JEERAKA (CUMIN SEEDS)

Traditionally herbs and spices were used as a fragrant agent, to add flavor, to make the food delicious and aromatic and also for medicinal purpose. Everyone could drive the benefits from them and could be healed with them.

The spice that we are going to discuss in this article adds a nutty and earthy flavour to foods and is packed with a whole lot of health benefits.

The aromatic ingredient has been part of human lives for even more than the ancient times. The Greek, Persian, Egypt and Roman cultures has given an important and major role to jeera(cumin) in their dishes.

JEERAKA i.e cumin seed or jeera is most commonly used Indian spice, which has been used since the Vedic or samhita times. Ayurvedic aacharyas prescribed jeeraka as a medicinal remedy for several health problems. So wise were our grannies that they decided to add it to spice box and use it everyday, to ensure its sustained health benefits to the family.

This article contains :-

A) General talk about JEERAKA

B) Benefits

C) Rasa-panchaka (Properties)

D) Intake recipes

E) Doses

F) Indication

G) Side-effects

H) Formulations

A)General talk about JEERAKA

Curcumin cyminum Linn is an aromatic herb that belongs to APIACEAE(UMBELLIFERAE) family. It is a short heighted plant having thin and perfused branches with bunched(umbrella shaped) small white colour flowers. Its seeds are elongated with tapering ends and having longitudinal ridges over them. Jeeraka (Cumin) is native to the eastern Mediterranean through to East India.

Different ganas of JEERAKA :-

Aacharya Charak :- Shirovirechan, Shoolprashman, Pippaliyadi

B)Benefits

1) Paachan (Carminative)

2) Deepan (Increases the digestive strength)

3) Roochak (Improves the taste of food)

4) Vrishika damsa (Scorpion sting)

5)Stanyajanan (Helps in the development and formation of breast milk)

6)Garbhashaya shodhan (Helps in the cleaning of uterus)

7) Varna ropan (wound healing)

8) Kandughna (Helps to lowers the Itching)

9) Medya (Improves the memory power)

10) Netraya (Helps in the maintenance of eyes)

11) Daurgandiya nashak (Acts as a mouth freshner)

12) Reduces the swelling (Anti-inflammatory)

13) Maintains blood cholesterol level

14) Anti-oxidant

15) Helps in the reduction of weight i.e it reduces the extra fat from the body

16) It helps to maintain Normal perpuerium

Helps in the treatment of :-

1) Ajirna (Indigestion)

2) Aanaha(Constipation)

3) Jwaraghna (Fever)

4) Atisar (Diarrhoea)

5) Kandu (Itching)

6) Kustha (Leprosy)

7) Arsha (Piles)

8) Amlapitta (Hyperacidity)

9) Vaman (Vomiting)

10) Aruchi (Anorexia)

11) Vatta vikara

12) Gulma (Painful lumps)

13) Garbhashayagata vikara (Uterine problems)

14) Swasa (Asthma)

15) Kasa (Cough)

16) Grahni (Malabsorption syndrome)

17) Rajyakashma (Tuberculosis)

18) Hikka (Hiccups)

19) Syavathu (Splitting)

20) Madataya (Alcoholism)

C)Rasa-panchaka (Properties)

                          Rasa :- Katu, Tikta

                         Guna :- Ruksha

                      Vipaka :- Katu

                      Veerya :- Ushna.  

           Doshakarma  :- Kapha-vatta shamak

             Mala karma :- Sangrahi

          Dhatu karma  :- Vrishya     

                                                           

D)Intake recipes

CHURNA :-

1) To make jeeraka churna, first take a sufficient amount of jeeraka and remove its dirt properly.

2) After cleaning, add its whole amount into a grinder to make a churna(powder).

3) To get a fine churna sieve the jeeraka churna through a clean cotton cloth.

4) Collect the sieved churna into a clean bowl.

5) Jeeraka churna is ready.

KWATH :-

1) To make jeeraka kwath, first take sufficient amount of jeeraka and remove its dirt properly.

2) Take a pan and pour some water in it and put it over the flame. When water starts to boil then add jeeraka to it.

3) Reduce the amount of water to 1/2 of the initial amount.

4) Switch off the flame and leave it for some time.

5) Seive the solution properly and collect it into a clean glass.

6) Jeeraka kwath is ready.

E)Doses

                  

  Churna :- 1-3 gm

F)Indications

1)With food :- Anorexia, Indigestion, Bloating, Constipation

2)Jeeraka churna + Guda (followed by milk) :- Fever, Stanyajanan(increases lactation)

3)Jeeraka churna + Dadhi(curd) :- Diarrhoea

4)Jeeraka churna + Sandhav namak(formed ghee) :- Hyperacidity, Decreased digestive fire, Anorexia

5)Local application :- Painful piles, Abdominal pain, Scorpion sting

6)Bath with decoction :- Itching, Leprosy

G)Side-effects

 If consumed wrongly, or taken in wrong amount, jeeraka does have its side effects. 

1) Rapidly lowers the blood sugar level.

2) It sometime hampers the breast milk.

3) Diarrhoea (if taken in wrong way).

H)Formulations

1) Hingvastaka churna

2) Jeerakadiristha

3) Jeerakaadi modak

4) Lavan Bhaskar Churna

5) Jeerakaadi churna

6) Jeerakaadi taila

Some funny moments to your life and spices to your food, makes your life and food more tastier,healthier and attractive.

                                                         -AYUR REALM