What is the difference between cumin and turmeric?
In this brief guide, we are going to answer the question “ What is the difference between cumin and turmeric?, discuss the nutritional value, health benefits and preparatory methods of cumin, nutritional value and health benefits of turmeric and the use of turmeric in preparing meals.
What is the difference between cumin and turmeric?
The difference between cumin and tumeric is that cumin is a seed and turmeric is a spice. Both of them also differ in their taste, smell and colour. Cumin seeds come mainly in black and white, and have a strong smell and taste. Turmeric on the other hand is mostly bright yellowish-orange and has a mild flavour with an almost sour taste.
What is Cumin?
Cumin are seeds which are derived from Cuminum cyminum, a native herb ranging from East Mediterranean to South Asia. The seeds are oblong and yellow-grey and have a warm bitter taste with a strong aroma.
The strong smell can easily overwhelm the aroma of the whole food. The flour can be used as a substitute or complementary to other flours as staples or in baked goods.
What is the nutritional profile of Cumin?
The seed is found to be rich in essential and vegetable oils with the highest concentration in seed. This makes it a superfood in the cosmetic, pharmaceutical and the food industry. The seed is also a good source of iron, copper, zinc, phosphorus, Vitamins and folic acid.
What are the health benefits of Cumin?
Studies have shown cumin to be a significant food source for prevention and treatment of a wide spectrum of diseases, from diabetes, hypertension, cough fever and headaches to impotence and tumours.
How to prepare cumin?
The seed is used as an oil in preparing food, or it can also be used as seasoning. The seeds are also crushed to make powders to be used in liquids such as milk and tea infusions.
What is Turmeric?
A root similar to ginger is widely used in grounded form as a yellow spice in South East Asia.
The aroma and taste are mild compared to cumin and can blend with other herbs and spices when preparing meals.
What is the nutritional profile of Turmeric?
A low calorie, very low sodium and a high source of potassium, phosphorus, Iron, calcium and magnesium. It also contains folate, choline and Vitamin C. The presence of phytochemicals (secondary metabolites of plants) makes it valuable in its health benefits.
What are the health benefits of Turmeric?
The spice is extensively used in Ayurvedic medicine mostly for healing wounds, bone and liver disorders. The herb is also used for some of the same diseases where cumin is concerned. It serves as an anti-diabetic, anti-bacterial, anti-hypertensive, anti-cancer and an anti infertility agent.
How to use turmeric in preparing meals?
Turmeric is used in all kinds of food preparations, curry, chicken, sauces, sweet rice and also consumed in milk.
The nutritious components of both cumin and turmeric can be destroyed due to over cooking of foods. Traditional cooking cultures which use a high concentration of the spice and seeds tend to overcook the spices due to which these highly nutritious foods can actually lose their functionality. The cumin and turmeric thus cannot serve their beneficial effects.
Therefore it is better to use them either as seasonings or decrease cooking times and temperatures.
Other FAQs about Spices that you may be interested in.
Can I substitute cayenne for red pepper flakes?
Conclusion
In this brief guide, we answered the question “What is the difference between cumin and turmeric?”, discussed the nutritional value, health benefits and preparatory methods of cumin, nutritional value and health benefits of turmeric and the use of turmeric in preparing meals.
If you have any questions or comments please let us know.
References
Krishnapura Srinivasan, Cumin (Cuminum cyminum) and black cumin (Nigella sativa) seeds: traditional uses, chemical constituents, and nutraceutical effects, Food Quality and Safety, Volume 2, Issue 1, March 2018, Pages 1–16,
Mousavi, G. (2015). Study on the effect of black cumin (Nigella sativa Linn.) on experimental renal ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats1. Acta cirurgica brasileira, 30, 542-550.
Chattopadhyay, I., Biswas, K., Bandyopadhyay, U., & Banerjee, R. K. (2004). Turmeric and curcumin: Biological actions and medicinal applications. Current science, 44-53.
Chattopadhyay, I., Biswas, K., Bandyopadhyay, U., & Banerjee, R. K. (2004). Turmeric and curcumin: Biological actions and medicinal applications. Current science, 44-53.
