Cumin seeds are from cumin which is a native of Southeast Asia, also inclusive of the Middle East and belongs to the Apiaceae family.
Each of its seeds is consisting of a fruit that is dried up. The dried fruit of the herb Cuminum cyminum is used in cuisines. It is available in both-whole and ground form.
Cumin is enhancing the flavor and aroma for cooking. It gives an earthy, warm and also a slightly bitter flavor.
Commonly, cumin is called jeera.
Language | Name | Written as |
---|---|---|
Arabic | kamun | كمون |
Bengali | Jirā | জিরা |
Gujarati | Jīruṁ | જીરું |
Hindi | jeera | जीरा |
Malayalam | jīrakaṁ | ജീരകം |
Marathi | Jirē | जिरे |
Kannada | Jīrige | ಜೀರಿಗೆ |
Tamil | Cīrakam | சீரகம் |
Telugu | Jīlakarra | జీలకర్ర |
Urdu | Jira | جیرا |
Sanskrit | jiraka | जीरक |
Cumin is used for digestion purposes just as much it is used for cooking.
Cumin activates the digestive proteins more in our system. And because of that, the digestion process is sped up. Hence, our digestion is improved.
Source: PubmedCentral
Iron is essential for the making of red blood cells in our body. Cumin is rich in iron naturally. Limited food items are naturally possessing this amount of iron as cumin.
Source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
A study supported this benefit cumin offers. It helped people lose weight with daily consumption of cumin for weeks.
Source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
According to research, anti-diabetic properties are found in the spices commonly used in everyday cooking. Cumin also possesses that property and helps in the prevention of the disease.
Source: Pubmed Central
Cumin extracts may contain anti-inflammatory effects. Although. it is still not clear if it really helps with inflammation in our body.
Source: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Cumin helps prevent infectious bacteria present in food to grow. Thus, the reduction in the growth of the bacterias helps with the prevention of the illnesses caused because of it.
Source: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Though there is not enough evidence available on it yet Cumin has to lead to miscarriages in the past. So it is not beneficial for pregnant ladies to use it.
Cumin also slows down blood clotting. So it can be harmful to those who suffer from blood disorders.
Cumin can lower your blood sugars. People diagnosed with diabetes needs to keep their blood sugars in check if they use cumin more.
Cumin can also cause diarrhea, gas, bowel spasms.
Source: drugs.com
Ground cumin adds an earthy, spicy, nutty warm flavor with a bit of bitterness to it.
Blends of a chili powder mainly consist of its chili peppers. But some other ingredients are also inclusive in small amounts including cumin.
Cumin does not contain capsaicin. Yet the main chemical in cumin is very similar to capsaicin, giving it its peppery taste.
The essential oil extracted from cumin is found to have anti-inflammatory properties.
Source: Pubmed Central
Cumin can be used in both whole and powdered form. It is used in many blends in powder form as well as individually. People use it commonly in a curry as a whole, and in powdered form as well. Besides, cumin seeds are also used in cooking for tempering the dishes.
The medicines that help in preventing blood clotting are anticoagulants, given to people at high risk of clotting. Cumin also causes blood clotting to slow down.
Source: rxlist.com
The color difference, with black cumin being darker is prominent. But besides that significant difference, its aroma also differs. Black cumin produces thinner seeds in comparison and its aroma is also less pungent. Moreover, black cumin’s flavor is more reminiscent of fennel and is sweeter.