Black Cumin Oil
Black Cumin oil is popularly called as the ‘cure for all diseases except death’. This magical oil is extracted from the black cumin seeds botanically named as Nigella Sativa. This herb belongs to the plant family Ranunculaceae. The black cumin seeds are the most significant part of the annual flowering plant Nigella Sativa. This natural curative is native to the Southwestern parts of Asia. The black cumin seeds grow up to a maximum height of 12 inches or 30 cm. The leaves of this plant are thin, linear and finely divided. The delicate flowers of this plant are white or pale blue in color. The Black Cumin fruits have inflated capsules that contain about 3 to 7 follicles. Each follicle contains numerous seeds. These seeds are dried and used as spice and as a natural cure for many diseases. Black Cumin seeds generally have a strong pungent odor and bitter taste. These seeds measure about 3 to 4 mm long and are black in color. Black seeds have been used in the ancient period for treating numerous diseases. The essential oil extracted from the black seeds has been in medicinal use since times immemorial.
Latin name: Nigella sativa.
Alternative names: Roman coriander, Black caraway, Fennel flower, Nutmeg flower, Blackseed, Kalonji, Habat-Ul-Sauda, Love in a mist, Devil in a bush.
Black seeds as well as black seeds oil are used as renowned nutritional supplement. This hardy annual plant grows well in full sunlight. It can tolerate partial shade and manage to grow in dry soil with good drainage. Black Cumin plant requires regular watering during extreme dry conditions. It is always better to grow Black Cumin seeds plant in peat pots indoors. These plants are allowed to grow for 7 weeks and are transplanted in the garden or fields. The ideal time for sowing the seeds is during the spring season or early summer. While harvesting, the seeds that are to be used for cooking are harvested by placing the pods in a paper bag. These seeds are dried completely and stored in an airtight container or used for extracting the Black Cumin oil. The essential oil of Black Cumin contains thymoquinone, which has been proved effective against the deadly disease of cancer. Black Cumin seeds are trusted to contain more than 100 chemical compounds. The most notable among them are beta sitosterol, thymoquinone, oleic acid, myristic acid, stearic acid, palmitic acid, arachidonic acid, copper, palmitoleic acid, calcium, linoleic acid, vitamin B1, linolenic acid, protein, vitamin B2, vitamin B3, iron, folic acid, phosphorous and zinc.
Uses: Black Cumin oil has been used for many centuries in the Asian, European, Arabian and the Mediterranean countries. This oil is believed to treat cold, constipation, infections, toothaches, bronchitis, abdominal tumors, abscesses, headaches, diarrhea, pancreatic cancer, flatulence, hemorrhoids, dysentery, rheumatism, parasitic infections, inflammatory diseases and symptoms of asthma. Black Cumin oil is also used to enhance the energy level of the body and treat various skin conditions like acne, psoriasis, boils and allergies. This oil is also used in the healing science of aromatherapy.
