CUMIN: THE SUPER SPICE

I use cumin in my recipes quite often. Not only because I love the taste, but because it is such a healing spice for the digestive system, and works exceptionally well for those suffering from indigestion, bloating, constipation, nausea, and gas.Nutritionally speaking, cumin seeds contain vitamins E, A and B-complex and are an excellent source of zinc, selenium, iron, copper, calcium, and manganese. One of the amazing things about cumin is that is actually helps your body absorb and assimilate nutrients much more efficiently. So you will actually get a higher nutritional impact from any foods that you combine with cumin.Cumin also contains properties that have been shown to help reduce risk of cancer, and has been shown to significantly reduce the risk of stomach, colon, and liver tumors.

What else can this lovely spice do?

~ boost liver and kidney function
~ help with colds, flu, insomnia, asthma, pneumonia, chronic bronchitis.
~ Pregnant or nursing? Cumin has been known to help relieve morning sickness and to strengthen milk production for breast feeding.

Many of the health properties in cumin seeds are found in their essential oils which include cuminaldehyde and thymol. These compounds help to support healthy immune, respiratory, circulatory, reproductive, lymphatic, and digestive systems.

One easy way to get some cumin into your day is to make this delicious weight loss promoting tea:

Boil 2 cups of water with 1 tablespoon of cumin seeds for 10 minutes. Cool, and sip throughout the day. It can help to boost the metabolism and energize the body.

Be sure to source your cumin from an organic brand only, as inorganic spices can often be highly contaminated.