typical cumin seed has a striped pattern of nine ridges and oil canals. It is brownish in colour and oblong shaped, tapering at each extremity with tiny stalks attached. Cumin seeds resemble caraway seeds in appearance. However, they are lighter in colour, hotter to taste, larger in size and unlike caraway, have minute bristles that are hardly visible to the naked eye.
Cumin Seeds - The Delightful Spice
The warm and bitter flavor of this aromatic spice as well as its abundant oil content make it usable in Indian, Mexican, North African, Middle Eastern and western Chinese cuisines. In India, cumin seeds are an important component of curry powder and “garam masala”. They are generally fried or roasted before usage. Cumin seeds are generally available dried or ground to a brownish-green powder.
Besides its culinary uses, this aromatic spice is known for its medicinal properties since ancient times. Being an excellent source of iron, it aids in digestion, boosts the immune system and has anti-carcinogenic properties.
Treatment of Boils
Boils are outlet for the elimination of toxic substances and foreign matters such as microbes etc. Occurrence of boils indicates the accumulation of toxic substances in the body. Regular usage of cumin in your food helps in keeping your skin free from boils, rashes, pimples etc.
Treatment of Skin Disorders
Cumin has a high content of vitamin E which keeps your skin healthy and glowing. Besides, the essential oils, cumin have disinfectant and anti-fungal properties which protect your skin from fungal and microbial infections. Topical application of cumin paste on boils, pimples, eczema, psoriasis and other skin disorders facilitates quick healing.
Anti-Ageing Benefits
Vitamin E present in cumin triggers the anti-ageing processes within the body, thus preventing pre mature ageing symptoms. It acts as an antioxidant to combat the free radicals that attack the skin and cause signs of ageing like wrinkles, age spots and sagging skin. This combination of antioxidant effect and antibacterial capacity of cumin provides you with a healthy, beautiful skin that lasts far into your old age.
Cures Itchiness and Body Heat
If you are suffering from body heat and skin itchiness, you can put some cumin seeds in boiled water. Once it is cooled, take a bath with that water.
Hair Benefits of Cumin
Our hair is composed of many nutrients such as protein, fat, water and carbohydrates. These nutrients are required to enable proper growth of hair. Black cumin contains more than 100 nutrients and vitamins to replenish your hair, thus providing you with a healthy mane. Benefits of cumin for hair are surplus, let us have a look at few of them.
Treatment of Hair Loss
Black cumin is known to combat thinning of hair, baldness and falling hair.
- You can mix equal quantities of black cumin oil and olive oil.
- After a bath, apply this on your hair or on the bald portion of your head.
- This will promote hair growth as well as treat hair loss.
- You can also consume black cumin oil in the form of capsules for a few months.
Long and Shiny Hair
Black cumin seeds can provide you with those long and lustrous tresses.
- For this purpose, boil 1.5 tablespoons of black cumin seeds in ¾ cup of water for 10 minutes.
- When the mixture cools down, use a strainer to separate the seeds from the water.
- Add a raw egg yolk to the black cumin water and mix well to get a homogeneous creamy solution.
- If you want, you can add a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil to the mixture.
- Massage it on your scalp and allow it to stay for 30 minutes to an hour.
- Wash off with water.
- This should be done every week or every alternate week for best results.
Treatment of Dandruff
Oil extract from cumin is a great stimulant, carminative, antioxidant and diuretic. It is often used for massage in aromatherapy and scalp treatments to get rid of dandruff.
Your Health Is Our Concern!
Mawuena Workartey/ Ghanahospitals.org
