What Are the Benefits of Black Cumin Seed Oil?

Black cumin seed oil comes from the black cumin plant, which is also known as the black caraway or Nigella sativa. The plant is native to south and southwest Asia, and has traditionally been used to treat conditions including diabetes, high blood pressure, and eczema. More than a third of the seed is made up of oil, which consists mainly of linoleic acid, oleic acid, and palmitic acid. The essential oil of the seed has been attributed to benefits for the cardiovascular, respiratory, immune, and endocrine system. This is primarily due to the face that thymoquinone is a major component of the oil. Outside of these therapeutic uses, black cumin seeds are also frequently used as a spice for their aromatic, peppery taste.

Like other plant seed oils such as argan oil, black cumin seed oil is commonly extracted through cold pressing or chemical solvent extraction. This cold press form of extraction not only ensures highest purity of the oil, but also a higher amount of nutrients in the resulting product.

The properties of black cumin seed oil make it beneficial when added to diets, and potentially when applied to the skin and hair. While the direct effects of black cumin seed oil on these areas are still being researched, it contains a wealth of nutrients that have health benefits for the whole body.

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY
Long term inflammation can lead to more serious diseases such as arthritis, cancer, and Alzheimer’s. Research suggests that the bioactive compound in black cumin seed oil called thymoquinone can be beneficial in treating inflammation-related diseases.

ANTIOXIDANT-RICH
Research is still being conducted to produce further scientific evidence for the many medicinal and therapeutic uses of black cumin seed oil. One particular study showed that thymoquinone from Nigella sativa seeds can fight cancer cells, therefore attributing antioxidant effects to it.

MOISTURIZING
Up to 42% of black cumin seed oil is made up of the fatty acid linoleic acid. Linoleic acid is known to be important in the health of your skin’s moisture barrier. In fact, the amount of linoleic acid in skin has been found to directly correlate with your skin’s ability to retain moisture. Therefore, black cumin seed oil may be a helpful treatment for conditions like eczema that demonstrate an ineffective skin barrier, rapid moisture loss, and a higher vulnerability to infection.

ASTHMA TREATMENT
Black seed oil is also commonly used as an herbal remedy to treat asthma, thanks to its anti-inflammatory effects. Clinical trials are currently investigating its direct benefits for asthma patients.

TREAT OBESITY
A study showed that regular intake of black cumin seed oil can have beneficial weight loss effects in obese women by lowering unhealthy body fat levels.

ADDITIONAL HEALTH BENEFITS
Black cumin seeds are commonly used in Mediterranean countries to cure gastro-intestinal disorders, as well as treat skin and respiratory ailments. It’s a popular ingredient in both therapeutic and cosmetic products.

DIET
There isn’t enough evidence that shows the specific amount of black cumin seed oil that is needed to show its healthy benefits. An easy way to start adding it to your healthy living regimen is to simply add small amounts of it to your dishes while you’re cooking! That way you’re adding more spice to your food, while reaping additional health benefits.

SKIN CARE
Another readily accessible option is to select natural skin care products that contain black cumin seed oil in them. Our Restorative Facial Oil makes use of this nourishing and soothing oil in organic form for the most nutrients, as well as a blend of other vitamin rich plant oils to intensely moisturize skin. Its strong scent in our facial oil is evidence that we’ve stuck to using the most potent and pure form of the oil we can find to create an effective product.

Black cumin seed oil isn’t typically the first seed oil we think of when it comes to dietary supplementation or turning to natural skin care. But it’s enjoyed popular use in the Middle East and Asia for its therapeutic and healing properties, and is now finding its way into our recipes and cosmetic products.

Learn more about the therapeutic and skin benefits of plant oils:

The Benefits of Cold Pressed Oils: Covering the best unrefined, highest quality oils for your skin.
Soothing Vetiver Oil for Skin Cleansing: Featuring a mighty essential oil for fighting acne and moisturizing skin.
Essential Fatty Acids for Skin: Why we use essential fatty acids to hydrate, plump, and lessen signs of aging.