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How does it feel?
Cumin is an annual herbaceous plant of the Apiaceae family characterized by presenting its flowers arranged in umbels; the plant grows up to 30–50 cm tall and is harvested by hand.
Its stem is slender and branched, and somewhat angular.
The leaves are 5 – 10cm long, pinnate or bipinnate and are of a deep green colour, generally turned back at the ends. The upper leaves are nearly stalk less, but the lower ones have longer leaf-stalks.
The flowers are small, rose-coloured or white, in stalked umbels with only four to six rays, each of which are only about 4 – 6cm long, and bloom in June and July, being succeeded by fruit, which is a lateral fusiform or ovoid achene 4 – 5mm long, containing a single seed.
The seeds are oblong in shape, thicker in the middle, compressed laterally and yellow-brown in colour. The odour and taste are somewhat like caraway, but less agreeable.
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What can I use it for?
In traditional herbal medicine, cumin is used as a diuretic and to treat stomach upset and flatulence; it is thought to promote a healthy digestive system.
Cumin is carminative remedy, it can reduce bloating and it can be used to treat aerophagia or flatulence and cramping caused by gases. It is also useful in diarrhoea, colic & dyspepsia.
The spice appears to stimulate the liver to secrete more bile, which aids in the breakdown of fats and the absorption of nutrients, leading to healthier digestions; Cumin helps the body to absorb nutrients efficiently and it can also make the metabolism work more quickly cutting down on cravings.
It is considered also very cooling, prescribed for whooping or spasmodic cough, and can be added to gargles to treat laryngitis. It has been also used to treat chest and lung disorders such as pneumonia.
Cumin is a very good source of iron, which is needed to transport oxygen to all the cells within the body, and it can be useful in case of anaemia.
Cumin can be useful for the reproductive system, in fact can stimulates menstruation and also can be used as a lactagogue. Poultices of cumin are used to treat swellings of the breasts or testicles, and enters into most of the prescriptions for gonorrhoea.
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Into the heart of Cumin
Cumin helps in digesting food properly. It is one of the best herbs for digestive sluggishness; it also helps in the cure of digestion related problems. These actions are due to the aromatic compound cuminaldehyde, which helps to induce secretion of digestive juices just by the aroma and the stimulation of our salivary glands.
Thymol is another compound present in cumin that stimulates the glands as well helping to promote the production of saliva, bile and other enzymes responsible for food digestion.
Cumin contain fatty oils (mainly petroselic acid and oil acid) which have anti-fungal, anti-microbial and disinfecting properties. Numbers of investigations have shown the antimicrobial activity of cumin against a range of useful and pathogenic gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial strain.
Cuminaldehyde, carvone, limonene, linalool, and some other minor constituents have been suggested to contribute to the antimicrobial activity of cumin, preventing fungal and microbial infections from harming the skin.
Cumin is anti-congestive agent and is a good expectorant, due to its rich essential oils, therefore it is useful in case of cough, cold and bronchitis: the essential oils present in cumin also play an important role in strengthening the immunity.
Cumin contains riboflavin, vitamin B6 and niacin – useful in improving cognitive functions of brain.
Cumin seeds are reported to be estrogenic; the presence of phytoestrogens in cumin has been shown and also related to its anti-osteoporotic effects. In the animals receiving a methanolic extract of cumin, a significant reduction in urinary calcium excretion and augmentation of calcium content and mechanical strength of bones was found.
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Traditional actions
CarminativesCarminative herbs are high in essential oils and help ease digestion by relieving gas, spasms and cramps. Examples include Aniseed (Pimpinella anisum), Fennel seed (Foeniculum vulgare) and Peppermint leaf (Mentha piperita).
DiureticsDiuretics are herbs that stimulate the flow of urine, and help remove fluids from the body. Common examples are Dandelion leaf (Taraxacum officinalis), Burdock root (Arctium lappa) and Corn silk (Zea mays).
GalactagoguesGalactagogues are herbs that encourage the flow of breastmilk. Examples include Fennel seed (Foeniculum vulgare), Celery seed (Apium graveolens) and Shatavari root (Asparagus racemosus).
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Did you know?
- Cumin is a very small annual plant thriving in the hot and dry areas of Rajasthan and Gujerat.
- Although it is a pungent herb it does not aggravate pitta unless used excessively.
- Use roasted after a meal as a great folk remedy ‘cure-all’ for digestive problems.
- It has been found in excavation sites in Syria from around 2000 BC and in Egyptian sites from the 16th to 11th Centuries BC. Persians are thought to be the first people to have cultivated cumin and Egyptians also used it for mummification.
Additional information
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Safety
No drug herb interactions are known.
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Dosage
Tincture: 3–15ml of a 1:3 at 45%
Dried: 0.5–5g/day
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Traditional energetics
- Deepana Enkindles the digestion.
- Pachana Digests toxins.
- Pavanaghna Relieves gas.
- Vatanulomanam Redirects the flow of vata downwards.
- Shula prasamana Alleviates intestinal spasms.
- Chardhaghna Alleviates vomiting.
- Medhya Benefits intelligence.
- Shirovirechan Clears the head of mucus and congestion.
