Cumin and cumin. What is the difference between zira, cumin and cumin: we understand spices. When breastfeeding

In the very first lines, I am pleased to express gratitude to Irina for the creative impetus.

How many times have they told the world ... about cumin, cumin and cumin .. In the sense that the confusion between the above names and their corresponding spices, which arises in the mind of a not too sophisticated consumer, still remains. Sometimes the scale of this confusion even increases further, due to the replenishment of the confused list (aka Isolda Menshova Kalindzhi or Nigella), which, unfortunately, has an alternative everyday name “black cumin”, but the latter circumstance can be considered a misunderstanding, because. neither in appearance, nor in aroma, nor in its culinary applications, nigella does not coincide with either real cumin or cumin.
But with such positions as: cumin, cumin, bunium, black cumin, Roman cumin, cumin, cumin cumin, cammun, imperial / black cumin and, possibly, some others, the confusion is not a joke at all.
Once upon a time, your humble servant already pointed out some of the circumstances of these ups and downs in his. However, let's topical issues and answers, once again we will try to pull this hippopotamus out of the swamp, in which he settled with pleasure.
So..

Is it possible to rely on the above names, comparing each of them with a certain spice?

Alas, the general answer to this question is no.
After all, these household names, historically established in different geographical regions, and therefore, sometimes with different words denoting the same thing, but with the same, on the contrary, perhaps very different things. Practice shows that any household names are relatively reliable only as long as their use does not go beyond the boundaries of the area where such a name is interpreted unambiguously. For example, in entire enclaves (of which Russia is also a part), cumin is calmly and even preferentially called zira, meaning the same thing by them.
The situation is further complicated by the established feature of the translation, which in many cases incorrectly works with the lexeme "cumin / cuminum", which, with the light hand of the ancient Romans, is still translated by the word "cumin".

What actual spices are we talking about?

Botanically we are talking about seeds of plants from genera carum, Cuminum and Bunium belonging to the family umbrella.
In my bins there are four types of them, differing in aroma and morphology, but I will not claim that this list is exhaustive.
Look at the photo.

Here, with a significant increase, eight seeds are shown - a pair of seeds of each spice with the numbering of their types from one to four. The photo, alas, does not convey smells, but the differences in morphology are clearly visible here.
Samples No. 1 and No. 3 have a very similar, curved shape of seeds - "boat", differing in color shade, much more brown in No. 1.
Samples No. 2 are the largest of all, the lightest, have the shape of a "torpedo" - by the name of the melon variety they look like.
And finally, specimens #4 are the darkest, thinnest and, like #2, quite round in any cross section, perhaps most reminiscent of a “banana”.
Is it true that there is no doubt that such a significant and fundamental difference in morphology corresponds to different genera or at least species of plants?

How to determine which spice of the above is in your hands?

The method is trivial and simple - wisely using the eyes, nose and tongue.
To smell the spice, just pick up a few grains and grind them right in your palms. To determine the taste - the same few grains should be chewed, moving them in the mouth along the receptors. To recognize the spices visually, you have to look closely.

With real cumin - a plant of the species carum carvi from the genus carum it will be easier for a beginner - cumin is perfectly identified by its unique aroma, which cannot be confused with either cumin or buniums. Here, even eyes are not needed, a tongue (I will now apologize to the ladies for taking liberties) or a nose is quite enough. But even those who love not with their tongue, but with their eyes, should not despair.
In my samples, cumin corresponds to No. 1. Here it is even closer.

Curved "boat" with a thick brown tint. In such a magnification, it cannot be seen with the naked eye, but the shapes and colors are well guessed even in an ordinary placer.

With real or white, as it is also called, cumin - cuminum cuminum is also easy.
True, the nose here can already fail, because only a sufficiently trained person will distinguish the smell of cumin and bunium, but, fortunately, here the eye is enough.
Look, cumin is samples #2.

