Black seed or scientifically known as Nigella Sativa contains a load of health benefits that Modern Science is beginning to understand. Black seed is also known by a few other names and this includes black caraway, black cumin, black onion seed and Roman Coriander. You may have come across these names but many are still unaware of the health benefits of black seed.
This herb is harvested annually and grows in countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea and India. Black seed can be categorised as a spice and there have been many reports too of other spices containing health benefits.
NIGELLA SATIVA / BLACK SEED AS A HEALTH SUPPLEMENT THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO
It is interesting to know that the oil of Nigella sativa have been found in the Egyptian tomb of King Tut or also known as Tutankhamun.
On top of that the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) have also stated that the herb is a cure for everything besides death itself! For black seed, its benefits include destroying harmful bacteria and cancerous cells to helping to regenerate the human body’s cells and tissues.
POWERFUL HEALTH BENEFITS OF NIGELLA SATIVA / BLACK SEED
Below are some of the health benefits that black seed offers. Here are 8 reasons why Nigella Sativa (Habbatus Sauda/Black Seed) is a powerful health supplement.
1) Help in the Glycemic control of patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Diabetes Mellitus is a chronic disease and is a common one too which affects millions of people around the globe. At this point in time, standard treatment has failed to help patients by correcting the blood glucose levels in sufferers. However, the oral consumption of Nigella Sativa or black seed have shown that it does help improve the glycemic control in diabetic patients. Research has found that a does of 2 gm/day of Nigella Sativa can be a beneficial adjuvant to oral hypoglecemic agents in type 2 diabetic patients.
2) Help in reducing the frequency of seizures experienced by children who resisted conventional treatment.
A study reported in the Medical Science Monitor that the water extract of Nigella Sativa has an antiepileptic effects in children with refractory seizures and has anti-convulsive properties.
3) Help in inhibiting the growth of colon cancer cells
It has been shown that Nigella Sativa has anti-cancer properties and was able to fight colon cancer in rats in a study conducted by a researcher from Tanta University. On top of that, the rats did not suffer any side effects. This is something that modern and conventional cancer treatments cannot do at this moment as side effects of current cancer fighting treatments is well known.
4) Help to reduce LDL cholesterol and blood pressure.
A research finding published in the journal Fundamentals of Clinical Pharmacology saw that the extracts from Nigella Sativa causes a significant decrease in LDL cholesterol and and blood pressure. The results from the research suggest that the daily use of Nigella Sativa seed extract for 2 months may have a blood pressure-lowering effect in patients with mild hypertension. As a natural remedy, Nigella Sativa proves to be an effective treatment to alleviate sufferers of hypertension.
5) Help trigger apoptosis or cell death in cervical cancer cell line, slow the progression of cancer growth and stop the spread of cancer.
Thymoquinone (TQ) is the active ingredient that is extracted from the essential oil of Nigella Sativa. It has been found in a recent study that TQ has an inhibitive effect on cancer cell proliferation and migration.
6) