Already have an account?
Get back to the
Health

This 2-Ingredient Spiced Water Will Help You Shed Body Fat and Control Blood Sugar

Ayurveda has touted the remedy for centuries.

Tags:

Boosting your health and losing a few pounds could be as simple as sipping on some good ol’ fashioned H20 — especially if you’ve infused it with cumin seeds. While drinking cumin water may not be something you’re initially interested in, the health benefits might convince you to give it a try.

Cumin is a popular spice used in many types of cuisine, especially Indian dishes like curry. Typically, you can purchase cumin seeds whole or in a ground-up powder form. Cumin water (also called “jeera water”) is just what it sounds like — water infused with cumin. Traditional systems of medicine like Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine have long touted the magical powers of cumin, and some say sipping on cumin water may help you control your blood sugar levels and lose weight.

Cumin Water For Blood Sugar and Weight Loss

There are a few ways that cumin water may aid weight loss. For one, cumin seeds contain a unique active ingredient called thymoquinone, a naturally occurring plant compound with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Antioxidants protect our cells from harmful free-radical damage that causes weight gain and disease. Chronic inflammation has also been linked to obesity and increases in body fat, so consuming cumin may work to combat this.

Studies have also shown that cumin may help with blood sugar regulation. Unstable blood sugar levels, as well as conditions like diabetes, are associated with obesity and weight gain. Getting them under control often results in weight loss.

Otherwise research points to cumins’ efficacy for weight loss. Findings from one small study including 72 overweight adults showed that adding the spice to a weight loss routine significantly accelerated shedding pounds. Another study including 88 overweight women showed that the addition of cumin alone resulted in faster weight loss and more fat loss.

On top of all this, Ayurvedic experts claim that sipping cumin water may aid digestion and reduce bloating. It’s also said to fight the growth of harmful bacteria and parasites in the gut, and is known in the traditional system as a potent detoxifier.

To make your own at home, all you have to do is steep one to two teaspoons of cumin seeds eight to ten ounces of hot water for at least five minutes, strain the seeds out, and drink up. That’s it!

Making simple changes like adding cumin water to your daily routine can have major health benefits, on top of helping you lose weight and feel your best. We hope you’ll use — and enjoy — this tip!

This article originally appeared on our sister site, Woman’s World.

Use left and right arrow keys to navigate between menu items. Use right arrow key to move into submenus. Use escape to exit the menu. Use up and down arrow keys to explore. Use left arrow key to move back to the parent list.