Cumin and cilantro are two different plants that are not the same species. Cumin is the ground up seeds of the plant Cuminum cyminum and cilantro the leaves from Coriandrum sativum.

Also, cilantro (leaves) and coriander (ground up seeds) come from that same species, Coriandrum sativum. Perhaps you were thinking of coiander instead of cumin?

It doesn't taste bad to everyone, but to some people it tastes like soap or other inedible things.

Cilantro is also known as coriander. The word coriander comes from koris, the Greek word for bedbug, because the unripened seeds as well as the leaves are said to smell like bedbugs. We now know that the aroma of cilantro comes from several substances, most of which are modified fragments of fat molecules called aldehydes. The same or similar aldehydes are also found in soaps, lotions, and the bug family of insects.

No the kalonji and ajwain both are different

AJWAIN

Ajwain is a herb also known as Bishops Weed. This beneficial herb is used in culinary process as spice as well as a major ingredient of different kind of medicines. Ajwain seeds are small in size but taste hot, penchant and bitter. It acts as good appetizer, laxative and stomachic. It is used as effective remedy in managing ailments like vomiting, mouth diseases, pile, treatment of ascites, abdominal tumor, abdominal pain etc.

Here are the few health benefits of Ajwain:

For Stomach Problems:

Ajwain is very useful in alleviating spasmodic pains of the stomach and intestines in adults as well as children. Any colicky pain due to flatulence (gas), indigestion and infections in the intestines can easily be relieved by taking one teaspoonful of Ajwain along with 2-3 pinches of common salt in warm water. Ajwain is a very good digestive. It can be taken with buttermilk to alleviate digestion related problems. It is a good anti-acidic agent.

Respiratory Problems:

• Common Cold:

  In an acute attack of common cold or migraine headache, put Ajwain powder in a thin cloth and smell this frequently. It gives tremendous symptomatic relief according to some Ayurvedic experts.

• For bronchitis:

  If you have chronic bronchitis and asthma, take the mixture of Ajwain and jaggery, heat it to make a paste and take 2 teaspoonfuls twice a day. However, diabetics should not take this preparation because of the sugar content. It helps to bring out the mucus easily and alleviates chronic bronchitis and asthma to great extent. It also helps in getting relief from chronic cold.

• For Cough:

  Ajwain is very effective in curing cough. One can drink hot water after chewing little Ajwain to cure cough. You can chew betel leaf with Ajwain at night before sleeping to control and cure dry cough.

• For nasal congestion:

  A tablespoon of crushed Ajwain tied up in a small cloth bundle can be used for inhalation. It also relieves nasal congestion while sleeping when placed near the pillow.

• For flu:

  A person suffering from influenza should drink the boiled water with 3gms of Ajwain and 3gms of Cinnamon bark for 3 days, thrice a day. This helps in curing influenza to a great extent.

For Alcoholics:

If people who consume excessive alcohol develop discomfort in the stomach, taking Ajwain twice a day, will be very useful. It will also reduce the craving and desire for alcohol.

For Heart:

Taking one teaspoon of Ajwain with hot water stimulates the heart and relieves heartache.

For Ear ache:

Ajwain oil can help in relieving ear ache with just one or two drops in the ear.

Arthritis Treatment:

Ajwain oil can also be used to massage legs and knees to get relief from pain from arthritis. It is beneficial in treatment of rheumatic and neuralgic pain.

Tooth ache:

The smoke of burning Ajwain seeds is effective in treating toothache. Gargle with lukewarm water prepared by boiling of Ajwain and little salt two to three times a day, it cures tooth pain.

To know more about Ajwain, have a look at this video:

Ajwain Herbal Remedies

Some of the common herbal remedies of ajwain seeds are as follows -

• During Pregnancy

  - In some regions, ajwain seeds are taken during pregnancy. The seeds are taken with gaud as it is believed that it purifies the blood and reduces lumbago.

• Venomous insect bite

  - In traditional Vedic medicine, paste of ajwain seeds is mentioned as a remedy for venomous insect bite such as scorpion bite, as it has pain killing properties.

• Toothache

  - Ajwain fumes are also inhaled to cure toothache, which is caused by decaying tooth.

• Hiccups

  - To instantly stop hiccups, ajwain seeds are taken with one or two sips water.

• Kidney stone

  Ajwain seeds are taken regularly with vinegar or honey for a week. This remedy removes kidney stone with the urinal flow.

• Stomach tonic

  Ajwain seeds soaked in water for a night and its water is taken next morning. This helps in stomach diseases as it cures digestion and acute dyspepsia.

• Acidity

  Dry roast one teaspoon of ajwain seeds and cumin seeds. Add to it one cup of water and bring it to boil and strain it. Add some sugar and take one teaspoon as a remedy for indigestion and acidity.

The ajwain seeds are tiny in size. The seeds can cure certain mouth and heart diseases, vomiting, ascites, piles, abdominal tumor and pain. It should be taken in small doses as in some people, it can cause skin irritation.

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KALONJI

Kalonji is known as Kalajaji in Sanskrit and Black cumin and Small Fennel in English. It is also commonly called Kalajira, Mugrela and Upakuncika. Kalonji is an important herb in Ayurvedic medicine. It is a small herb which yields yellowish brown oil rich in d -limonene, carvone and nigellone, a carbonyl compound. Kalonji has various health benefits.

The botanical name of Kalonji is Nigella sativa and it belongs to the family Ranunculaceae. It helps in preventing the dental caries. Kalonji also prevents bronchial asthma and cough. It is also rich in some amino acids content. Some other health benefits of kalonji are discussed in this article.

Ayurvedic Properties of Kalonji

Kalonji has the following health benefits:

• Rasa (Taste) - Pungent (Katu), Bitter (Tikta)
• Guna (Properties) - Light (Laghu), Dry (Rukhsa), Sharp (Tikshna)
• Virya (Potency) - Hot (Ushna)

Health Benefits of Kalonji

Kalonji is used for the following health benefits:

• Eyesight

  - Take ½ teaspoon of kalonji mixed with carrot juice before meals to increase the eyesight and continue the treatment for 6 months.

• Toothache

  - Gargle with warm water containing ½ teaspoon of kalonji oil. Oil can be directly applied to the paining tooth to get quick relief.

• Cleanser

  - Kalonji seeds contain saponin, which are good cleansing agent.

• Skin Problems

  - Kalonji seeds are made into paste form, which are used for various skin related problems and hair fall.

• Piles

  - Its paste can also be applied to get relief from pain and swelling piles.

• Nervous System

  - This herb is made into powder 6form to strengthen the nervous system.

• The powder of kalonji is also used for uterine relaxation and contraction to make the delivery easy. It also helps maintain the normal urinary tract.
• Oil obtained from seeds show properties such as antibacterial, hypotensive, bronchiodilatory and immunostimulant.
• The alcoholic extract of seeds are rich in some nourishing amino acids like lysine, cysteine, leucine and valine.

Other diseases that can be cured with kalonji are:

• Headache
• Pain
• Rhinitis
• Tastelessness
• Asthma
• Cough
• Fever
• Dysurea
• Abdominal distension
• Less milk secretion in mothers

The above are some of the health benefits of kalonji. This herb is non-toxic when taken in normal dosage.

Cilantro is an annual herb. This means that it's entire life and death cycle happens in a single growing season. So with this in mind, one normally will start cilantro growing from seed.

• Plant seed shallow in the soil

• Make sure the soil is well drained

• Place where it can get lots of sun

• Make sure it has room to grow by not placing it under another shrub or plant

• Re-plant more seeds all through the season, because you will be harvesting regularly. This way you will have cilantro all season long.