The important thing is that it doesn’t allow the oxidation of fatty acid and stops the deposition of cholesterol in the arteries.
3. Immunomodulatory action
Jeera can make your immune system more active. It promotes blood flow and treats inflammation in the various parts of the body, as a result, the white blood and phagocytic cells go on increasing and prepare the body to fight against an upcoming antigen in the future.
Someone drinking Cumin(Jeera) seed water regularly is likely to not get infected from any type of microbial disease. Jeera water helps in maintaining the immune system healthier.
4. Jeera water for weight loss
It is most helpful for those people who want to lose their weight. But, make sure to maintain the diet in addition to intaking cumin water. Eating fatty foods and cumin water will not show the result as they act opposite to each other.
Drinking cumin water in the early morning can meltdown maximum cholesterol deposits in the body. In the long term, this can be useful for lowering weight. Therefore, Cumin water benefits us in weight loss too.
5. Aphrodisiac property and Infertility treatment
Cumin also acts as a measure to manage issues related to sexual wellness. It is believed to serve as an enabler to raise testosterone levels in males. It also believed to increases sperm count and semen volume. This property can be used by mixing jeera water with some black pepper and honey.
6. Improves Bone Density
Black cumin seeds are rich in calcium and help in improving bone density. It can also reduce the problem of osteoporosis for old age people. Applying black cumin oil in knees and elbows also helps to reduce pain in joints. The antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activities of Cumin are responsible for preventing the deterioration of the bone tissue.
7. Hydration of cells and prevent dehydration
Cumin benefits health in many different ways and hydration of cells is one of the most crucial ones that everyone must know. It is the best natural medication for those who have problems with dehydration and vertigo. Cumin(Jeera) seed water is best for keeping the cell hydrated.
It can maintain the electrolytic balance inside the body and saves your energy in doing massive work. It makes your mood awaken and doesn’t let you feel dizziness.
Consuming jeera water while going to work under sunlight or warm area is a useful step to reduce the risk of feeling dizzy. If you end up having to miss breakfast, then drinking cumin water can even help you to manage your empty stomach and will help you to not feel weak. Jeera water benefits us by maintaining the water balance in the body cells and keeps the body more alert.
8. Reduces Periods Pain in the menstrual cycle
Cumin seeds also help in reducing pain during the menstrual cycle in women. As Cumin has excellent anti-inflammatory properties, it also acts as an analgesic and gives some pain relief.
9. Cumin water preparation for curing health issues
Cumin water simply means mixing cumin in water. The water is boiled and cooled down to make it an excellent health drink. Doing this brings out all the cumin aldehyde constituents, which are quite helpful for the functioning of digestive enzymes. This chemical, when just sniffed, rouses the digestive enzymes. It also controls the acid regulation and protects from peptic ulcers.
What is Cumin tea? Benefits of this potent Ayurvedic drink
Now that we know all about the high nutritional value of cumin seeds, we should also look at ways in which we can consume cumin beyond adding it to veggies and dals. Cumin is enjoyed as a tea as well. Using honey instead of sugar while making cumin tea can bring more nutritional value in the drink.
Health benefits for Cumin Tea
1. Alertness
Cumin tea keeps you awake and helps you focus on your work. Cumin(Jeera) seed tea helps in improving blood circulation in your brain, and thus it is good for those who want to stay motivated and alert at work.
2. Mood relaxant
Using Cumin(Jeera) seed in tea also works for relief from stress. It doesn’t let your brain feel dizzy and sleepy. Thus it increases the dopamine and serotonin concentration in the nerve supply and can be an excellent mood relaxant.
3. Antidepressant
The chemical composition of most of the antidepressant drugs contains the same chemical supplements as that of Cumin. Karunjeeragam benefits the mind by performing the same function of MAO inhibitors and helps both in parkinsonian and depression-like syndrome. It can give us relief from depression by working like Monoamine oxidase inhibitors.
4. Relief from cold
Tea can relieve cold and cough if used with Ginger. Cumin(Jeera) seed tea can also play the same role if mixed with honey. It also helps in curing Rhenitis or nose running while suffering from cold or fever. It doesn’t treat for the viral disease but helps in managing the symptoms at the time of cold.
Health benefits for Cumin seed oil
Black jeera uses are very common in the treatment of skin problems. Most of the cosmetics and antiseptics products get manufactured from the constituents from black cumin seeds oil.
Some of the common home uses are the following:
1. Healthy skin
Apart from using jeera for weight loss, there are various other advantages for Cumin that make our skin more healthy. You may apply black cumin oil regularly to your face.
Using it especially during night time gives glowing skin. Vitamins like A, B complex helps in hydrating the skin, whereas fatty acids in black seed reduce the wrinkles. Decoloration, scars, skin pigmentation is often found treated with the regular use of black seed oil, especially due to the presence of Vit B3.
2. Psoriasis
Cumin(Jeera) seed oil is best for people having dry skin. Ayurvedic doctors also recommend applying cumin oil in case of skin swelling or skin allergy. Suffering from Odema due to skin allergy or any causes can be easily cured with the help of Cumin.
