Best Health Benefits of Cumin That You Didn't Know

Best Health Benefits of Cumin That You Didn't Know

Cumin seeds contain nutrients like Iron, copper and magnesium. It contains manganese, Vitamin B1, calcium and phosphorus. These seeds are used in Indian and Mexican cooking. The Iron present in cumin improves the health of immune system. It is also beneficial for women who suffer from Iron deficiency due to menstruation. These seeds are antiseptic and anti carcinogenic in nature. Chewing cumin seeds helps in curing acidity. The seed dries the mucous, thus curing cough. It also helps the body in absorbing nutrients. The seeds help liver in eliminating toxins. Cumin is good for the skin also as it helps in treating boils and other skin diseases. 

Aids Digestion
Cumin is a popular ingredient in Ayurveda for digestive problems, such as stomach pain, indigestion, diarrhea, flatulence, nausea and morning sickness.

It stimulates the secretion of pancreatic enzymes that support digestion. It even works as a great acid neutralizer to fight stomach acidity. Plus, being carminative in nature, it reduces gas-related problems.

A 2008 study published in Food Chemistry highlighted the digestive benefits of cumin.

Mix 1 teaspoon of roasted cumin seed powder in a glass of water. Drink it once or twice daily.
You can even add ¼ teaspoon each of roasted cumin seed powder and black pepper to a glass of buttermilk and drink it once daily.

Cures Bloating
Abdominal bloating makes the stomach feel full and tight due to gas buildup in the small intestine. This can lead to stomach pain and abdominal discomfort.

Bloating can occur due to a number of factors, such as constipation, indigestion, premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

A 2013 study published in the Middle East Journal of Digestive Diseases says that cumin extract is effective in improving all IBS symptoms, including bloating.

Bring 1 cup of water to boil.
Add 1 pinch each of ground cumin, ginger powder and sea salt along with ½ teaspoon of fennel seeds.
Simmer for 5 minutes.
Strain, allow it to cool and drink it.
Repeat as needed.

Cures Itchiness and Body Heat

If you are suffering from body heat and skin itchiness, you can put some cumin seeds in boiled water. Once it is cooled, take a bath with that water

Anti-Ageing Benefits

Vitamin E present in cumin triggers the anti-ageing processes within the body, thus preventing pre mature ageing symptoms. It acts as an antioxidant to combat the free radicals that attack the skin and cause signs of ageing like wrinkles, age spots and sagging skin. This combination of antioxidant effect and antibacterial capacity of cumin provides you with a healthy, beautiful skin that lasts far into your old age

Improves digestion
The presence of thymol and other essential oils in cumin seeds stimulate the salivary glands thereby helping in the digestion of  food. Apart from this, it strengthens a sluggish digestive system. Hence, if you do suffer from indigestion try drinking some jeera tea. Apart from that this jeera-banana combo can help you lose weight too.
Tip: Add a teaspoon of cumin seeds to a glass of water and bring it to a boil. Once the water turns brown, turn off the gas and cover the vessel. Allow the decoction to cool down to room temperature. Drink this tea three times a day to improve digestion and to help resolve minor stomach aches. If you want the tea to be a little mild, you can add some cumin seeds to a glass of boiling hot water and cover it. Let it steep and then decant the water.

Beats constipation
Due to its high fibre content, jeera boosts the activity of the gastrointestinal tract which in turn stimulates enzyme secretion. This is why jeera powder is commonly  used as a  natural laxative. In fact, its laxative properties are so powerful that Ayurveda practitioners believe that it is capable of preventing and healing severe digestive disorders like piles.
Tip: To get relief from constipation, roast jeera seeds on a tawa till they turn deep brown. Now, cool them and grind them into a fine powder. Mix this powder with water or honey and consume it on an empty stomach. Another good remedy is to have some freshly prepared jeera tea.

Fights cancer
According to the studies conducted by the Cancer Research Laboratory of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, USA, jeera can help in the fight against cancer. This is because it contains an active compound, known as cuminaldehyde that helps in retarding the growth of tumours. However, this  anti-cancer property was confined to kala jeera.
Tip: Don’t forget to add a pinch of jeera to your dal as seasoning or sprinkle few seeds over a gravy to reap its benefits.

Improves Milk Production in Mothers
Eating cumin seeds in food and drink its water improves the breast feeding in the lactating mother.

Treats Asthma
Jeera/Cumin seeds act as a good bronchodilator and have a compound called Thymoquinone which helps in reducing the inflammations and treating asthma.

Diabetes
Although research is still ongoing, early studies report that cumin, among a number of other spices, can have a powerful effect in preventing diabetes by reducing the chances of hypoglycemia. The animals that were tested showed a sharp decline in hypoglycemia when fed cumin seeds in their diet, and they also showed a decrease in glucosuria, which is a condition where the urine contains too much glucose, also resulting in hypoglycemia and diabetes. Human testing is ongoing, but early reports show that cumin can be a very powerful tool in the battle against diabetes!

Insomnia
This is a very peculiar property of cumin. It is a stimulant as well as a relaxant at the same time. This property cannot be attributed to a single component alone, just as causes of insomnia cannot be attributed to a single cause. However, studies show that the proper intake of vitamins (particularly B-complex) and good digestion help to induce a sound sleep. Cumin helps in both of these factors. Some of the components of cumin essential oil are hypnotic in nature and have tranquilizing effects, which also help to relieve stress and anxiety that commonly causes insomnia.