Black cumin seeds (or Nigella sativa) are one the most revered medicinal seeds in history. Known in the Middle East as ’The Seed Of Blessing’, black cumin seeds have been used to keep people healthy for over 3,300 years. Hippocrates used it to deal with digestive and metabolic disorders, Cleopatra used it as a beauty treatment. Archaeologists discovered a bottle of black cumin seed oil in the tomb of Egyptian King Tutankhamun for his use in the afterlife and it is believed that Muhammad once said that black cumin cures every disease but death itself. Black cumin seed oil has also been used in Chinese Traditional Medicine for thousands of years for an extensive list of mild to extreme health conditions and is commonly believed to be the most effective “all-in-one” health food in existence.
Black cumin seeds and Nigella sativa plant
In recent years, it has been put to the test and several scientific studies confirm what Middle Eastern, North African, Chinese and Indian cultures have known for thousands of years regarding high level wellness and disease prevention. Studies on rats and humans have found black cumin seed oil to inhibited tumour growth by up to 50%, increased the growth of healthy bone marrow cells by 250% and deactivated or killed certain types of cancer cells. The reason is found in the complex chemical structure of these little seeds. They have over one hundred different chemical compounds including a phytonutrient called Thymoquinone, an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory that has been effective in reducing the size of tumours.
They are a wonderful source of all the essential fatty acids and contain proteins, vitamins B1, B2 and B3, as well as calcium, folic acid, iron, copper, zinc and phosphorous. The high content of phytosterols found in black cumin oil are also necessary for the natural production of hormones, provitamin D and bile acid. It helps with digestion and relieve gases in the stomach and intestines and black cumin seed oil is antimicrobial and helps to rid the intestines of worms.
Though it is the oil that is most often used medicinally, the seeds are spicy and can be used in curries. Black cumin oil provides an all-around super multi-vitamin of nutrition and with that reputation it was included in Jon’s daily regime.