Cumin Powder

Powerful Health Benefits of Cumin

1. Promotes Digestion

The most common traditional use of cumin is for indigestion.

In fact, modern research has confirmed cumin may help rev up normal digestion

For example, it may increase the activity of digestive enzymes, potentially speeding up digestion

Cumin also increases the release of bile from the liver. Bile helps digest fats and certain nutrients in your gut

2. Is a Rich Source of Iron

Cumin seeds are naturally rich in iron One teaspoon of ground cumin contains 1.4 mg of iron, or 17.5% of the RDI for adults

Iron deficiency is one of the most common nutrient deficiencies, affecting up to 20% of the world’s population and up to 10 in 1,000 people in the wealthiest nations

In particular, children need iron to support growth and young women need iron to replace blood lost during menstruation

Few foods are as iron-dense as cumin. This makes it a good iron source, even when used in small amounts as a seasoning.

3. Contains Beneficial Plant Compounds

Cumin contains lots of plant compounds that are linked with potential health benefits, including terpenes, phenols, flavonoids and alkaloids,

Several of these function as antioxidants, which are chemicals that reduce damage to your body from free radicals

Free radicals are basically lonely electrons. Electrons like being in pairs and when they split up, they become unstable.

These lone, or “free” electrons steal other electron partners away from other chemicals in your body. This process is called “oxidation.”

The oxidation of fatty acids in your arteries leads to clogged arteries and heart disease. Oxidation also leads to inflammation in diabetes, and the oxidation of DNA can contribute to cancer Antioxidants like those in cumin give an electron to a lonely free radical electron, making it more stable

Cumin’s antioxidants likely explain some of its health benefits

4. May Help With Diabetes

Some of cumin’s components have shown promise helping to treat diabetes.

One clinical study showed a concentrated cumin supplement improved early indicators of diabetes in overweight individuals, compared to a placebo

Cumin also contains components that counter some of the long-term effects of diabetes.

One of the ways diabetes harms cells in the body is through advanced glycation end products (AGEs)

They’re produced spontaneously in the bloodstream when blood sugar levels are high over long periods of time, as they are in diabetes. AGEs are created when sugars attach to proteins and disrupt their normal function.

AGEs are likely responsible for damage to eyes, kidneys, nerves and small blood vessels in diabetes

Cumin contains several components that reduce AGEs, at least in test-tube studies

While these studies tested the effects of concentrated cumin supplements, routinely using cumin as a seasoning may help control blood sugar in diabetes

It is not yet clear what is responsible for these effects, or how much cumin is needed to cause benefits.