Background: Health benefit of cumin seed (Cuminum cyminum) soaked water (Jal-jeera): Jaljeera is a home remedy commonly used in India to alleviate digestive problems especially during summer months. The ingredients in the jaljeera is believed to promote good digestion and provides relieves from gas and bloating as well as acidity and heartburn. The jeera or cumin that is used to prepare jal-jeera is a commonly used spice in Indian culinary preparations for improving taste and flavor. Jeera seems to originate in the Mediterranean region and there are evidences that jeera use spans Syria and Egypt to Greece and Rome. Jeera has been in use in India since ancient times and has also been popular in Persian cuisine. Jeera was introduced to the American continents by the colonizers from Spain and Portugal, who also colonized countries where jeera was in use. Jeera is mostly produced in Indian and China and jeer consumption is highest in India relative to consumptions in other countries [1, 2]. Linguistically, while jeera is from zira in Persian/Urdu, it is from jiraka in Sanskrit. Apart from cooking, the jeera is also used in cheeses, breads, and spice blends, and jeera oil is used in perfumes to enhance aroma and flavor. Jeera is rich in essential nutrients including B and D vitamins minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and zinc. Not to confuse with other types, jeera we are talking about here is brownish in color and its scientific name is Cuminum cyminum. Apart from jal-jeera, essential oils of jeera (cumin seed) have been reported to have antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory properties [3, 4].

 

Health benefits: Irrespective of how one prepares it, the jaljeera has been proposed to have several health benefits. When I used “cumin seed”, the main ingredient in jaljeera as a keyword to search PubMed (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/?term=cumin+seed), a database listing biomedical research publication, I was surprised to find that there are 1089 peer-reviewed publications investigating different aspects of jeera/cumin seeds. When I used Cuminum cyminum as the search word, I found 468 publication in scientific journals https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/?term=Cuminum+cyminum. Some of the researched benefits were for stomach protection (gastroprotective), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), weight reduction in overweight/obese persons, antiallergic, antioxidant, anti-platelet aggregation, anti-diarrheal, and hypoglycemic [5–11]. I have summarized below health benefits* of Jal-jeera/cumin seeds from scientific publications as well as from ethnomedical and folklore writings –

i] help in digestion,

ii] use as a summer drinks to replenish fluid,

iii] during nausea and vomiting,

iv] reduce acidity,

v] helpful during menstrual cramp,

vi] get relief from pregnancy related morning sickness,

vii] reduces gas and bloating,

viii] relief from constipation

ix] increase apatite

 

Jal-jeera recipe:

Different methods have been prescribed for preparing Jaljeera. I am listing here 2 methods, which I use to prepare Jaljeera.

A.   Using Whole Jerra (Cumin). Ingredients: Whole jeera – 2 teaspoons, water – 1 cup, black salt – as per test, lemon juice – ½ teaspoon, ginger juice – ¼ teaspoon, jaggary powder/molasses syrup – ½ teaspoon

 

Method: Soak the Jerra in water overnight. Next morning, separate water from jeera and add all other ingredients. Mix well. If you prefer cold especially during summer, I suggest adding ice cube. One cup Jaljeera can be taken in one go or you can drink in two portions. If you decide to take in 2 portions, I suggest keeping the 2^nd portion in the refrigerator to drink in the afternoon.

 

B.   Using ground Jeera (cumin) powder. Ingredients: cumin seed lightly roasted and ground – 2 teaspoons, black salt – as per taste, lemon juice – 2 teaspoons, jaggary powder/molasses syrup – 2 teaspoons, coriander & mint leave paste – 1 teaspoon, ginger juice – 1 teaspoon, water – 1 liter.

 

Method: Mix all ingredients well and put in refrigerator. Serve refreshing jal-jeera cold.

 

 

Further reading:

1.      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cumin.

2.      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jal-jeera.

3.      Liu Q, Meng X, Li Y, Zhao CN, Tang GY, Li HB. Antibacterial and Antifungal Activities of Spices. Int J Mol Sci 2017; 18

4.      Wei J, Zhang X, Bi Y, Miao R, Zhang Z, Su H. Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Cumin Essential Oil by Blocking JNK, ERK, and NF-κB Signaling Pathways in LPS-Stimulated RAW 264.7 Cells. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2015; 2015:474509.

5.      Sowbhagya HB. Chemistry, technology, and nutraceutical functions of cumin (Cuminum cyminum L): an overview. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 2013; 53:1-10.

6.      Gupta L, Khandelwal D, Singla R, Gupta P, Kalra S. Pragmatic dietary advice for diabetes during Navratris. Indian J Endocrinol Metab 2017; 21:231-237.

7.      Johri RK. Cuminum cyminum and Carum carvi: An update. Pharmacogn Rev 2011; 5:63-72.

8.      Sharma LK, Agarwal D, Rathore SS, Malhotra SK, Saxena SN. Effect of cryogenic grinding on volatile and fatty oil constituents of cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) genotypes. J Food Sci Technol 2016; 53:2827-2834.

9.      Sahoo HB, Sahoo SK, Sarangi SP, Sagar R, Kori ML. Anti-diarrhoeal investigation from aqueous extract of Cuminum cyminum Linn. Seed in Albino rats. Pharmacognosy Res 2014; 6:204-209.

10.   Taghizadeh M, Memarzadeh MR, Abedi F, Sharifi N, Karamali F, Fakhrieh Kashan Z, et al. The Effect of Cumin cyminum L. Plus Lime Administration on Weight Loss and Metabolic Status in Overweight Subjects: A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial. Iran Red Crescent Med J 2016; 18:e34212.

11.   Vador N, Jagtap AG, Damle A. Vulnerability of Gastric Mucosa in Diabetic Rats, Its Pathogenesis and Amelioration by Cuminum cyminum. Indian J Pharm Sci 2012; 74:387-396.

 

*Note: These benefits, which are summarized from available literature, are suggested and are not proven by scientifically designed human trials. This writing is not a medical advice. If you have any medical condition, please consult your physician. Salt and sweet needs to be adjusted based on blood pressure and sugar levels.