Before us is a plump, round, light "melon", quite large. A very similar, but relatively even larger "melon" is observed in. In appearance, white cumin can only be confused with him. But here again there are different, incomparable aromas: the “high”, “female”, anise aroma of fennel and, conversely, the “low”, “male”, “sinful” of cumin.
In the placer, cumin is also the lightest and largest of the discussed samples.

and, if this visual picture is at least partially supplemented by familiarity with its smell, then its reliable identification should not take much time.

With samples No. 3 and No. 4 it is more difficult. Their aroma is similar to sample #2, cumin. But with identification, options are already possible.
#4 is almost certainly some bunium.

maybe Bunium badachshanicum or Bunium bulbocastanum(the degree of my biological knowledge is not enough for accurate identification).
Visually, as you can see, these are thin (and because of that, they also seem long) “bananas” that bend during drying. By the way, this is the darkest seed, which retains its dark maximum in placers.

Sample No. 3, perhaps again bunium, only different.

As an option - Bunium persicum. So, as far as I know, Galina Gosteva, authoritative in our hopeless case, also believes (- in LJ-world)
Purely visually, it would be easy to confuse it with cumin, because their forms - “boats” are very similar. The color is also similar, with the caveat that the cumin color is significantly more brown. But fragrance No. 3 is also close to cumin and, therefore, is very different from the fragrance of visually similar cumin.
In bulk it looks like this:

And, as you can see, even in a much darker color tone, it immediately differs from cumin.
It is No. 3 and No. 4 that have intricate and even somewhat frightening household names: black cumin, black cumin, black zira, imperial zira.

Only with great care, given the fact of unexpected transformations of cumin into cumin (or vice versa), occurring both due to translation errors and due to the usual confusion of these spices. Sometimes, in order to understand exactly which of the above spices should be in the recipe, you need to know quite deeply the local traditions of the cuisine to which the recipe under study belongs, otherwise mistakes will be almost inevitable.

Are these spices interchangeable?

Cumin, due to the peculiarities of its aroma, cannot be replaced by anything. By putting cumin or bunium instead, the cook, of course, will not spoil the dish. But the aroma of the finished product will be completely different, absolutely unusual for the carriers of the corresponding layer of culinary culture. But cumin (which, it seems to me, has the most versatile aroma) and its black variations are replaced by each other quite well, in any case, such a replacement will not give a fundamentally different result. However, in general, the use, distribution, and collection of buniums are quite limited and certainly cannot be compared with similar characteristics of ordinary white cumin. And, using the fact of their similarities and differences, blenders often mix white and black cumin in a ratio of approximately 4:1 to obtain a harmonious and “broadband” aroma.

Is it true that only complete amateurs confuse these spices, and sophisticated chefs always know exactly what's what?

Of course not.
Even the confusion of cumin and cumin, which are completely different in flavor, is quite common, including for objective reasons, some of which have already been mentioned here. And the confusion between the names: cumin, zira, black cumin and black zira and the spices corresponding to these names is common, I believe it will outlive us. So, if I managed to shine a flashlight into a dark cumin-cumin room with black and spicy cats at least a little now, then I consider my local task completed.

When spices began to be imported to European countries from the East, confusion occurred. With the outward similarity of cumin and cumin, they were taken as one species. This is what happened with cumin. It is confused with both cumin and cumin. Sometimes in supermarkets on bags you can see: Cumin (zira). This is not true. Let's try to figure it out.

Zira, cumin and cumin are the same

Why is there confusion? The seeds of three different spices are similar in appearance both in color (it is brown, but with different shades) and in shape (curved in the form of a sickle). Fruit length 3-5 mm.

Their plants belong to the umbrella family. Flowers are often white, pinkish, rarely reddish. Outwardly, all three seasonings are similar, but the taste is different.

What is the difference between cumin and cumin

Cumin is a biennial plant. Reminds me of dill. The stems are thin, branched, can reach a height of 0.7 - 1.5 m.

