I purchased a packet of this unusual seed about a year ago but had no idea that it had so many health benefits. The name and its unique color caught my eye. It is not widely known about, except by, would you believe it, big pharma and large companies. Nestlé, the Switzerland-based global food giant, have filed a patent for its use as a remedy to “prevent food allergies”. Hopefully, they will fail. This natural seed has a history as a natural health product with knowledge of its health benefits going back hundreds of years. How can Nestlé patent it as their invention? Hopefully, they will fail. Apparently, at least 600 studies have been conducted for various ailments (see below) with some surprising results. This informative article by Dr. Axe talks about 7 of the primary benefits. If you find this article interesting, please share it. Thank you!
Top 7 Black Seed Oil Benefits
Of the many ways that black seed oil benefits the body, the 6 that stick out in the scientific literature its ability to help prevent cancer, diabetes, obesity, hair loss, skin disorders and infections like MRSA.
1. Cancer
Croatian scientists evaluated the antitumor activity of thymoquinone and thymohydroquinone in mice and discovered that the two phytochemicals in black seed oil can resulted in 52% decrease in tumor cells! (10)
Being rich in both chemicals, black seed is unique in that it can help prevent and treat cancer through a variety of mechanisms:
- Anti-proliferation
- Apoptosis induction
- Cell cycle arrest
- Reactive oxygen species generation
- Anti-metastasis
- Anti-angiogenesis
According to one study,
“The anti-tumor effects of thymoquinone have also been investigated in tumor xenograft mice models for colon, prostate, pancreatic and lung cancer. The combination of thymoquinone and conventional chemotherapeutic drugs could produce greater therapeutic effect as well as reduce the toxicity of the latter.” (11)
2. Liver Health
The liver is one of the most important organs in the body. Nearly every toxin gets processed through the liver, and the bile from the liver is the key to digesting fats and keeping your mind and body happy and healthy. For those that have struggled with poor liver function due to medication side effects, alcohol consumption, or disease, black seed oil could greatly speed the healing process. In a recent study scientists discovered that black seed oil benefits the function of the liver and helps prevent both damage and disease. (12)
3. Diabetes
Explained in a recent article published by the Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism, researchers from the Indian Council of Medical Research highlight that black seed oil “causes gradual partial regeneration of pancreatic beta-cells, increases the lowered serum insulin concentrations and decreases the elevated serum glucose.” (13) This is actually quite profound because Nigella sativa is one of the few substances on the planet that is suggested to help prevent both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
In fact, according to the study, black seed “improves glucose tolerance as efficiently as metformin; yet it has not shown significant adverse effects and has very low toxicity!” (13) This is HUGE because metformin, one of the most commonly prescribed type 2 diabetes drugs, can cause a wide slew of side effects including: (14)
- Bloating
- Constipation/Diarrhea
- Flushing of the skin
- Gas/Indigestion
- Heartburn
- Headache
- Nail changes
- Metallic taste in mouth
- Muscle pain
- Stomach pain
