Cumin Seed

Description

Cumin is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae, native from the east Mediterranean to East India. Indian Cumin or Indian Jeera is the dried seed of the herb Cuminum cyminum, a member of the parsley family. The cumin plant grows to 30-50 cm (1-2 ft) tall and is harvested by hand. Indian cumin seeds or Indian Jeera seeds resemble caraway seeds, being oblong in shape, longitudinally ridged, and yellow-brown in colour, like other members of the Umbelliferae family such as caraway, parsley and dill.

Cumin seeds are extensively used in mixed spices and for flavoring curries, soups, sausages, bread and cakes. In herbal medicine, the seeds cumin are considered to be a traditional medicine. It has is classified as stimulant, carminative, and antimicrobial. They are considered beneficial for the digestive system