Cumin has very distinctive and intense aroma and taste. It is an annual herbaceous plant, which grows to 15-20 cm. Its leaves are long, pinnate or bipinnate, with thread-like leaflets and has small white or pink flowers. Cumin can be drunk as a tea by boiling seeds in water until the water is reduced to half, letting the seeds steep for 8-10 minutes in water, or as a solution by dissolving ¼ tsp. of cumin powder in a little water. Finally, cumin seeds can also be chewed.
Cumin tea helps stimulate the heart, treat digestion problems such as diarrhea, colic, bowel spasms and gas. It is considered as a natural laxative. It stimulates appetite and thus is beneficial for the prevention of anorexia. It relieves from period pains, stomach spasms, indigestion, and heart palpitations. Because cumin is very rich in iron, it is very beneficial for lactating mothers as well as for regulating the menstrual cycle.