Cumin Seeds

Widely popular for their distinctive aroma, cumin seeds are commonly found ingredients in the north african, middle eastern, western chinese, indian, cuban and northern mexican cuisine. The spice is native to middle-east asian region, and today, grown all over the world for its flavorful seeds.

The plant is a small flowering herbaceous plant belonging in the family of apiaceae, in the genus; cuminum, and scientifically known as cuminum cyminum.

The cumin plant flourishes well in sandy, fertile soil, assisted by hot summer weather conditions. It bears small, gray-yellow, oblong shaped seeds with vertical ridges on their outer surface. The seeds closely resembles caraway seeds in appearance.

Cumin seeds impart distinctive strong flavor, and warm perception on taste buds, which comes from certain group of essential oils in them. The chief constituent and important aromatic compound in cumin is cuminaldehyde (4-isopropylbenzaldehyde). Black cumin (bunium persicum), also popular as wild or shahi jeera in the persian and indian sub-continent, is related variety of regular cumin. Its seeds feature long, slender, curved, dark-brown pods with distinctive earthy flavor.

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.

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 active principles in the cumin may improve gut motility and help in digestion by augmenting gastro-intestinal enzyme secretions.

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 cells. Iron is required for red blood cell formation. Zinc is a co-factor 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 usedby the body as a co-factor for the powerful anti-oxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase.

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 rich source of many flavonoid phenolic anti-oxidants such as carotenes, zea-xanthin, and lutein.

Its seeds are used to prepare decoction, which sometimes used in treating flatulence and indigestion in traditional medicines.

The seeds are being used in traditional medicines to stave-off common cold. (medical disclaimer).

The seeds are an excellent source of dietary fiber. 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 active principles in the cumin may improve gut motility and help in digestion by augmenting gastro-intestinal enzyme secretions.

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 cells. Iron is required for red blood cell formation.

Zinc is a co-factor 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 co-factor for the powerful anti-oxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase.

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 rich source of many flavonoid phenolic anti-oxidants such as carotenes, zea-xanthin, and lutein.