Medicinal Properties & Uses Of Cumin (Jeera/ Jira / Jiraka / Cuminum cyminum

         

       A Spice Cum Herb, which is a regular ingredient for most of the Indian kitchens. You can see that when we cook meat (Mostly in Indian kitchen) we used to give Jeera/Cumin but we never think why? Is it because of taste or something else? Actually as a spice it adds the taste and aroma in the discs but due to its hidden curing activities it acts as a digestive and so that it actually helps in digestion. In Ayurveda, all food substances considered as a medicine because they supports the body so as in cumin. So let us see how we can use cumin in other aspects.

  

Scientific Name 

• Cuminum cyminum

Interesting Facts:

• The cumin plant grows to 30–50 cm tall and harvested by hand.
• There are several different types of cumin but the most famous ones are black and green cumin.
• Cuminaldehyde, cymene and terpenoids are the major volatile components of cumin.
• Its origin is most probably Egypt, Turkmenistan and the east Mediterranean
• In Sanskrit, Cumin is known as Jiraka. means “that which helps digestion".
• 70% of world’s demand cultivated in India and of which Indians consume 90%.
• 3,60,000 Tonnes of cumin produced in India last financial year (2013-14)
• Cumin is a drought tolerant, in Rajasthan & Gujarat it grows profusely.

Medicinal Properties & Uses:

• Helps in enhancing appetite,
• Increases  taste perception of tongue.
• Helps digestion,
• Very much useful in vomiting and nausea,
• Used as a ingredients in many Ayurvedic formulations.
• Improves vision and Good for eyes.
• It is a very good source of antioxidant.
• Used In treating fever according to Ayurveda (Jirna Jawar or Chronic Fever)
• Gives Stamina And strength, as it improves the appetite.
• Promotes lactation.
• It is good for heart and prevents heart diseases.
• It has antimicrobial property.
• Very much useful in diarrhoea,
• Acts super in abdominal distension,
• Very useful in digestion of heavy meal.
• It is helpful in diabetes.
• It plays a good rule in improving our immunological strength.
• It is used in many countries in different discs to improve the taste of tongue.
• It stimulates the taste buds and acts to promote salivary secretion.  

Preparations:

• Jeerakadhyarista.
• Jeera Powder.
• Almost in all digestive enzymes 

Healthy Recipes:

• Jeera Rice
• Prickles with Jeera
• Biscuits with Jeera
• All most all Indian Traditional Curry  (Mostly in North India, Specially Bengali Culture.