Cumin seeds(JERRA) - Health benefits, application and many more

           Cumin seeds(JERRA)

Cumin is the dried, white fruit with greyish brown colour of a small slender annual herb. The surface of the fruit has 5 primary ridges, alternatively has 4 less distinct secondary ridges bearing numerous short hairs. The plant is 15 to 50 cm high. The aromatic seed like fruit is elongated, ovoid, 3 to 6 mm long, slightly bitter and has a warm flavour. The flowers are white or rose coloured in small umbels.

Cumin(Cumin cyminum), an annual herbaceous plant that belongs to the Umbelliferae family is an important component of many of the Ayurvedic decoctions. Cumin seeds are used as a spice in many recipes for their distinctive flavor and aroma and are valued for its medicinal and therapeutic properties. It is very important ingredient in Indian spices and regular food. It shows Antioxidant, antimicrobial, antifungal, anti-diabetic, anti-aggregatory, antiepileptic, anti-infertility, anticancerous and immunomodulative properties.         For more information about Antioxidant

It has different names in different languages such as in Hindi(Safed Jeera, Jeera, Sadha jeera, zira), Marathi(Jire, Jeera, pandhare jeere), Bengali(Jeera, Safed Jeera or Zeera), Gujarati(Jeeru, Shakanu jeerum, Sadu jeerum, Gholu jeerum), Telugu(Jeelakari, Jelakara, Jeela karara), Kannada(jeerige), Tamil(Cheerakam, Shiragam), Kashmiri(Zyur), Malayalam(Jeerakam), Arabbain(kammun, Avyaja), Farsi(Jeera e safed), sanskrit(jiraka, jira).

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Two types of cumin

1) brown or regular cumin

2) black cumin(kala jeera) : produces much smaller seeds that are thinner and less pungent. Actually, they are just a darker version of the brown cumin 

         

Vitamins and minerals content 

Vitamins : A, E, C, k, riboflavin, thiamin, pyridoxine, niacin, folates

Minerals : iron, magnesium, manganese, sodium, potassium, phosphorus, zinc

Phytonutrients : Carotene-ß, Crypto-xanthin-ß, Lutein-zeaxanthin, alkaloids, saponins, sterols

Volatile oil : 3p-menthen-7al, β–pinene, p-cymene, γ-terpinene, p-mentha-1, 3-dien-7-al, p-mentha-1 and cuminaldehyde in combination with other related aldehydes

Black cumin seed contain 26-34% fixed oil of which the major fatty acids are linoleic acid (64.6%) and palmitic acid (20.4%). The seed oil is comprised of 0.4%–2.5% essential oil.

                    - Cuminaldehyde, cymene and terpenoids are major volatile components of cumin.

With this it contains large amount of dietary fiber and protein.

Properties and benefits of cumin seed

Properties

• Qualities – light to digest, dry

• Taste – pungent

• Taste conversion after digestion – pungent

potency – ushna (hot)

•  Effecton Tridosha – balances Kapha and Vata, increases Pitta.       For more information about doshas

 

Benefits

• Ruchya – improves taste

• Deepana, Agnivardhana – Improves digestion strength

• Grahi Sangrahi – absorbant, useful in malabsorption syndrome and diarrhea,

• Medhya – improves intelligence

• Garbhashaya Vishuddhikrut – cleanses and detoxifies uterus. Hence it is widely used in post partum care of the mother.

• Jvaraghna – Useful in fever

• Pachana – carminative

• Vrushya – natural aphrodisiac

• Balya – improves strength and immunity

• Chakshushya – good for eyes, improves vision power

• Ruchya – improves taste

• Detoxification

• Diuretic

Uses and application of cumin seed

1) In fever it is used along with jaggery. With this this preparation also help to improve appetite and digestion, cleanse the bowel and relieve burning sensation.

               - Cumin contains thymol, that helps promote the production of saliva, bile and other enzymes responsible for food digestion. The aromatic compound Cuminaldehyde helps to induce secretion of digestive juices just by the aroma.

2) Cumin is used with curd in diarrhea.

3) It is applied as a paste to treat scorpion stings.

4) cumin seeds are roasted and crushed into a powder. This powder is then given along with honey for hemorrhoids/piles.   Read more information about Honey

5) It is helpful in relieving inflammation of the uterus.