Zira is an annual plant. A little less than cumin in height.

Fruit

Cumin seeds are brown, more precisely dark brown with thin light stripes along the longitudinal ribs. The shape is curved.

Zira is lighter than cumin. There are fruits and gray-green color.

The shape of the seeds is straight or slightly arched.

Where does it grow

Wild caraway also grows in our temperate climate: in many regions of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus. Prefers wet meadows, river valleys.

The most fragrant zira grows in India. You can also grow it here, but the taste and aroma will be much weaker. Plus, it falls off quickly.

Smell and taste

The smell of cumin is strong, fragrant. The taste is burning, bitter, spicy.

Zira has a mild sharpness, sweet-spicy aroma. When heated dry, the nutty flavor comes out.

Cumin is more often used in baking, vegetable preparations, especially when sauerkraut, as well as for making tea, kvass, and beer. northern peoples Europe add it to vodka and liqueurs.

Zira is used in meat dishes. Plov without zira is not plov.

The note! Many people ask the question: zira is cumin or cumin, then we can say that zira and cumin are one and the same.

Black cumin

Unlike brown cumin, neither in appearance nor in taste. It is also called chernushka or kalindzhi. Grows up to 30cm. Leaves are small and thin. The flowers are pale blue, reminiscent of stars. Black small seeds are collected in round boxes.

Black cumin is added to food ground. Its aroma is nutty-strawberry with a slight hint of pepper.

Cumin is often confused with zira and cumin. Outwardly, it looks like them, but the plant is much lower and the seeds are darker. If you do not know this, you can only distinguish by taste.

General pharmacological and chemical properties

All these plants are good for health. They contain proteins, essential oils, trace elements, a group of vitamins.

Their application in medicinal purposes multifaceted:

• stimulate appetite;
• restore the balance of microflora and intestinal motility;
• increase lactation in nursing mothers;
• reduces colic and bloating.

Add-ons

Cumin seeds:

• separate mucus and sputum from the lungs and bronchi;
• burn fat.

Zira seeds:

• treat the thyroid gland, as they contain iodine;
• enhance the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach;
• maintain bone density;
• relieve constipation;
• fight against a fungus of the Candida class;
• useful in diabetes.

Black cumin seeds:

• improves brain activity;
• enhances blood supply to the retina;
• relieves depression;
• soothes;
• protects against viruses;
• removes toxins from the body.

Oriental healers advise mixing three grams of ground black cumin seeds and 10 grams of honey. Take a mixture to improve memory.

Like many medicines, spices have contraindications.

Attention! Before using them for medicinal purposes, you need to thoroughly study all their properties and composition, consult a doctor. The most important thing to know is that spices are allergens.

Black cumin can cause miscarriage in pregnant women, as it causes rejection of the uterine mucosa. It is contraindicated in people with transplanted organs.

Zira and cumin are undesirable for use in gastric and duodenal ulcers. Cumin is forbidden to use in coronary disease and past heart attacks.

Many housewives believe that zira and cumin are one and the same. Is it true? In this article, we will study this issue in detail: we will tell you what spices such as zira and cumin are, how they differ (photos of each spice will be presented below) and where they are used.

Queen of oriental spices

Zira is a plant belonging to the small genus Kmin of the umbrella family. Quite often, this spice is called Roman cumin, or cumin. According to many, zira and cumin are one and the same, but this is far from the case. They really look very similar, but the taste of these spices is completely different. The homeland of zira is considered middle Asia. As a spice, it has long been used in ancient India, Greece, Rome, and the Greeks and Romans used cumin for treatment - there are references to this in the works of Hippocrates, Pliny the Elder and Dioscorides.

There are several types of zira with different taste and aroma. The most common are Persian and Kirman cumin. Zira has a sharp taste and a bright aroma with nutty notes.

