Spices……Mediterranean Foods are known for their rich flavors which come from the vast amount of fresh spices cultivated around the Mediterranean.
If you are an avid reader of the blog, you can see the many recipes call for cumin. Cumin has been used since ancient times and is cultivated in the Mediterranean. It is one of the most popular spices in the world. I actually found one source that says only black pepper is used more frequently than cumin. I definitely recommend it on meats to give them a warmer, spicier flavor.
But…what are the health benefits?? Cumin can be boiled with water to make a tea that can help treat a stomachache. It is also known to help with digestion and there is some scientific evidence that states it stimulates enzymes to break certain foods down making digestion easier.
It is great for morning sickness and heartburn. It is especially useful on foods that may cause “gas” such as cauliflower or beans. If you sprinkle some cumin, you may decrease the flatulence that you, your family or guests will experience from eating these foods. Cumin also contains iron which is important in……pregnancy, patients undergoing chemotherapy, anemia and others. It can also help lessen the duration of the common cold.
Finally, recent studies also state that cumin may have anti-carcinogenic properties. In other words, it may help to fight cancer.
I say add a dash of cumin to EVERYTHING…it doesn’t hurt. Adds great flavor and has many health benefits.
One of my best friends who is an amazing cook adds cumin to everything, and I think that is her secret to cooking so I won’t say her name but she knows I am talking about her 🙂
What are some of your favorite spices?? What do you want to hear more about?? Let me know.
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