Cumin is one of the most popular spices in the world and grows on all continents.
It comes from a herbaceous plant (Cuminium cyminum) with long, even 10 cm long leaves, combed, which has very ancient origins.
The cumin seeds are pretty much like those of fennel or anise.
They have a smaller oblong shape and are dark brown. Its main components are: sodium, potassium, fibers and sugars, fats and proteins.
They make the foods a special and slightly spicy aftertaste and can be used in the preparation of soups, stews or vegetables.
The beneficial properties of the cumin are many.
In addition to the tasty taste, it provides healthy, non-indifferent benefits to both the body and the mind.
To begin with it is a rich source of iron: an essential component in metabolic and digestive enzymes, as in the famous hemoglobin.
This results in optimal digestion, tissue oxygenation, energy production, and proper maintenance of the immune system.
Cumin activates some pancreatic enzymes useful in the digestion and assimilation of nutrients, and enzymes devoted to the detoxification of free radicals and other potentially toxic substances.
It also suggests use in the kitchen even for those who suffer from asthma or arthritis or kidney disease.
In addition, some scientific studies seem to give anti-cancer properties to cumin, especially for stomach problems.
The mind also benefits from the properties of the cumin.
Helps improve our memory; To raise concentration levels; To mitigate insomnia and give a better rest. In the past, the union of cumin and honey was thought to be marvelous: it represented a natural remedy against amnesia, but also the recipe for a powerful aphrodisiac of Arab origin.
It raises body heat by increasing the overall metabolic expenditure of the body. The body burns more calories than usual and, if it does not find it in circles, goes directly to the fat deposits, which helps us to dissolve it. There are 375 calories per 100 grams of cumin.
Food science has reported that cumin improves the body's ability to dissolve excess fat by 25%, affecting the abdominal area in particular.
It works better when taken together with other spices such as fennel, anise, mustard and ginger.
The cumin works also as a stimulant for the digestive process. Food, it would be better to say scraps, are pushed faster to the exit and this decreases their stay time within the colon, with all the positive consequences in terms of exposure to toxic and possibly cancerous substances.
A good herbal tea to drink at the end of the meal to help digestion can be prepared with the seeds of this precious spice, a pinch of fennel and a little mint, very useful also against coughing.
Chewing cumin seeds would help fight the alitoid and stimulate appetite.
Finally, cumin oil is perfect for massages and wraps, stimulates circulation and exerts a disinfectant action on the skin.