Description of cumin

One of the oldest plants found in the piled buildings of the Stone Age is cumin. In our state, this plant is found in meadows, along roadways, along the edges, almost anywhere. It belongs to the celery family. In the first year of life, a fleshy, slightly branched root crop and a rosette of pinnate leaves are formed, in the second year, a branched stem is thrown out, the height of which can reach 90 centimeters. Cumin blooms in July. The fruits are elongated two-seedlings. Seeds are small, ribbed. Young leaves contain about 45% ascorbic acid, and root crops accumulate sugar.

Black cumin grows in the Caucasus, the Mediterranean and Asia Minor. This spice is often perceived as zira. What is the difference between oriental spice and black cumin, we will try to find out. Both spices have a sharp smell and a bitter taste, but the taste characteristics are noticeably different, which is why they are used in different ways in cooking. Not a single oriental pilaf is complete without the addition of cumin, in addition, it is often present in meat dishes, sausages and cheeses. mainly used as a spice in the preparation of confectionery, drinks and to flavor pickles.

Zira and cumin: what is the difference in chemical composition

Cumin seeds contain about 20% fatty oil, 2.5 to 4% essential oils (which contain cumic aldehyde, cymol, paracymol, kymin and carvone), 10-15% proteins, no more than 16% gum, as well as flavonoids, cumic and beta-pinins, tannins, B vitamins, dipentene, beta-phellandrene, ascorbic acid, perylaldehyde, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and other minerals.

The composition of cumin seeds includes flavonoids, fatty and essential oil, protein compounds, coumarins, minerals and tannins. The essential oil contains limonene, carvone and carvacrol (it is thanks to this substance that a special aroma appears). Cumin roots accumulate a large amount of ascorbic acid.

Useful properties of spices

As you can see in the photo, zira and cumin are very similar in appearance. How are these spices different? properties. Regular use of cumin helps in the fight against insomnia, amnesia, nervous exhaustion, migraine, stomach cramps, dyspepsia, flatulence, diarrhea, bronchitis, cholelithiasis and kidney stones, cough. The benefits of Zira do not end there. This oriental spice normalizes digestion, prevents thrombosis, protects the body from heart attacks, improves work of cardio-vascular system, improves vision and brain activity.

Zira has a tonic, diuretic and antiseptic effect, enhances sexual desire, removes toxins from the body. Cumin is a lifesaver in the first months of pregnancy: it relieves nausea and prevents bloating. Pediatricians with the help of zira treat children's flatulence, and the Greeks prepare medicinal children's tea from it.

Cumin fruits are also widely used in medicine (used to treat headaches, pneumonia and bronchitis). The spice is considered a good antiseptic. It has cumin and antihelminthic properties. Essential oil improves digestion, suppresses fermentation processes, normalizes bile secretion, relaxes smooth muscles, and also has a sedative effect. Spice seeds are recommended for use in flatulence, pathology urinary tract, constipation and intestinal atony.

Having become acquainted with useful properties such popular spices as zira and cumin (what is the difference between outwardly similar plants, we have already found out), you can not only add an unusual aroma to dishes, but also improve your health.

Contraindications for use

Is everyone allowed to eat like this? healthy seasonings like zira and cumin? How they differ, we have already figured out. Let's talk about the cases in which it is recommended to abandon the use of these spices. Thus, the use of cumin is contraindicated in duodenal ulcers and stomach ulcers.

People with a weak heart should stop eating meat and fish dishes flavored with cumin, as the likelihood of a heart attack increases. The spice is not recommended for digestive juice produced by the stomach, and for anemia. Cumin is contraindicated in thrombophlebitis and thrombosis. Seeds consumed in large quantities can lead to rejection of transplanted organs.

Application

Cumin fruits are used to obtain essential oil, young shoots are added to salads, soups and pates. Today it is one of the most popular spices that are used to flavor confectionery, alcoholic beverages, marinades, sauces and canned food. In cosmetology and medicine, essential oils have been used.

