Carefree Gourmet

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Did you know cumin and parsley were related? I didn’t! I keep it stocked in my pantry to make chili and curry dishes and never thought once about where it came from. It is used widely in Middle Eastern, Turkish, African, Asian and Mexican cuisines. It is grown for it’s seeds although I must say, I have always used ground.

Like many spices, cumin has been used medicinally for centuries. It has been used to treat stomach ailments, nausea and as a diuretic. Further research has also shown a benefit for enhancing insulin sensitivity, important for diabetics.

Cumin is widely used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine in India for the treatment of dyspepsia and diarrhea. It is an astringent herb that is recognized as an appetite stimulant, and helps control flatulence. Cumin has antispasmodic activity and helps with minor digestive problems. Cumin seeds are noted to be rich in important minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc, as well as some of the B vitamins. Cumin also has the ability to enhance insulin sensitivity. In a limited number of studies, cumin seeds have been reported to be hypoglycemic. Cuminaldehyde, found in cumin seeds, has an inhibitory activity towards glucose metabolism and shows promise as an anti-diabetic agent.

Cumin was seen to normalize blood glucose levels when fed to diabetic rats for 6 weeks. It also produced a significant reduction in the blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Cumin is being tested further to see whether its blood glucose lowering properties (similar to the action of an oral hypoglycemic drug) is useful for managing diabetes in humans. According to Winston Craig, MPH, PhD, RD.

In all my research about the health qualities of cumin and why I should get a regular dose in my food I found the most interesting to be from James A Duke, Ph.D. Why? Well, girls, if you could naturally increase the size of your bosom, would you? Many of us would! Well, according to Duke, cumin has been shown to increase the number of mammary cells in laboratory animals. Although the effect on human’s is unknown, mammals tend to have similar reactions to compounds with mammary effects. So, I may be using it a bit more liberally in my cooking…. how about you? Cumin also has anti bacterial properties – 11 natural chemicals so you may use it to kill bacteria that cause body odor. Now, I am not suggesting that you rub some ground cumin under your arms (it might get on your clothes) but you could make a tea of cumin and other BO fighting herbs and after soaking a cloth in the tea apply it as a compress under your arm. Or you could add it to your bath ritual. And finally, Duke and a fellow colleague from the US Department of Agriculture, Stephen Beckstrom-Sternberb, Ph.D. discovered three pain-relieving compounds, seven that are anti-inflammatory and four that combat swelling. So if you are suffering from pain and swelling, spice up your food with more cumin!

A few more tidbits about cumin from historical references…..Romans and Greeks drank cumin in tea form as they thought it would support a pale complexion (not exactly popular today but obviously was once considered ideal). Cumin was thought to keep chickens from wandering away, was used to show happiness on newlyweds, and kept on the table, like black pepper, as a seasoning to prepared foods.

Cumin seeds must be toasted, otherwise, they have an earthy, sour unpleasant smell. The seeds are usually ground to be added to soups, stews, meats, vegetables and grains. Left whole, the seeds are added to cheeses, drinks, liqueurs, marinades, brines and pickling solutions. Cumin has a very strong flavor and needs to be used carefully when cooking as it can easily overwhelm a delicate flavor.

I am working on a spice rub for our Hot and Spicy Valentine’s day party and it includes cumin. I think I will have another serving for dinner tonight….

Ever have heartburn? That terrible burning sensation? Or how about nausea? Ginger is another ingredient in recipes that I never knew had so many health benefits. According to Dr. Andrew Weil, ginger can also be taken to treat arthritis, bursitis; motion sickness, relief of chest congestion; and is a natural anti-inflammatory agent. It has also been documented to successfully treat bacterial dysentery, malaria, coughs and migranes. Ginger extracts have been found to improve blood cholesterol levels, elevated low blood pressure and prevent cancer in animals. It has also been found helpful in treating pain and fever as well and colds and flu viruses. (Edible, National Geographic)

Historically, ginger has been used in cooking and for medicinal purposes dating back to ancient civilizations. Its use has been documented back to 650 BCE (according to Edible, National Geographic). Numerous cultures embraced this rhizome including the Egyptians, Roman and Greek empires as well as the peoples of Southeast Asia and Ancient China. In fact, during the 13th and 14th centuries it was one of the most commonly traded spice across Europe. And even though ginger is one of the few spices to have virtually all of its medicinal claims verified, American doctors tend to be unaware of these studies.

