Cumin is a spice native to Egypt with a long tradition of use in the Middle Eastern, Indian, Chinese and Mediterranean medicine and cuisine. It can be used in a wide variety of spice mixes, from chili to curry and if you don’t use it so often, reading this article might change your mind.
This spice has powerful medicinal properties and is a known remedy against indigestion, anemia, acid reflux, diabetes, constipation and much more. What you probably didn’t know about cumin is that it can also help you lose weight. Here’s how you can use it if you want to shed those extra pounds.
Lose weight with cumin
The Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences in Iran conducted a research which involved 88 overweight and obese women, participants in a weight loss experiment. The subjects were divided into two groups, both following a reduced calorie diet and consulted with nutritionist to find the best regimen according to their needs. Both groups were given instructions to drink yogurt in addition to their diet, the only difference being that one group consumed the yogurt with three grams of cumin every day.
The results from the study were quite surprising. The group which drank the yogurt-cumin mixture lost 50% more weight on average than the group which consumed plain yogurt. They also reduced their body fat percentage by 14.64%, which is almost three times more than the other group. In addition to these benefits, the group which consumed cumin managed to significantly lower their body mass index and waist circumference, much more than the control group.
The main reason why cumin is such an effective weight loss stimulant is that it can significantly speed up your metabolism and aide digestion.
Lowers blood fats
Cumin has a plethora of other benefits in addition to its weight loss boosting properties. It was proven in the study that cumin reduces the blood lipid levels. Furthermore, the triglycerides were also reduced by 23 % while in the other group by 5% and the LDL cholesterol level was reduced by 10% in the group who consumed cumin while in the other group it was only reduced by less than 1%.
If we take all of this into consideration, it’s safe to assume that cumin can help against atherosclerosis, heart disease and diabetes, problems related to high triglycerides levels. According to experts the main ingredients responsible for this are the glycoside saponins. They have the ability to prevent cholesterol absorption and increase its excretion. These compounds can be found in black cumin as well and have anti-coagulant, anti-carcinogenic, hepatoprotective, hypoglycemic, immunomodulatory, neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties.
Lowers cholesterol absorption
Cumin contains high levels of phytosterols, which are linked to reduced cholesterol absorption and can positively affect lipid levels. A different study revealed that regular consumption of cumin cyminum L. capsule by overweight people can yield the same results as oristat 120, which is a gastrointestinal lipase inhibitor for obesity management and works by inhibiting the absorption of dietary fats.
The consumption of cumin supplements had the same results as the drug regarding weight loss and BMI reduction, but more surprisingly showed even better results with regards to insulin metabolism.
It’s not mandatory to consume cumin with yogurt, you can add it to any other meal you like, from roasted vegetables, to chicken and soups, whichever way you prefer it. It will have the same effect in every dish.
Cumin Tea Recipe
Maybe the easiest way to include cumin in your everyday diet is to drink warm, soothing cumin tea. Boil the cumin seed in a pot of water, leave them to simmer for about 10 minutes and let it cool down a bit. Drink up and enjoy its benefits!
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