An aromatic spice with a distinctive bitter flavor and strong warm aroma due to its abundant oil content, cumin seeds are actually the small dried fruit of an annual plant in the parsley family. Native to the Mediterranean, cumin is hotter to the taste, lighter in color and larger than caraway, another spice it is sometimes confused with. India is the main producer and consumer of cumin, producing 70% of the world population and consuming about 90% of its own production (about 63% of the world production). Cumin seeds are an excellent source of iron and a very good source of manganese. Cumin is a popular ingredient in Middle Eastern, Asian, Mediterranean and Mexican cuisines, and is one of the main ingredients in curry powder.