Black seed (Nigella sativa), also known as black cumin, is a flowering plant native to southwest Asia. It’s been used in traditional medicine for centuries to fight conditions such as asthma, high blood pressure, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory diseases, and more.
The most prominent constituent of Nigella sativa’s volatile oil is thymoquinone (TQ), which has been researched extensively since 1960. Studies indicate that TQ plays an antioxidant role that bolsters immunity. It also shows promise in the fight against many cancers, including those of the lung, kidney, liver, prostate, breast, cervix, and skin.
In vitro and in vivo research finds a positive correlation between TQ concentrations and anticancer activities, including the ability to modulate signaling pathways responsible for cancer progression as well as the ability to induce apoptosis.
Lose Weight with Black Cumin Oil
In addition to its amazing disease-fighting properties, black cumin offers weight-loss potential.
Taking black cumin oil for eight weeks helped a group of overweight women shed more pounds than those who took a placebo. Both groups were on similar weight-loss diets.
The black cumin group also saw greater reductions in markers of inflammation. Obesity and inflammation are known to be linked.
The women, ages 25 to 50, took 1-gram capsules of black cumin oil or a placebo 30 minutes before each meal for a total of 3 grams daily. Those in the black cumin group lost about 6 percent of their body weight in eight weeks, while the control group lost about half as much.
