Benefits of Cumin

What do you know about cumin? Cumin seeds are pungent, potent little things with the ability to significantly change the trajectory of a dish. They are featured prominently in Mexican, Mediterranean, Indian, Middle Eastern, and certain Chinese cuisines.

Back in the Middle Ages, cumin was one of the most popular – and most accessible – condiments for the spice-crazy Europeans, and stories tell of soldiers going off to war with loaves of cumin bread in their satchels for good luck. Cumin originated in the Mediterranean, and it was used extensively by the Greeks, the Romans, the Egyptians, the Persians, and just about everyone in that region.

Cumin vs. Caraway

It’s not a good idea to substitute cumin for caraway, or vice versa. They are somewhat similar in appearance, but vastly different in taste. Cumin gives Mexican and Middle Eastern recipes their signature aroma, whereas caraway is most common in Eastern European dishes. Cumin seeds are larger than caraway seeds, and cumin is a more warming spice than caraway.

Cumin is often confused with caraway, which is actually called “cumin” in multiple European languages.

Health Benefits of Cumin

Cumin is in my top 10 favorite spices mostly for taste, but the benefits for health don’t hurt.

As is usually the case with spices that have been in use for thousands of years, cumin appears to provide a number of potential health benefits. It contains anti-glycation agents, antioxidants, and anti-osteoporotic, and much more. Note that many of the surnames in the following PubMed links are of Indian origin.

Cumin, along with ghee and a host of other spices, played a prominent role in the Ayurvedic medicinal traditions, and I love seeing a lot of these supposedly “old wives’ tales” get preliminary scientific justification:

• The jury is still out on whether dietary AGEshttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20451573‘>²
• Cumin’s anti-glycation properties proved useful in another study, in which diabetic rats were able to stave off cataracts after oral dosing with cumin powder.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12220968[/ref] It also prevented excessive weight loss. Again, it beat out glibenclamide.
• Oral doses (25, 50, 100, 200 mg/kg) of cumin on consecutive days improved the immune response of mice with compromised immune systems due to restraint-induced stress.[ref]http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20156427‘>⁴ These effects were marked by a reduction in elevated cortisol and adrenal gland size, an increase in the weight of the thymus and spleen, and replenishment of depleted T cells. There was a dose dependent response, but all doses had beneficial effects.
• An extract of cumin had anti-osteoporotic effects on rats, similar to estradiol, but without the associated weight gain. Cumin-dosed (orally, 1 mg/kg) osteoporotic rats had increased bone density and improved bone microarchitecture.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16088094‘>⁶
• One study even seems to suggest the potential for cumin to help weaning addicts off of opiates by reducing tolerance (yeah, it could increase the subjective high, but it would mean less product was required) and dependence.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18720171‘>⁸ It’s unclear whether the same holds true for cumin in other countries, but I imagine it probably is. Go with whole seeds and grind as needed, if possible, as ground cumin (and anything, really) will be more exposed to the air and thus more liable to degrade. If you’ve got ground cumin, store it in the fridge in an airtight, sealed container. It also helps to heat the seeds before grinding to really release the flavor. I usually toast them on a cast iron skillet over low heat for a couple minutes (just wait for the smell and don’t let them burn), but one study