Benefits of Jeera / Cumin Seeds

Jeera/Cumin (belongs to the Apiaceae family) seeds are very famous for their medicinal benefits since ancient times .It has a spicy flavour and a slightly bitter taste. In India, cumin seeds are an important component of curry powder and “garam masala”. They are generally fried or roasted before usage. Cumin seeds are generally available dried or ground to a brownish-green powder. It has lots of pharmacological effects on the human body health because of its medicinal properties including anti-tumour, anti-diabetic, anti-epileptic, Immunologic, antimicrobial and etc activities.Jeera works as a spice, medicine, food and is used in many home remedies too. Cumin seed is commonly known as ‘Jeera’ in Hindi, ‘Jilakara‘ in Telugu, ‘Jeeragam‘ in Tamil, ‘Jeerakam‘ in Malayalam, ‘Jeerige‘ in Kannada, ‘Jeeru‘ in Gujarati, ‘Jeere‘ in Marathi and ‘Jeerey‘ in Bengali.

Cumin seeds are found in three colours- amber, white and black. The most common ones are the amber cumin seeds. The black cumin seeds have a complex flavor which is very different from the other two. Black cumin seeds or nigella are different from cumin seeds and are Known as “kalonji” in northern India and ‘kaalo jeere’ in Bengal and have a very pungent, powerful, sharp and slightly bitter flavor and a spicy-sweet aroma. Read on to know the Health Benefits of Jeera/Cumin Seeds:

Health Benefits of Cumin seeds / Jeera :

1) Boosts Immunity System

Jeera has antioxidant features that fight against impurities and free radicals in the body thus enhancing the body’s immunity and fighting diseases.

2) Helps treating Anaemia 

Because of its rich iron content, Jeera helps in treating anemia by maintaining the haemoglobin content of the blood. Iron is needed for the transportation of oxygen in the body. Daily consumption of cumin seeds will keep you protected from anaemia

3) Maintains Blood Sugar Level

Cumin Seeds/Jeera helps to lower the blood sugar levels and thus helps in maintaining proper blood content levels in the body. Consuming jeera daily helps in maintaining blood sugar levels in diabetics.

4)Rehydrates and keeps the body fresh

Jeera/Cumin increases the haemoglobin level in the blood thus  improving the oxygen carrying capacity of the cells throughout the body. Drinking luke warm jeera water helps to rehydrate the human body and keep it fresh all the time.

5) Improves Milk Production in Mothers 

Eating cumin seeds or drinking jeera water improves breast feeding in lactating mothers.

6) Treating Asthma 

Jeera/Cumin seeds act as a bronchodilator. They contain Thymoquinone, which are known to reduce the inflammatory processes and other mediators which are caused by  asthma.

7) Menustral Cycle

Jeera/Cumin seeds is beneficial to women of all ages as it helps in maintaining a healthy menustral cycle. Consuming jeera seeds on a regular basis can help to maintain a regular menstrual cycle.

8) Prevents Cancer 

Jeera/Cumin seeds contains thymoquinone, dithymoquinone, thymohydroquinone and thymol which are anti-carcinogenic agents and help in treating breast and colon cancer.

9) Improves Digestion

The presence of thymol and other essential oils in cumin seeds stimulate the salivary glands thereby helping in the digestion of  food. Cumin is also Carminative, which means that it gives you relief from gas and thereby improves digestion and appetite. Due to its essential oils, magnesium and sodium content, cumin promotes digestion and also gives relief for stomach-aches when taken with hot water.Jeera also helps beat constipation. It reduces the risk of piles as well.Jeera Water gives relief from acidity,bloating and abdominal gas.

10) Cold and Respiration

Cumin seeds/Jeera helps to cure cold and other respiratory problems as it is rich in Vitamin C and has anti-fungal properties. It also has antiseptic properties, which kill the microorganisms causing cold, cough and fever.

11) Metabolism 

Cumin seeds/jeera are rich in Iron which helps to maintain our metabolic activity. A good metabolism system helps to maintain all the other body processes.
12)Keeps Blood Pressure Normal- Cumin/jeera seeds are rich in Potassium content which helps to maintain the blood pressure and heart rate thus preventing hypertension.

13) Helps you sleep better

Regular intake of jeera water helps in treating sleeping disorder and enhances sound sleep. Just have a glass of jeera water before bedtime to get a sound sleep.

