Written By: Bhavyajyoti Chilukoti | Updated : October 17, 2016 9:46 PM IST
You might have heard that drinking water from a copper vessel or drinking a glass of warm water in the morning is good for the health. But have you ever wondered why drinking jeera water is so common? It provides a whole lot of nutrients and also aids in digestion, weight loss and immunity. Our expert Dr Neha Sanwalka, nutritionist and dietician, Mumbai, explains the health benefits of drinking jeera water and the right way to prepare and store it.
#1. Aids in digestion: Suffer from indigestion? Well, drink a glass of jeera water every day to help you deal with it. This is because jeera water not only stimulates the secretion of digestive enzymes but also speeds up the digestion process, thereby helping you fight indigestion. Moreover, as it clears out toxins from the body, drinking jeera water provides relief from stomach related problems like acidity, abdominal gas, morning sickness and nausea.
#2. Treats water retention: One of the common causes of water retention is the intake of high salt diet and drinking less water or dehydration. And hence, drinking a glass of jeera water every day might help as jeera is rich in potassium, which helps in reducing and preventing water retention. The mineral potassium plays a key role in maintaining electrolyte balance in the body thus, helping you treat water retention naturally. Here's more on causes of water retention and expert tips to prevent it.
#3. Boosts immunity: Not just potassium, jeera is also packed with iron, which is important for normal functioning of the immune system. Iron is the key mineral required for the production of red blood cells. Jeera is also rich in antioxidants, which helps in fighting free radicals and lowers your risk of infections. Hence, make sure you drink a glass of jeera water to boost your immunity.
#4. Helps in treating anaemia: If you are suffering from iron-deficiency anaemia, then including iron-rich jeera in your diet can help. And what s best than sipping jeera water all through the day to make the most of it. Due to lack of iron, the blood supply to various parts of the body is hindered, which leads to fatigue. Hence, drink jeera water regularly to prevent anaemia.
#5. Maintains blood pressure: Jeera water is rich in potassium which helps in regulating fluid and electrolyte balance in the body thereby maintaining blood pressure.So if you are at risk of high blood pressure or suffer from a heart disease, then drinking a glass of jeera water on an empty stomach might do the trick. The mineral also helps in maintaining heart rate along with improving your heart function.
#6. Helps in weight loss: Yes, it is one of the few healthy drinks that can also aid in weight loss. Jeera water can help you lose weight by boosting the metabolism. It is rich in fibre which not only subdues your appetite and prevents you from cravings but also acts as a powerful detoxifying agent, thus helping you lose weight.
#7. Nourishes the skin: The antioxidant property of jeera water is responsible for clearing toxins from the body, which can aggravate acne and blemishes. And hence, drinking jeera water not only aids in the absorption of nutrients but also detoxifies the skin helping your skin to glow naturally. The presence of vitamin E and A exerts anti-ageing effects of jeera water making your skin smooth and clear.
How to prepare jeera water
To a litre of water, add two tablespoons of jeera and allow it to boil for 4 5 minutes. As the water starts boiling and there is a slight change in the colour of the water, switch off the stove. Let it cool for some time before you strain the solution. Store it in a clean bottle and drink throughout the day. Make sure you drink it slightly warm and not too cold or too hot. Also read about reasons jeera or cumin seeds are great for your health.
Dr Neha Sanwalka says, The way to make jeera water is to use raw jeera and not the roasted one as roasting can lower the overall nutrient value of jeera. Also, use whole jeera and not jeera powder or ground jeera to prevent loss of nutrients. The best way to store jeera water is to store at room temperature and not in the fridge. It is advised to make it fresh and use it for the day rather than making it in a bulk and storing it for more than a day.
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