Zira seeds in cooking can be used both whole and ground. In India, cumin is added to vegetable dishes, in Greece, Simir sausages are cooked with this seasoning, in Uzbekistan - pilaf, various soups, cold appetizers, in Kyrgyzstan - marinades and sauces, in Armenia - dry-cured sujuk sausage.

After reading this material, novice cooks will be able to safely answer the questions: “What are cumin and zira used for? How do these spices differ and what useful properties do they have?

Caraway- Carvey, carum carvi- the aroma is sweet, sharp, slightly peppery. It is believed that cumin seeds have an anise flavor. I do not agree. I strongly disagree. Spicy, fresh aroma, but not anise-sweet.

Sometimes referred to as "meadow kmine". Cumin is a very ancient spice, its history goes back to the Stone Age. It is also known that the Egyptians seasoned their food with them; traces of cumin have been found in ancient Egyptian tombs. The Romans baked bread with cumin, obviously knowing about its carminative effect, and ate it at the end of the meal.

Cumin was also highly valued in Arabia. He was credited with the ability to improve eyesight, give freshness to breath, and in addition, protect against the loss of loved ones! In India, cumin has been used in the manufacture of soap. It was a very popular condiment during the Middle Ages and was especially common in German and Austrian cuisine. Included in the liqueur "Kummel".

Cumin has a slightly pungent taste and a strong spicy aroma.
It has long been noticed that the cumin spice stimulates the appetite and promotes digestion, so cumin is put in fatty meat dishes (for example, in pork, lamb or lard), as well as in legume dishes that are difficult to digest.

In a broader view, cumin has acquired the image of a baking spice - many varieties of baked goods are baked with fragrant cumin. For example, Riga and Minsk bread, famous English muffins and Canadian caraway bagels.

Cumin is incredibly popular for pickling and pickling vegetables. Who has not tried pickled tomatoes, pickled apples or sauerkraut with cumin?

Very tasty are cheeses with cumin, as well as cottage cheese, butter. Incredibly tender herring marinated in cumin…
Cumin goes well with cooked vegetables - potatoes, cabbage, beets, carrots, as well as mushrooms. Cumin can also be used in fresh vegetable salads.

Sausage with cumin - what could be more beautiful? Only pâté J And also meat marinades and various caraway sauces. Hungarian goulash is a cross between a soup and a second course, traditionally cooked with caraway seeds.

Tea is brewed with cumin, citrus zest can also be added to it.

In the alcohol industry, cumin has also found its application - the Scandinavians produce caraway vodka with it, Aquavit and Kyummel liqueurs are also known. Kvass and beer are also prepared with cumin.

Cumin is quite popular in German and Austrian cuisines. Cumin is included in such traditional dishes as Sauerkraut - sauerkraut, stewed cabbage, and many others. The unique taste of pork baked with cumin and garlic was sung by Hasek in The Adventures of the Good Soldier Schweik.

In Asian cuisine, cumin is used in the preparation of desserts.

Cumin is an ingredient in curry spice blends. Cumin is one of the five spices in Bengali panchporan five spice blend. Cumin goes well with garlic. In food, you can use not only cumin seeds (whole and ground), but also young leaves and even roots (like carrots).

You can store whole cumin seeds for quite a long time (up to 7 years) in a hermetically sealed ceramic (glass) container. Ground spice quickly loses its aroma and taste.

Zira- cumin cumin, cumin cumin, Zera, Roman cumin, Cammun - Cuminum cyminum. There are several varieties of cumin:
White cumin (Cuminum cyminum) is the most common, used in our country, and will be discussed further.
Black cumin (kala jira) - Cuminum nigrum - darker and smaller than white, has a more bitter taste and pungent smell.
Most rare view black zira, which is more correct to call bunium - Buniumpersicum, Buniumbadachshanicum, is found in Tajikistan.
Despite the fact that "cumin" periodically appears in the name of both plants, these are still different plants and should not be confused. Although yes, both belong to the umbrella family. However, dill also belongs to the umbellate and has seeds of a similar shape, but this is the only thing that makes them related.

