What is the first ingredient we add to any dish? Be it a simple kadhi or biryani, cumin or jeera seeds are a pre-requisite in Indian cooking. We have dishes whose main flavour palate is jeera like aloo jeera or jeera pulao. And if the seeds are just what you think we add, you are wrong. We also add powdered jeera to our food to enhance the flavours.
And this is not just it, we add jeera to our chai or hot water and gulp them down. So, what is jeera and why are Indians obsessed with it?
Cumin or jeera is a flowering plant, belonging to the family Apiaceae, it is a spice grown in the middle east and stretches till the Indian belt. An extensively used spice in India, it is believed to be loaded with medicinal values. So, here are five reasons why cumin is healthy.
1.Digestion
Cumin’s most significant health benefit is digestion. It promotes digestive system and helps in regular bowel movements. It is believed that cumin increases the digestive protein and also releases the body from any kind of bowel infections or irritation.
2.Plant Compounds
Cumin seeds boast of several plant compounds. Terpenes, flavonoids, and alkaloids are present in cumin and these compounds have various medicinal properties. They act as anti-oxidants and also show anti-inflammatory properties. These properties help in breaking down the free radicals in the body.
3.Cholesterol and Diabetes
Clinical studies show that people who eat cumin seeds regularly have fewer cholesterol levels. It is because cumin has supplements which decrease the bad cholesterol in the body. Jeera is also credited with controlling diabetes. They act as an antidote to the long term effects of diabetes.
4.Iron
If one thing cumin seeds are known for, it is iron. People often suffer from iron deficiency all around the globe, and eating cumin-rich food, will improve iron levels in the body. It provides around 20% iron in just a teaspoon of jeera seeds. Also, its high iron levels help and provides energy to women during mensuration.
5.Weight Loss
It is no surprise that cumin seeds are a superfood. Their health benefits make them a very versatile spice. Another prominent advantage of cumin seeds is that it is great for weight loss. Drinking cumin seeds mixed with a glass of hot water shows great efforts if you are trying to lose a few pounds.