6) It is useful in postpartum care as it cleanses the uterus, increases milk production, and increases strength and stamina.

7) it is helpful in reducing swelling, pain discoloration of skin, abdominal pain, cardiac problems, poor digestion.

8) Paste of cumin seed and coriander is cooked in ghee and this mixture is consumed daily for  relief from acidity, low digestive fire, and other Vata and Kapha related disorders. 

  Read more information about Ghee

9) It decreased the gentamycin induced elevated levels of serum urea, creatinine, lipid peroxidation and enhanced the clearance of the drug.

10) Cumin along with lime juice is beneficial in vomiting of pitta dosha origin during pregnancy.

11) Bathing with decoction of cumin seeds is used to cure itching. Means adding decoction in bath water.

12) Cumin powder along with Kala namak (Sochal salt) is used as a remedy to counter side effects of excess intake of sour mango.

13) For pitta dosha it is taken along with substance or herb which has coolent property, such as with ghee, coconut oil, coriander, coriander seed.

       Read more information about coconut oil

14) Take a teaspoon of equal quantity of cumin and coriander seed powder and soak in water at night, filter and drink it the next day morning, on empty stomach. This preparation is to improve digestion strength and  people with sensitive stomach, who cannot tolerate hard spices such as ginger or black pepper.

15) Cumin is anti-congestive agent and is a good expectorant, due to its rich essential oils. Hence useful in cough, cold and bronchitis.

16) Best way to eat cumin is dry fried cumin for most of the condition.

17) Cumin was used as a part of an herbal drug trial for diabetes. The drug successfully helped people with diabetes to manage their condition.

18) It's hypolipidemic activity helps to reduce cholesterol, so take a cumin powder mix it with yogurt which helped reduce cholesterol.

19) Cumin can help your body by stimulating your central nervous system to be more effective. This can result in a sharper memory and greater control over your limbs. 

20) It can be added to gargles to treat laryngitis.

21)  The antiseptic properties of cumin can also help fight the flu by boosting your immune system. Cumin also prevents cough formation in the respiratory system as it is supposed to be hot and dries up the excess mucus. 

22) For gastrointestinal problem take 20 gram of dried cumin powder and mix it with 200ml of hot water, when the preparation get luke warm drink it. Taken twice a time in a day. It is very good for children.

23) For fatigue and thrist, add 5gram cumin in a mixture of 200ml of milk and 400ml of water and heat the overall mixture and reduce this mixture upto 200 to 250 ml when it is luke warm add 1/2 teaspoon of sugar or jaggery and drink it. 

24) chew some amount of cumin and jaggery for long time upto 10 minutes for cough.

25) Applying Cumin oil on the skin helps in various skin problems due to its antifungal, antibacterial property.

26) Cumin helps in weight management as it increases metabolism and also manages cholesterol levels in the body.

          - Drink cumin water early morning on empty stomach.

27) Cumin seed powder along with honey can also be applied to the skin to get rid of blackheads and dullness.

28) Adding cumin seeds to your daily diet helps prevent digestive disorders like indigestion and flatulence due to its carminative property.

29) Cumin helps to relieve abdominal pain due to an accumulation of gas in the abdomen(Colic pain). It is caused due to aggravation of vata. It's carminative, stimulant and analgesic property helps to get relief from this problem.

30) An aqueous extract of cumin seeds showed protective action against gentamycin induced nephrotoxicity.

Note : 1) Cumin is salt sensitive plant and its growth is drastically reduced with increasing salinity stress.

            2) The medicinal effects of Jeera (cumin seed) appear on three main organs in the body i.e. stomach, intestines, and liver. According to Ayurveda, it provides strength to these organs and reduces chances of infections by fighting off microbes and bacteria. 

           3) Precaution : Cumin may increase the risk of bleeding. So if you are taking any blood thinning medicine, please consult a doctor befor use.

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Refrence :

1) Spices Board Of India

2) Sushruta samhita

3) charak samhita

4) Aadrash Nighantu,vol. 1

5) Dravyaguna Vijnana by Aacharya, Volume 2

6) sciencedirect.com

7) PUBMED

8) NCBI

9) hindawi.com

10) International Journal of Research in Pharmacy and Science

11) AYU (An international quarterly journal of research in Ayurveda)

12) local tradition and knowledge

13) Wikipedia