Are you a spice girl or boy?
I was a child of the 70s and 80s but despite having my fair share of convenience dinners, my (English) Grandmother was an amazing cook and really took on the role of the Cypriot housewife to my Greek grandfather – who wasn’t much of a cook but made up for it as an incredible grower. We had fresh veggies and salad from his garden and consumed bucketloads of olive oil and hummus, many years before it became fashionable!
Instinctively now, I know how to make home-cooked, tasty food using all sorts of spices and herbs – thanks to what my Nan taught me.
One my fave spices is cumin, which adds a distinctive element to all kinds of Greek and Middle Eastern food, as well as Indian and Mexican.
Spices are also the perfect way to add nutritional value to your meals (or even your glass of water) – there are often just so many health benefits.
In Ayurvedic (Yoga’s sister) science – which suggests meals ought to be balanced by including all the six tastes – cumin is “pungent”.
It aids digestion and helps manage symptoms of IBS – including flatulence (which is great news for your family, friends and partners!). It also detoxifies the blood and may diminish intestinal worms. It has also been shown to help metabolise glucose and better manage the insulin levels of diabetic rats*
Studies also showed that cumin contained antioxidant properties and could potentially reduce a stress response in the body by lowering cortisol levels and stimulating the immune system in various ways (in studies using rats).
To top it all of, cumin is said to be an aphrodisiac, so really, what’s not to love!!! ❤️🙏🕉🤣
(*please do not stop taking your insulin!)