Health Benefits of Cumin ( Jeera )

Cumin is an intergral part of Indian Cooking, this is probably the first spice that i must have sensed with my olfactory sensors while i was just a day old and my mom was having the Hareera ( a jiggery syrup made with infusing lots of Cumin ).Well i don’t remember that but it happened for sure, Cumin is a spice made from the seeds of the Cuminum cyminum plant and that why named Cumin or Jeera in hindi. Its lends a distinctive flavour to Indian curries , I cant imagine my moong dal khichdi without jeera.

Cumin is known for its health benefits cumin is traditionally known for, including promoting digestion and reducing food-borne infections, promoting weight loss and improving blood sugar control and cholesterol.

Promotes Digestion

If you are in India and get Sick , you obviously get on khicdhi diet thats been a traditional food for sick people in India so much so that at times having Khichdhi is synonym to being sick. The most common traditional use of cumin is for indigestion. it may increase the activity of digestive enzymes, potentially speeding up digestion process. It is known for increasing the release Bile from the liver and Bile happens to help digest fats & other nutrients in the gut. Therefore helps in the activity of digestion

Fights Inflammation

There are several components of cumin that may have anti-inflammatory effects, Cumin contains multiple plant compounds that decrease inflammation. Eating Khichdi when any kind of inflammation occurs is traditional for the same reason, whatever may be the weather but this one is always at your rescue, either you get cold or you have high fever.

Rich in Iron

If you think only green vegetables have iron, than you must know Cumin seeds are naturally rich in iron . It helps in fighting Iron deficiency particularly in children. If we recall the first liquid food that Indian kids have is Khichdi (moong daal made with rice )and only spice it has is cumin , along with asafoetida. Few foods are as iron-dense as cumin. Cumin is such good iron source of iron, that even when used in small amounts as a seasoning can help.

Contains Beneficial Plant Compounds

Cumin contains lots of plant compounds that are linked with potential health benefits, including terpenes, phenols, flavonoids and alkaloids .These may sound as heavy names but all they do is function as antioxidants, which are chemicals that reduce damage to your body from free radicals

The oxidation of fatty acids in our arteries can leads to clogged arteries and heart disease, may also leads to inflammation in diabetes, and the antioxidants reverses this. Cumin contains antioxidants that stabilize free radicals.

Helps in Diabetes

Some of cumin’s components have shown promise helping to treat diabetes that can be seen through various researches done.Cumin also contains components that counter some of the long-term effects of diabetes. Cumin supplements improve blood sugar

May Improve Blood Cholesterol

Cumin also improves blood cholesterol levels , and this is shown in various studies also.

Promotes Weight Loss and Fat Reduction

I had been given a diet that starts with having Jeera water in the morning to deal with weight loss, and if we look at this than definitely it has benefits that can help in fat reduction in our body and coupled with easing the digestion problem cumin does help in weight loss as a result of both.

May Prevent Food-Borne Illnesses

One of cumin’s traditional roles in seasoning may have been for food safety.Cumin, has antimicrobial properties that may reduce the risk of food-borne infections .Cumin reduce the growth of food-borne bacteria and certain kinds of infectious fungi.