Cumin plays a significant medicinal role apart from the unique flavor and aroma it adds to our food. So, in this article, let’s share some of the amazing cumin benefits you’ll get by using this spice regularly.
Cumin has the capacity to ramp up your dishes instantly with its distinctive flavor and aroma, while it also works as a preservative that hinders food spoilage. In addition, this spice is known for its precious medicinal properties, which have been used since the olden ages up to date. Cumin is further used as a natural mouth freshener and incorporated into DIY skin care remedies.
So, keep reading to discover how effectively this precious culinary ingredient would work with regular consumption.
The Most Impressive Benefits Of Cumin
Most commonly used as whole seeds or in ground form, cumin is undoubtedly a spice that adds tons of flavor and aroma to our favorite foods. Like many spices, this also contains distinctive health benefits since it contains an important phytochemical known as Cuminaldehyde.
Most Indian, Sri Lankan, African and Mexican households consider cumin as a kitchen staple mainly because of the medicinal value these small seeds carry. So, read the rest of this section to learn how exactly cumin benefits you in numerous ways.
Cumin Benefits In Cooking
Cumin is literally one of the most aromatic and flavorful spices that lie in your spice cabinet. In fact, if you need the flavor and aroma of this spice to disperse evenly throughout a certain dish, your best bet would be ground cumin more than the whole seeds.
This spice is mostly associated with spicy or savory foods. It essentially emphasizes the taste of root vegetables like beets and carrots while adding a depth of complexity to other vegetarian dishes like mushrooms, tofu, and paneer.
Moreover, since the olden days, cumin has been used as a natural preservative that hinders food spoilage. So, it is considered a must-use with rich and deeply-flavored dishes like stews, coconut milk-based curries, grilled meat and chicken, lamb, pork, beef, etc.
Even though it is not widely used as a baking spice like cinnamon, cloves, or ground ginger still, whole or ground cumin is incorporated into many baked goods. This spice is mainly used in desserts or baked goods for its unusual yet delicious flavor that could pair with the sweetness or deep texture of bread, buns, spiced cakes, etc.
Health Benefits Of Cumin
01- It Helps Digestion And Urinary Tract Infections
Cumin is a known ingredient that has been employed by Ayurveda in preparing decoctions made to treat ingestion, bloating, vomiting and diarrhea. It is also used for abdominal distension, discomfort in the chest, and all other digestive-related conditions.
Cumin extract is also used in modern pharmacology thanks to its unparalleled carminative property. Moreover, a recently-published study concluded that this spice also contains potent antimicrobial properties that could fight against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli which are agents involved in urinary tract infections.
Asians (mostly Indians and Sri Lankans) often consume cumin water prepared in several ways. They either steep whole cumin seeds in normal water at night and drink them in the morning or boil toasted cumin seeds in water and consume the concoction to treat many digestive and urine infections.
This spice is also infused in medicated tonics like Gripe Water to soothe abdominal pains, indigestion, and loss of appetite in infants, puppies, or kittens.
02- Aids In Weight Loss And Obesity
Several clinical trials and studies have claimed that cumin has promising results in supporting weight loss and obesity.
One study done in 2014 shows that overweight women who took a healthy diet followed by cumin powder showed improvements in weight reduction, waist circumference, and fat mass.
Another clinical trial conducted in 2015 with the participation of 78 overweight participants showed similar results when they were given cumin capsules for eight weeks. This study concluded that these participants showed identical results similar to another popular medication given to treat obesity.
03- It Contains Anti-Bacterial And Anti-Viral Properties
As mentioned previously, cumin is a spice loaded with antioxidants. Therefore, it has potential benefits in fighting against bacteria, viral infections, and certain chronic diseases.
Research published in 1994 concludes that volatile cumin oil is effective in treating yeast and fungal infections like Candida and Saccharomyces.
Another study also acknowledges that cumin helps to kill harmful bacteria that try to attack the immune system of humans, explaining why it has been occupied as a food preservative since the olden ages.
04- Controls Bad Cholesterol Levels In The Body
Cumin is considered to have a hypolipidemic effect that supports our body in controlling high fat and harmful cholesterol levels that welcomes heart diseases. A study published in 2002 explains that cumin helps to reduce tissue cholesterol, phospholipids, free fatty acids, and triglycerides.
Another study also proved that dissolved cumin in yogurt helps decrease (LDL) bad cholesterol levels. And those who ingested the cumin powder also had higher levels of high-density lipoprotein, or “good,” cholesterol.
05- It Helps To Regulate High Blood Sugar And Treat Diabetes
As aforementioned, the hypolipidemic property of this spice also helps in a noteworthy reduction in blood glucose and a boost in total hemoglobin and glycosylated hemoglobin. Moreover, cumin supplementation was also found very effective in treating diabetes mellitus.
The versatility of cumin is simply unparalleled- it flavors and aromatizes our dishes while being a powerhouse of mighty antioxidants.
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06- Improves The Symptoms Of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
A study conducted in 2013 included 57 patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome who were treated with cumin extract for 2-4 weeks. The results were amazing as there were significant improvements.
Abdominal pain, bloating, incomplete defecation, fecal urgency, and presence of mucus discharge in stool in these patients were significantly reduced during and after treatment with Cumin extract. In addition, stool consistency and defecation frequency were also both statistically improved in patients with a constipation-prevailing pattern of IBS.
07- Treats Insomnia
Among the many medicinal properties of cumin, it is also found that it is effective in treating insomnia. This spice has an important compound known as melatonin which could induce sleep.
So, it is believed that you could get good, undisturbed sleep by eating a mashed banana with ground cumin or by drinking cumin tea before bed.
08- Helps To Improve Skin Health
Our topic leader is known for its anti-inflammatory properties. Hence, this effect helps you in getting immediate comfort from skin allergies and stings. It essentially relieves the skin and helps in controlling any inflammation caused due to allergies.
Moreover, the antibacterial properties of cumin support killing the bacteria on the skin and healing acne. Also, washing your face with cumin water and DIY face packs or face exfoliators made with ground cumin helps to get bright, glowing, nourished, problem-free skin.
09- Boosts Brain Health
We don’t literally have to explain the importance of brain health to a human being. In fact, the functioning of our entire system is correlated to our brain or cognitive function, and therefore it is crucial to maintain its health.
So, cumin can be a natural, effective, and safer way to improve your brain function. A study published in 2021 exhibits the effectiveness of cuminaldehyde, claiming that cumin extracts induced neuroprotective, learning, and memory enhancement.
Furthermore, due to the potent anti-inflammatory property of cumin, it could also improve symptoms of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease, protecting the brain against neurodegenerative conditions.
Other Benefits Of Cumin
If you have ever been to an Indian restaurant to relish their spicy menus, you must have enjoyed the tiny white candies that some of them serve free of charge after every meal.
If so, have you ever wondered what that mouth-freshening ingredient inside those sweets was? Let us enlighten you, friends- they are cumin!
So yes, with all the flavor, aroma, and health benefits that cumin comes with, it is also used as a natural breath freshener that could take out some of the off-putting aftertaste certain food could leave in your mouth. If you also want to try them out, you can buy these tiny candies from Indian stores or online sites.
You Just Discovered The Best Benefits Of Cumin…
Spices are, in fact, one of the most wonderful creations of nature since they often play multi roles in our households. These tiny guys can do wonders with your spicy, savory, sweet dishes or baked goods, flavoring and aromatizing them while giving exceptional health benefits. At the same time, it could also be used as an effective ingredient in your DIY skincare regime and will be helpful as a natural mouth freshener.
