What are Black Seeds?

Legend has it Cleopatra and King Tut used to revere Black Seeds for their fascinating medicinal properties. A bottle of Black Seed oil was found in King Tutankhamen's tomb to be taken to the afterlife. Black Seeds come from a plant that's believed to have originated in Ancient Egypt and is now cultivated in Asia, North Africa, and Europe.

There are more than 250 studies conducted on the benefits of Black Seeds and its oil. Black Seeds are also known as black cumin, and are similar to caraway in taste and smell. They've been used by ancient Egyptians to aid in digestion and help combat colds and infections.

Sunfood Black Seeds are Certified Organic, 100% pure, raw, and non-GMO. These high quality seeds are grown in only two places in the world: India & Egypt. We source our seeds directly from our sustainable partner farms and then bring them to our facility in San Diego, California, for packaging. Absolutely no heat is used at any point in the process, so our seeds retain all of their nutritional value.

Black Seed Benefits

Immune System Support

Black seed has been gaining recognition as a powerful immunity supporting plant. The seed is rich in thymoquinone (aka TQ), an active compound that aids in healthy immune response regulation and help the body fight off illness-casing bacteria.

Healthy Weight Regulation

Various reports on the effect of black seed on body weight showed an association between weight loss and improvement in the lipid profile and glucose status. Studies(1) show the antioxidant property of the black seed plant contributed to its effect of reducing insulin resistance and increasing insulin sensitivity. It does so by improving the intra-cellular pathways of insulin receptors and increasing their sensitivity to insulin. This in turn improves a body's ability to regulate weight.

Aging and Memory Loss

Studies suggest that anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of the active compound thymoquinone (TQ) have shown to have positive effect on aging, memory, attention and cognition, and reducing stress(2).

Asthmatic Symptoms Relief

Studies show(3) the usage of black seed demonstrated the relief of asthmatic symptoms such as chest wheezing and difficulty breathing. Another study(4) showed black seed and its extract have a "relatively potent anti-asthmatic effect on asthmatic airways."

Anti-microbial and Antibiotics Resistance

Some infections caused by a virus become resistant to treatment if antibiotics are prescribed frequently. Studies show(5) ethanolic extracts of black seed has a potent antimicrobial effect and decreases the viral load(6). Black seed extract has potent antimicrobial agents that have shown not to elicit resistance in microorganisms. What that means is that viruses that can show resistance to antibiotics do not show the same resistance when black seed is taken.

Liver Function Support

People dealing with issues related to poor liver function can use Black Seed as a treatment. The results in a study related to Black Seed indicated that GSH (glutathione), SDH (sorbitol dehydrogenase), LDH (lactate dehydrogenase), G-6 Pase (glucose 6 phosphate), Serum Protein (total protein in serum) and phospholipids (long chain of hydrogen and carbon molecules) were attenuated (to make bacteria or viruses less virulent); diminution of collagen content and improvement in liver and kidney architectures(7) were observed with regular use of Black Seed. The diminution of collagen content as is relates to the liver(8) is important because large amounts of it can contribute to cirrhosis and the disruption of normal liver architecture.

How to Use Black Seeds

In modern cooking, Black Seeds are primarily used as spice or as a topping on baked good. Yes, baked goods. In Turkish and Middle Eastern cuisine, black seeds are used on pastries and to top flat breads. One of the easiest ways to incorporate black seeds into your diet is to grind them up and use them as spice. Add it to your base when sauteing onions and garlic for your stews or chili just like you would any other spice. You can mix it in your beans or quinoa to give it a hint of cumin-like taste. It's especially great to use on tacos to brighten up vegetarian and vegan versions.

Black Seed Vegan Tacos

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Organic Black Seeds

Sources

(1) https://www.researchgate.net/publication/304576476_Preclinical_and_clinical_effects_of_Nigella_Sativa_and_its_constituent_thymoquinone_A_review (2) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21639683 (3) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17868210?itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum&ordinalpos=2 (4) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20149611 (5) https://www.researchgate.net/publication/304576476_Preclinical_and_clinical_effects_of_Nigella_Sativa_and_its_constituent_thymoquinone_A_review

(6) https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2014/02/stop-spread-superbugs (7) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23543440 (8) https://ard.bmj.com/content/36/Suppl_2/29.full.pdf

Sunfood's "Natural Solutions" does not promote or suggest natural cures, natural healing or natural remedies for any disease, disorder or ailment thereof. This information should be treated as educational material gathered and discovered from various studies, clinical trials and customer reviews. It is designed to encourage healthy lifestyles, and independent conclusions in regards to natural products and alternative health choices. It is best to consult with your healthcare practitioner before attempting any form of natural cure, natural healing or natural remedy to any health issues.