Cumin Roman Seed

Cumin (Roman cumin) - use in the kitchen

Roman cumin is a very aromatic and spicy spice that has a slightly bitter taste. Kumin is used in cooking as a seasoning for dishes. It comes in the form of grains and ground. It is available as a standalone spice, as well as an ingredient in spice blends, mainly curry and garam masala.

Cumin (Roman cumin) - what is it added to?

Kumin is suitable for seasoning meat and fish, soups, stews, and for sprinkling it on bread or cakes. In addition, it is perfect as a seasoning for dishes made of leguminous seeds, vegetables and as an addition to rice or groats. Cumin is also used to season cabbage, add to tomato sauces and marinades. Oil obtained from cumin by steam distillation is used to flavor alcoholic beverages, desserts and other spices. Cumin can be found in French cheeses, such as Leyden cheese, and in some traditional French breads. In Germany, cumin is used in the preparation of liqueur.

Culinary recipe with this spice: Minced meat with pumpkin and beans

Roman cumin - medicinal properties and application

Roman cumin is not the same as cumin. Roman cumin has slightly different healing properties, and thus - it has found a slightly different use in medicine and cooking. What application did cumin find? What to replace cumin? Where can you buy it and what is its price?

Roman cumin is a spice from Egypt, which - thanks to its properties - was widely used in medieval Europe, both in medicine and in cooking. Today, cumin is grown in Morocco, Iran, Turkey, India, China and the Americas. The most popular in Mediterranean cuisine for its taste and aroma.

Cumin - health properties

• Cumin supports the treatment of anemia

Cumin is an excellent source of iron - 100 g of spice exceeds the daily requirement of an adult for this mineral element by more than 6 times. As a result, cumin both prevents and supports the treatment of anemia. Iron is important, among others for menstruating women who lose iron when they bleed. In addition, cumin, due to its high content of iron, vitamins C and A, has a positive effect on the immune system.

• Cumin lowers cholesterol

Cumin lowers the concentration of "bad" LDL cholesterol, triglycerides in the blood and increases the concentration of "good" HDL cholesterol in the blood. Improvement in the blood lipid profile has been observed in overweight and obese people and in people with hypercholesterolaemia.

• Cumin supports the digestive system

Cumin relieves digestive disorders. It stimulates the secretion of enzymes by the pancreas that condition the absorption of nutrients. The thymol contained in cumin stimulates the secretion of bile and digestive enzymes responsible for the digestion of food.

• Cumin (Roman cumin) lowers blood sugar levels

Animal studies have shown that cumin contributes to lowering blood glucose levels in hyperglycemic individuals and reducing body weight. Additionally, a decrease in blood urea levels was observed. It was also found that cuminaldehyde and cuminol contained in cumin increase insulin secretion. In another study, cumin seed methanol extract was found to reduce blood glucose levels, levels of glycosylated hemoglobin, creatinine, and urea, and to increase blood insulin levels in diabetic rats.

• Cumin (Roman cumin) for respiratory conditions

Thanks to the presence of aromatic essential oils and disinfectants, cumin acts as an expectorant, diluting phlegm in the respiratory tract and facilitating its elimination by coughing and spitting. Therefore, it is recommended in the case of inflammation of the respiratory tract (e.g. bronchitis), as well as in the course of asthma.

Cumin can cause skin allergies and allergic respiratory reactions. People taking i.a. Antifungals, antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, cholesterol-lowering drugs, painkillers or iron supplements should be used with caution and consult a doctor for safety.

• Cumin (Roman Cumin) and Epilepsy

Studies have shown that extracellular use of cumin essential oil significantly reduced the incidence of pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) -induced seizures. In addition, it was observed that essential oils contained in cumin have an effect on the prolongation of seizure-free periods, lowering the amplitude of the hyperpolarization potential (AHP) and inhibiting the rate of epileptic seizure triggering.

• Cumin (Roman cumin) has a beneficial effect on the skin

Essential oils and aldehyde isolated from cumin have antibacterial properties. They inhibit the growth of bacteria, including: Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus epidermidis, S. aureus, S. hemolyticus, Propionibacterium acnes, Corynebacterium diphtheriae, Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, Bacillus cereus, Clostridium tetani. They do not affect the growth of Pseudomonas spp bacteria. For this reason, they prevent the occurrence of numerous microbial and fungal infections of the skin. It is worth knowing that cumin is also used as an ingredient in fragrant creams, lotions and perfumes. In addition, caraway seed oil is used as multifunctional luminescent paints.

Worth knowing

• Cumin (Roman cumin) and pregnancy and lactation

Cumin increases milk secretion during lactation. It owes this property to the presence of thymol, which increases secretion from the glands, including milk, from the mammary glands. Consuming cumin is beneficial both during lactation and pregnancy due to the high iron content, the demand of which is increased during this period. Additionally, cumin is a source of calcium which is an important component of milk.