Cumin - Health Benefits

Cumin - Health Benefits

Scientific Name: Cuminum cyminum 
Family: Apiaceae
Part of Plant Used: Seeds 
This herb is a flowering plant from the parsley family and even its seeds are useful. 
Origin: Egypt 

History: The Bible makes mention of the spice in both soup and bread.It likely came into such favor due to the high price of pepper and the viability of cumin as an alternative.

It was even used to pay tithes to priests and Egyptian pharaohs were mummified with cumin. Also, some Arab cultures have regarded cumin as an aphrodisiac, using a paste of ground cumin, pepper, and honey.

Cumin also has the ability to give a pallid complexion, which Greek and Roman students used to try to convince their teachers that they had pulled all-nighters.

Health Benefits:

Cumin has a great iron and manganese content, which help to improve energy and metabolism. Cumin is yet another spice that is known to improve digestion.Studies have shown that cumin stimulates the pancreas to secrete the enzymes necessary for digestion and assimilation.Further, cumin has some excellent anti-oxidant properties and a study has shown that it protected lab animals from developing cancerous stomach and liver tumors.Cumin is your herb of choice. You can make a tea by boiling the seeds. Combine the cumin water with coriander leaf juice and salt.

If you grind them into a paste and mix with water, they can be made into a salve that is used topically to treat boils. The seeds are also full of iron. Incorporating them into your diet can enhance the functions of the liver. As you probably know, the liver helps to detoxify the blood. 

Do you have a cold? Cumin can help you manage the symptoms. Boil the seeds again and make a tea. Drink it several times a day to reduce the duration of your cold and also soothe a sore throat.

The Encyclopedia of Spices also lists some really cool medicinal properties.Cumin is claimed to in crease lactation and help with morning sickness. It is also claimed as treatment for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, diarrhea, flatulence, colic, breast and testicular swelling and indigestion. And for the ladies, if cancer prevention and gas relief isn’t enough, this wonder spice shows promise as a natural way of increasing breast size.