Zira is a word of Arabic, Persian or Hebrew origin, it can be translated as "seed".

As a result of the similarity of cumin and cumin seeds (they are very similar in appearance, but have a completely different taste), confusion is not uncommon in European culinary literature and dictionaries. It is known that the word lat. cumīnum in Latin means exactly cumin.

In cooking, mainly the seeds of the plant are used. They have a strong bitter, slightly nutty smell, which is enhanced by rubbing or roasting the seeds. The aroma can still be described as a strong musky-spicy with a note of greenery and a greasy undertone.

Zira is widely used in cooking, especially in the East. In this case, both whole or crushed cumin seeds, and powder from them are used. Whole seeds are used in cooking, for example, pilaf, being the component responsible for the aroma. Ground is widely used by the Turkic peoples in the preparation of meat dishes. Zira seeds are included in the garam masala spicy mixture, widespread in India, which has many different variations. Cumin is widely used in Mexican cuisine.

Whole zira seeds are an obligatory component of oriental pilaf, and ground ones are added to the famous Chili sauce.

In Kyrgyzstan, zira is seasoned with fried meat with vegetables, added for flavor to sauces, to marinade for meat. In Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, pilaf, soups, hot dishes, cold appetizers, flour products are seasoned with it. In India, zira is added to vegetable dishes, it is part of the curry.

Rarely used in Greek cuisine, mainly for dishes such as Smyrna sausages, stifato (stew) and dolmades. Cumin (jeera) is an essential component of hummus (chickpea puree).
In Bulgaria it is called kimion and is used quite often in meat dishes. The main seasoning for minced meat, from which sujuk sausage is made.

P.S. Well, since such a booze has gone, I’ll write more about Oregano and Marjoram.
Why is everyone silent? Not interested? :(

Above, the light-colored "zira" is cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.). Fruits, they are seeds, light, about 5-6 mm long, when chewed, give a fresh, grassy taste and aroma.

Kmin (or cumin) is a very ancient cultivated plant. It was bred by the inhabitants of ancient Egypt. Kmin was used as a ritual plant. This plant is also mentioned in the Bible.
Especially love it in India. Cumin (or cumin) is one of the main components of the most popular curry seasoning, without which Indian cuisine is unthinkable. It is also part of another well-known Indian spicy mixture - garam masala. It is also used in European cuisine. Like cumin, it is used in bakery and confectionery industries. It is added to cheese, pickles and marinades, meat and sweet dishes. At home, they are scented with kvass, mash or beer. Cumin is widely used in cooking North Africa and Mexico.
Cumin - medicinal plant, is used in medicine as a sedative, hypnotic and for other purposes. It is used for digestive disorders, to enhance the action of the liver, as a carminative. In Indian medicine, cumin is used to improve the absorption and enhance the effect of other medicines. Cumin seeds have disinfectant properties, promote wound healing. Now, one more thing can probably be added to these advantages: cumin, as we are assured at the Indian Central Institute of Technology for Food Research, is able to ... slow down aging, since the phenolic substances contained in cumin (especially polyphenols) are considered as antioxidants that remove from the body free radicals.
We figured out the cumin, they remembered it, let me remind you that it is on top in the first photo.

But the other two - this is the real zira,
which you can safely write here already without quotes.
On right- zira is bunium persian(Bunium persicum). Smaller and darker seeds, about 3-4mm long. When chewed, a bittersweet taste is felt, and a faint resinousness is barely distinguishable.


Left- “black Pamir zira” is also a bunium, but of a different botanical species - presumably Badakhshan (Bunium badachshanicum) or cylindrical (Bunium cylindricum). Having chewed even darker, thin and long seeds, one can feel in the mouth a rather strong resinous and smoked aftertaste and a rather noticeable burning sensation.


