Health Benefits of Cumin

Health Benefits

• Cumin seeds contain numerous phyto-chemicals that are known to have antioxidant, carminative and anti-flatulent properties. The seeds are an excellent source of dietary fiber.
• A study by researchers at Mysore University in India explored the potential anti-diabetic properties of cumin. In this study, published in 1998 in the journal “Nutrition Research,” the research team fed diabetes-induced rats a diet of 1.25 percent ground cumin for eight weeks with positive results.
• People take cumin for digestion problems including diarrhea, colic, bowel spasms, and gas. Cumin is also used to increase urine flow to relieve bloating (as a diuretic), to start menstruation and to increase sexual desire (as an aphrodisiac).
• Its seeds contain certain health-benefiting essential oils such as cuminaldehyde (4-isopropylbenzaldehyde), pyrazines, 2-methoxy-3-sec-butylpyrazine, 2-ethoxy-3-isopropylpyrazine and 2-methoxy-3-methylpyrazine.
• The spice also contains very good amounts of B-complex vitamins such as thiamin, vitamin B-6, niacin, riboflavin and other vital anti-oxidant vitamins like vitamin E, vitamin A and vitamin C.
• The seeds are also a rich source of many flavonoid phenolic anti-oxidants such as carotenes, zea-xanthin and lutein.
• Its seeds are used to prepare beverage, which is sometimes used in treating flatulence and indigestion in traditional medicines.
• The seeds are used in traditional medicines to stave-off common cold.
• This spice is an excellent source of minerals like iron, copper, calcium, potassium, manganese, selenium, zinc and magnesium. Copper is required in the production of red blood Iron is required for red blood cell formation. Zinc is a cofactor in many enzymes that regulate growth and development, sperm generation, digestion and nucleic acid synthesis. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure. Manganese is used by the body as a cofactor for the powerful antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase.

Cumin (seed)

(Source: USDA National Nutrient data base)

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