black seeds
NIGELLA SATIVA
our hero Ingredient
"a cure for every disease except death"
~ Prophet Muhammed
With their many names (including black seed, black cumin & kalonji) these tiny black seeds, and their oil, have been used as a medicinal remedy and to maintain health for thousands of years.
In fact, it was so revered in the time of the Ancient Egyptians, that King Tutankhamun was buried with a vat of Black Seeds in his tomb. And, Egyptian Goddesses Cleopatra and Nefertiti were said to use Black Seed oil in their beauty routines.
the plant
As part of the Buttercup Family, Nigella sativa is a hardy flowering plant thought to be native to the Aegean and its adjacent regions - ie Eastern Europe, Western Asia and Northern Africa.
the seeds
The seeds are slightly bitter in taste and have been used for millenia as both a spice (traditionally used on top of turkish bread) and as a natural medicine to help treat a large range of illnesses.
the magic
Containing one of the world’s richest natural sources of Thymoquinone (a highly antioxidative and anti-inflammatory compound), Black Seeds possess a distinctive array of vitamins, minerals, proteins and a high concentration of essential fatty acids.
It is thought that the combination of these components work in a unique synergy to give Black Seeds the power behind their tremendous potency and function.
the science
With a plethora of benefits for the skin, hair, body and immune system, Nigella sativa is one of the few ancient remedies that is becoming increasingly backed by scientific research.
There have been thousands of studies published on Nigella Sativa and its constituents.
This study published in Frontiers in Pharmacology in 2021 (link below) provides a good summary of some of the traditional uses of Black Seeds, as well as modern day studies conducted on the antioxidant, anticancer, cardioprotective, antidiabetic, antiobesity and neurological properties of Nigella sativa, and thymoquinone.
It also discusses the studies conducted on various skin diseases including, but not limited to, psoriasis, skin itchiness and eczema.
Nigella Plants – Traditional Uses, Bioactive Phytoconstituents, Preclinical and Clinical Studies
A summary of some of the traditional uses of Black Seeds, as well as modern day studies conducted on the antioxidant, anticancer, cardioprotective, antidiabetic, antiobesity and neurological properties of Nigella sativa, and thymoquinone.
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