The word "zira" itself has a very ancient, possibly Aryan, origin, and it can be safely assumed that in Farsi, Hindi, Urdu and Sanskrit, all seeds / fruits of umbrella plants that were more or less similar to each other were originally called so.
Here are both of them in the photo.

The genus Bunium takes its name from the Greek bounion "peanut".
The main representative of this genus, relatives of parsley, has edible roots and was quite well known in Russia in the 19th century, was forced out of use by potatoes.

The origin of Bunium, which interests us under the ancient Indo-Iranian name Zirahe - central Asia- Iran, Afghanistan, Central Asia - Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan.
This is also evidenced by the fact that Latin name this spice persicum - means "from Persia".
Both buniums are difficult to cultivate - the seeds have very poor germination and therefore it is not very profitable to grow them economically. And this is one of the reasons why Buniums are not well known outside the region.
It is difficult to say which of the buniums was the first to go where, therefore it is quite natural that the inhabitants were not very versed in botanical specifics and called everything that looked like their spice “zira”. But they still kept the difference - they called the darker seeds of bunium - Kala jeera "black zira", and social status also reflected in the name - Shahi jeera "Shah's zira".
Since bunium and cumin plants, although related, are quite different both in smell and taste, they should not be confused.
Two types of zira are available to us:
- Iranian zira (Persian), something that almost always determines the flavor of the Central Asian pilaf.

- and black cashmere cumin .(Pamir, mountain)

The smell of this bunium is peculiar, the taste is bitter-resinous, with smoky notes. The smell is also enhanced if a pinch of bunium is rubbed between the fingers before adding.
I (Laughter.) prefer this black zira, although it is not always available on our market.
Seed composition
Jeera seeds are composed of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. It contains vitamins A, B, PP, C, E, K, as well as iron, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, copper and selenium.
The composition of zira seeds includes up to 4% of essential oils, they give it such a strong aroma. In addition, zira contains 16% gum, thymol, aldehyde and alcohol.

Calorie content of zira
The calorie content of the spice is quite large - 375 calories per 100 grams of product. However, it should be borne in mind that no one eats it in large quantities, it is simply impossible.
Zira is mainly used as an addition to meat and vegetable dishes, it has a rather specific smell and taste.

Useful properties of zira
The magical properties of zira were noted by Avicenna in his medical writings. Plato and Hippocrates also knew about its benefits.
Its use has a positive effect on all body systems, supporting the work of the heart, kidneys, intestines and brain. Zira helps with diseases respiratory system and nervous exhaustion. Zira has an amazing ability to remove toxins from our body.

The use of zira in medicine
Even in small amounts, zira protects against nausea, bloating, and indigestion. It helps pregnant women cope with toxicosis.
And in nursing mothers, while taking a decoction of zira, the secretion of milk increases.
It is recommended to use it for nervous exhaustion, and in combination with honey, it improves memory.
Regular consumption of zira helps to maintain and strengthen vision.
It has a cleansing effect. Therefore, it is used to heal wounds and treat acne.
Compositions based on zira seeds contribute to pain relief.
Infusion of zira has a mild diuretic effect. The best effect can be obtained by mixing cumin with coriander and fennel.
The spice has a pronounced tonic effect, that is, it is an aphrodisiac (increases sexual desire).

The use of zira in cosmetology
From zira (as well as from cumin) an essential oil is obtained, which is used not only for health, but also for beauty. It has the following properties:
is an antioxidant
cleanses the skin
eliminates congestion,
tones the skin
whitens,
deodorizes.

Need to know
Due to its ability to stimulate the secretion of gastric juice, zira is not worth eating much for those who are found to have hyperacidity, as well as a stomach or duodenal ulcer.
(but I confess that my husband and I have increased acidity, he has a long-standing ulcer, and zira is not removed from the house, we probably love her, and she loves us))))

Zira has a strong aroma, so it is used in small quantities, especially black, much like pepper. I do not grind it, the whole one is better stored. I add it along with walnut grass to any dishes that require heat treatment.