Nigella sativa is a plant that grows in West Asia, the Middle East, Southern Europe and North Africa. This shrub plant produces fruit in the form of small black seeds called Black Seed.
In Indonesia, Black Seed is known as black cumin. This plant is processed to produce oil extract used in traditional medicine. If you apply it, can provide benefits for the skin and hair.
In addition, there are many more features of Black Seed for the health of the body. Curious? Here's the full review.
Nutritional Content in Black Seed
Black Seed is included in the type of herbal plant that has been used as herbal medicine since ancient times. Its usefulness comes from the mineral and vitamin content in it, including:
- Calories
- Proteins.
- Fat.
- Carbohydrate.
- Fiber.
- Calcium.
- Iron.
- Zinc.
- Copper.
- Thiamine.
- Niacin.
- Phosphor.
- Folic acid.
Apart from some of the nutrients above, black cumin also contains the main active compound, namely thymoquinone. These substances act as antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, and therapeutic properties. Its function is to protect the body from cell damage and chronic disease.
Various Benefits of Black Seed for Body Health
Black cumin has an important role in the health of the body. The content in it works with:
1. Helps reduce asthma symptoms
Asthma is a chronic disease that causes swelling in the airways. This condition triggers muscle constriction in the area, making it difficult for the sufferer to breathe.
These symptoms can be overcome by using black seed oil. The nutrients in it work by reducing inflammation and relaxing the muscles in the respiratory tract. That way, asthma symptoms can improve.
2. Control blood sugar levels
High blood sugar levels trigger chronic diseases, one of which is diabetes. If not properly controlled, this disease can lead to complications, such as kidney disease, eye disorders, and stroke.
Apart from using the main treatment, you can take black seed supplements to control blood sugar levels. However, be sure to discuss it with your doctor before using it, OK?
3. Coping with body inflammation
The anti-inflammatory properties of black cumin are effective in helping to overcome inflammation in the body. If not handled properly, disorders have the potential to trigger chronic pain, such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
4. Maintain healthy hair
The antioxidant content in Black Seed is able to maintain optimal hair health. Besides being healthy, this herbal plant can also make hair stronger, shiner, and thicker.
To get these properties, you can use Black Seed oil as a natural hair mask. You can also add coconut oil to optimize hair health.
5. Speed up the wound healing process
Black Seed oil contains a compound known as thymoquinone. This compound is able to stimulate tissue growth and accelerate the wound healing process.
Its benefits come from the antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of herbal plants. Several skin problems that can be treated include burns, excisions, and wounds caused by diabetes.
6. Supports skin health
In addition to medical uses, black seed oil can also be used topically to help support healthy skin. Its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties can help overcome several complaints, such as:
- Pimple.
- Eczema.
- Dry skin.
- Psoriasis.
7. Improve brain health
Neuroinflammation is inflammation of brain tissue. This condition plays an important role in the future development of diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
The thymoquinone compound in cumin oil can reduce nerve inflammation. This has an impact on reducing the risk of Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease in the future.
Although useful, further research is still needed to confirm this efficacy.
8. Helps lose weight
Black seed oil can help reduce body mass index in people with obesity, metabolic syndrome, or type 2 diabetes.
In one 8-week study, 90 women aged 25 to 50 years with obesity were given a low-calorie diet and either a placebo, or 1 gram of black seed oil per meal for a total of 3 grams per day.
At the end of the study, those who consumed black seed oil experienced a much significant reduction in body weight and waist circumference, compared to the placebo group.
Meanwhile, the black seed oil group also experienced a significant increase in triglycerides and bad cholesterol levels in their bodies. Despite the results, more research into their safety and effectiveness is needed.
9. It is antifungal
Black Seed oil is proven to have antifungal activity. Eating them can help protect against Candida albicans, which is a yeast that causes candidiasis. This type of fungus infects the mouth and intimate organs.
10. Prevent male infertility
Limited research suggests that black seed oil can improve semen quality in men diagnosed with infertility. This disorder triggers disturbances in sexual function, such as difficulty ejaculating, decreased sexual desire, or difficulty erection.
Is it true that Black Seed cures all diseases?
Black Seed from the Ranunculaceae family has been widely used as a traditional medicine by ancient peoples, such as the Greeks, Romans and Egyptians. This plant is valued by Muslims around the world and has the ability to cure all ailments.
Each part of this plant contains various types of active phytoconstituents such as carbohydrates, volatiles, alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids, phenolics, glycosides, coumarins, fixed oils, proteins, vitamins and minerals.
The use of the seeds, the whole plant, and the oil is common for the treatment of diseases such as hepatoprotective, antidiabetic, antiasthmatic, cardioprotective, analgesic, neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anticancer effects.
This plant has the potential to treat various diseases and its phytochemical properties have been well studied. However, further scientific studies are needed to explore the mechanism of action, side effects, effective therapeutic doses, and therapeutic effects.
Is it permissible to drink black seed every day?
Using it every day in small amounts is fairly safe. However, there is limited research on the long-term safety of taking larger doses for therapeutic purposes.
The risk of health problems can occur if you consume 1 teaspoon or 5 milliliters of black seed oil per day for 8 weeks. At this time, the user is at risk of experiencing nausea and bloating.
In addition, long-term use also carries the risk of causing interactions with drugs that are consumed regularly. Types of drugs include warfarin and beta-blockers.
There is also a concern that consuming too much Black Seed oil every day can harm the kidneys. This was stated in the A case study report of acute renal failure associated with Nigella sativa in a diabetic patient which was published in the Journal of Integrative Medicine.
In the study there was a case that a woman with type 2 diabetes was hospitalized because of acute kidney failure. He experienced this disturbance after consuming 2 to 2.5 grams of Black Seed capsules every day, for 6 days.
Even though it shows side effects for the kidneys, further research is still needed to confirm this. To minimize the risk, you should first discuss it with your doctor before consuming it.