When you were a child, did your mom give you ginger ale when you stomach bothered you? See, your mom did know best! Be sure to look for ginger ale with ginger in it. If you can’t find it, you can make your own with ginger syrup and seltzer water. Ginger comes in many forms including crystallized , powdered , honey based syrups, and fresh all of which have health properties. Dried ginger actually has more powerful anti-inflammatory properties than fresh. Therefore, you might want to use more than one form of ginger in your diet. I especially like ginger tea and a local Thai restaurant that my friend Lori and I frequent make a wonderful ginger tea. I have tried making it at home, but it never tastes quite a good! I nibble on crystallized ginger, although it can be quite pungent, it satisfies the sweet tooth. I cook with fresh ginger and find that I keep a piece in my refrigerator. It will last quite some time! Check out our sweet potato chicken curry dish which includes ginger. Yum!

While ginger is non-toxic and you cannot consume too much, be aware of taking the powdered form on an empty stomach. According to Dr. Andrew Weil, it may actually cause heartburn!

How can a spice be a superfood? Why does Dr. Andrew Weil, Dr. Nicholas Perricone, and Oprah all praise this little spice best known for seasoning up curry dishes and making our well known hot dog topping, mustard, yellow? It is one of the best natural anti-inflammatories you can consume right next to ginger! And in fact, it is part of the ginger family. It is Turmeric!

It has an interesting history, dating back 4000 years used as a coloring for fabric, paper, wood, skin and food. It was first used by the Vedic culture in India as a culinary spice for religious ceremonies. It was used as a substitute for the very expensive saffron spice, even though it is not in the same family of spices strictly because it was both yellow and cheap! Medicinally it has been used by ayurvedic physicians to treat gastrointestinal and inflammatory ailments as well as applied topically to enhance skin health and tone. Topical ointments have been used in India to “treat joint pain, bruises, and a variety of skin disorders including infections, inflammation, blemishes, wounds, acne, boils, burns and eczema.” (Dr. Nicholas Perricone, The Perricone Promise

One of the special components of turmeric that is the antioxidant wonder is curcumin, which scientist refer to as curcuminoids. Curduminoids may prevent oxidation of blood fats better than synthetic antioxidant BHT based on test tube studies. Turmeric also contains a peptide called turmerine, a free-radical scavenger. And in studies where animals were fed curcuminoids, they found higher blood levels of glutathione-S-transferase, a key player in the body’s detoxification system.

What I found even more remarkable is that James A Duke, PhD, a highly respected ethnobotanist, identified turmeric as a better solution to preventing and alleviating serious diseases of Alzheimer’s, Arthritis, and Cancer than traditional pharmaceuticals!

* Alzheimer’s disease: Duke found more than 50 studies on turmeric’s effects in addressing Alzheimer’s disease. The reports indicate that extracts of turmeric contain a number of natural agents that block the formation of beta-amyloid, the substance responsible for the plaques that slowly obstruct cerebral function in Alzheimer’s disease.
* Arthritis: Turmeric contains more than two dozen anti-inflammatory compounds, including six different COX-2-inhibitors (the COX-2 enzyme promotes pain, swelling and inflammation; inhibitors selectively block that enzyme). By itself, writes Duke, curcumin – the component in turmeric most often cited for its healthful effects – is a multifaceted anti-inflammatory agent, and studies of the efficacy of curcumin have demonstrated positive changes in arthritic symptoms.
* Cancer: Duke found more than 200 citations for turmeric and cancer and more than 700 for curcumin and cancer. He noted that in the handbook Phytochemicals: Mechanisms of Action, curcumin and/or turmeric were effective in animal models in prevention and/or treatment of colon cancer, mammary cancer, prostate cancer, murine hepatocarcinogenesis (liver cancer in rats), esophageal cancer, and oral cancer. Duke said that the effectiveness of the herb against these cancers compared favorably with that reported for pharmaceuticals. Dr. Andrew Weil, DrAndrewWeil.com

There is so much more information about the significant value of turmeric on the body that I could practically write a book! But I can’t, Pam and I already are busy doing just that! Bottom line, you want to add turmeric to your spice rack and USE it!! Our curry recipe is just one of the many recipes available that use this spice. Google it and get cooking!