Karimjeerakam ingredients get inside the skin and reach the blood supply to quickly drain out the fluid deposition and heal the swelling in patients the same as a diuretic drug. It acts by inhibiting leukotrienes and showing an Anti-apoptotic effect on the skin.
3. Eczema
The oil of black Cumin(Jeera) seed has tremendous therapeutic value for the treatment of Eczema. Thus a person facing itching and burning sensation on the skin can apply it topically to cure the same. Research says lactic acid in Black Cumin (Nigella Sativa) has an antieczema effect, which eventually prevents itching and inflammation.
4. Managing Acne
Cumin oil also has anti-aging properties that can make your skin cells more healthy. People having acne problems can apply it on the face for clear skin. Acne is primarily caused due to extra oil stored in facial pores.
Essential fatty acids from the black seed oil help in flushing this access oil, thereby making skin flawless of acne. Applying this oil in the skin can also relieve you from antifungal infection.
5. Antiseptic properties
It has antimicrobial properties and hence kills pathogenic bacteria present in the tropical region.
6. Headache
Black Cumin oil is a great remedy for headaches. This method of curing headaches has been running since the traditional medicinal age. It is quite useful even in Migraine or stress or Sinusitis due to its anti-inflammatory, antihistaminic effects.
7. Hair loss
Cumin oil can be useful for hairs too. Researchers claim that black seed often known as Nigella Sativa is best for hair growth and prevents hair loss due to its antifungal properties. But most people don’t prefer to use it because it is a little pungent in comparison to other oils like olive or coconut oil.
But nowadays, the black seed oil is coming with artificial aromatic supplements that make it comfortable to use. Cold-pressed black seed oil can be mixed with carrier oils to remove flakiness from the scalp and to stimulate hair growth.
Benefits of Cumin in Ayurveda
Cumin has a wide variety of uses. Some of the preparations of Jeera seed in Ayurveda are the following:-
1. Jeerakadi Modaka
It is a dumpling form of medicine prepared from naturally extracted Jeera that is helpful in vaginal diseases, abdominal pain. Gastric disorders. Ayurvedic specialists preferred it as a general tonic for women. The dosage form includes the intake of 10-20gm daily as directed by the physician.
2. Jal jeera
It is a marketed cumin product that uses some preservative and tasting agents for using it as a readymade jeera water. It is more common in the summer season for spicing lemonade and cold drinks. Instead of this, there are various other benefits of drinking jeera water in maintaining the hygroscopicity in the body.
3. Jeerakadya Churnan
It is the crushed form of Jeera seed, that is mixed up with other ayurvedic supplements for giving more therapeutic value to the product. It is popularly useful in nursing jaundice and other liver induced syndrome.
4. Jirakadyarishta
It contains Cumin powder as an ingredient that helps to attend to intestinal and gynecological diseases.
The Side Effects of Cumin Water
1. Hypoglycemia
Cumin water can lower down the level of sugar in the body. So, there are chances of lowering down the blood glucose level in the blood. So don’t consume jeera water if you are a hypoglycemic patient. It is recommended not to drink cumin water if you are taking antidiabetic medication.
2. Lactation
Cumin can lower down the prolactin secretion in the female. This side effect is sporadic among females. But if the problem persists the must consult a doctor for knowing the reason.
3. Flatulence
Cumin helps in preventing the digestion and gastric related problems, so the people taking Cumin have to face the challenge of flatulence.
Typical uses of Black and White Cumin seeds
1. White Cumin(Jeera) seed
The seed of these varieties has slender branched stems that are about 30 cm tall. It is available across many countries in the world. The seeds of white cumin show many similar morphological similarities with anise and fennel seeds. It has a broader application in antiseptic and anti-carcinogenic pharma drugs.
White jeera is also known as Karunjeeragam in Tamil and Karunjeeragam helps in weight loss as it is highly rich in fiber and pushes you to avoid over-eating. You may swallow 3 mg of Karunjeeragam with warm water and have a spoon of honey post that for your weight loss regime.
2. Black Cumin(Jeera) seed
It is scientifically known by the name of Nigella sativa and also known as Kala jeera in India. This variety of Cumin has a vast application in the management of cancer and cardiac patients. Researches state that black cumin is a powerful natural medication for lowering the risk of atherosclerosis.
Kala jeera benefits us by decreasing the serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level and can be more useful for hypertensive patients. Black jeera benefits us also in the treatment of ganglionic cysts in hands
Conclusion
The method of treatment via natural products is prevalent from traditional times. The therapeutic equivalence of Cumin had made the idea for the development of new generic medicine in the modern age. It has become an essential ingredient of every kitchen. It is easily available both as seed and powder round the year.
You can follow some of the methods like drinking Cumin water and taking cumin seeds regularly to maintain natural immunity within your body. Needless to say, it detoxifies the body. We would recommend using different forms of Cumin under the guidance of a specialist.
Disclaimer – This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information before making any dietary changes.
