Cumin seeds are the dried fruit of Cuminum cyminum, with a warm, earthy, slightly bitter flavour from cuminaldehyde and other volatile aldehydes. They are one of the most consumed spices globally and a cornerstone of Indian, Middle Eastern, Mexican, and North African cooking. Per tablespoon they provide useful iron, manganese, and calcium.
Toast whole seeds in a dry pan for 30-60 seconds until fragrant and use immediately; or temper in hot oil at the start of cooking until they pop and sizzle. Freshly ground cumin is significantly more aromatic than pre-ground.
Where Cumin seeds Stands Out
Macronutrients per 100g
Vitamins & Minerals
| Nutrient | Per 100g | % Daily Value* | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Potassium | 1,790 mg | 90% | |
| Calcium | 931 mg | 116% | |
| Phosphorus | 499 mg | 71% | |
| Magnesium | 366 mg | 98% | |
| Vitamin A (RE) | 127 µg | 18% | |
| Iron | 66.4 mg | 474% | |
| Folate | 10.0 µg | 5% | |
| Vitamin C | 8.00 mg | 10% | |
| Vitamin K | 5.40 µg | 5% | |
| Zinc | 4.80 mg | 48% | |
| Niacin (B3) | 4.60 mg | 29% | |
| Vitamin E (alpha-TE) | 3.33 mg | 28% | |
| Manganese | 3.33 mg | 167% | |
| Copper | 0.870 mg | 87% | |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.630 mg | 57% | |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.440 mg | 31% | |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.330 mg | 24% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.000 µg | 0% | |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.000 µg | 0% | |
| Monounsaturated fat | 14.0 g | — | |
| Polyunsaturated fat (PUFA) | 3.28 g | — | |
| Trans fat | 0.000 g | — | |
| Maltose | 0.000 g | — | |
| Cholesterol | 0.000 mg | — | |
| Beta-carotene | 762 µg | — | |
| Retinol (vitamin A) | 0.000 µg | 0% |
* % Daily Value is the proportion of an adult
EU Nutrient Reference Value (NRV) supplied by 100g of this food.
NRVs are the labelling standard — the same basis as the “%RI” figures printed on
food packaging — so these percentages are directly comparable with a shop label.
They are a single adult figure and do not vary by age or sex, which is why they
sometimes differ from UK dietary reference values: the NRV for vitamin C is 80mg
where the UK RNI is 40mg. When Nutriofia assesses your own intake in the
reports and trackers, it uses the age- and sex-specific UK values instead.
Fibre is shown without a percentage. Our fibre values use the UK
Englyst NSP method, while the published 30g daily goal is an AOAC figure — the two
are measured differently and a single percentage would mislead.
How we source and normalise our data →