Benefits of Jeera Water for the skin: -

1. Treatment of Boils:

Boils are a way in which our body eliminates toxic substances and foreign matters. Boils occur when there are toxic substances accumulated in the body. Adding cumin in your daily diet helps in keeping your skin free from problems like boils, rashes, pimples etc. Cuminaldehyde, Thymol and phosphorus present in cumin seeds are good detoxifying agents. These compounds help in regular removal of toxins from the body through stools. To treat acne or boils, you can apply a mixture of vinegar with ground cumin seeds topically. You can also have Jeera water which helps to remove toxins from the body and cleanses the skin thus making it clean and fresh.

2. Treatment of Skin Disorders:

Cumin is loaded with vitamin E which helps to keep your skin healthy and glowing. The essential oils present in cumin are known to have disinfectant and anti-fungal properties which help in protecting your skin from various skin infections. Applying a paste made from cumin seeds topically on boils, pimples, eczema, psoriasis and other skin disorders helps to quickly heal them. You can also add a little cumin powder in your face pack to treat various facial skin problems. The dietary fiber present in cumin seeds helps in detoxifying the body.

3. Anti-Ageing Benefits:

Cumin seeds are loaded with Vitamin E which triggers the anti-ageing processes within the body, which helps in preventing signs of pre mature ageing. Vitamin E works to fight the free radicals which damage the skin and cause signs of ageing like wrinkles, age spots and sagging skin. The antioxidant and antibacterial properties of cumin gives you a healthy, beautiful skin. Drinking jeera water regularly also helps to prevent premature ageing.

4. Cures Itchiness and Body Heat:

Cumin seeds work amazing to reduce body heat and skin itchiness, To reduce body heat and get rid of itchiness you can put some cumin seeds in boiling hot water and drink it once it is cooled. You can also choose to bath with this water.

5. Treatment of Burning Sensation:

The burning sensation of the skin can be reduced with the help of jeera water.Hence it is also used to soothe the skin. To reduce the burning sensation you just need to add a teaspoon of cumin seeds / jeera  to 4 litres of water and boil this mixture. Now remove the water from the heat and let it sit a side covered. Drink this water whenever you feel thirsty and after your meals. To reap the most benefits drink this water when it’s warm.

6. Cumin Face Pack for Glowing Skin:

Jeera / cumin seeds contain essential vitamins (A,C,E) which nourishes the skin and provides a natural glow. It also contains necessary minerals like potassium, calcium, selenium, copper, manganese which are very important to make the skin smooth and soft. To reap the benefits of cumin seeds, you can prepare a face pack by mixing finely ground turmeric and cumin in the ratio 3: 1. To make a peel off face mask, you can add honey to the mix. Apply this mixture on your face and let it sit there till it dries up. Wash off the mixture using cold water. Using cumin seed face mask will make your skin smooth and glowing. The honey used in this face mask can soothe the inflamed tissue and prevents the mask from becoming too dry. This face mask works amazingly to treat sunburns or acne prone or blotchy skin for this you can mix yoghurt with the spices instead of honey. To moisturize your skin apply some jojoba oil after washing off the face mask.

Hair Benefits of Cumin:

1. Treatment of Hair Loss:

Cumin comes in various varieties, one such is Nigella sativa or black cumin which is known to treat thinning of hair, baldness and falling hair. To treat the problem of hair loss just mix equal parts of black cumin oil and olive oil. Apply this oil mixture on your hair or on the balding part of your head to promote growth of new hair and treat hair loss. Eating black cumin oil in the form of capsules for a few months can also help in treating the problem of hair loss.

2. Long and Shiny Hair:

Black cumin seeds can help you get those long and lustrous hair you always desired. To get long and shiny hair you just need to boil 11/2 tbsp of black cumin seeds in ¾ cup of water for 10 minutes. Strain the mixture once it cools down, to separate the seeds from the water. To this water add a raw egg yolk and mix it well to get a homogeneous creamy solution. If you want, to this mixture you can add a tsp of extra virgin olive oil. Massage this mixture on your scalp and allow it to sit there for 30 minutes to an hour. Now Wash off this mixture using water. For best results do this every week for best results.

3. Treatment of Dandruff:
Cumin seed oil is a great stimulant, carminative, antioxidant and diuretic. This cumin seed oil  is often used for massaging in aromatherapy and scalp treatments to get rid of dandruff.

How Much Jeera/Cumin Seeds You Should Eat Daily?

Jeera/Cumin are famous Indian spices that are generally used for cooking purposes to prepare various delicious dishes.It can be used either in powdered form or whole depending on the receipe. As it is a spice, so eating it in small amount benefits a lot. Eating in large amount should be avoided as it may lead to some serious health condition. If a person already suffers any health problem and want to add jeera water or powder in daily routine, he/she must consult the doctor.