Cumin

Cumin

You'll recognize it as the distinct flavor in many Mexican, Indian, and Thai dishes, but did you know that cumin — beyond its intense taste — has powerful antioxidant properties? Used in biblical times medicinally and as an appetite stimulant, this pungent herb is still commonly called upon to spice up foods and heal the body. The herb itself has been traditionally used as a remedy for arrhythmia (abnormal heartbeat), asthma, dermatitis, and impotence, and the oil from cumin seeds was used as a disinfectant. Today, this sharp-smelling spice is valued for its pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory properties.

Source: James A. Duke, Ph.D., Herbs of the Bible: 2000 Years of Plant Medicine (Loveland, CO: Interweave Press, 1999)

Get Cooking With Cumin - It's easy to find cumin in restaurant foods, but you can just as easily add it to your home-cooked meals. To take advantage of cumin's healthful qualities, start by adding it to plain rice. Or try making meat dishes with curry powder, a mix of spices that contains cumin.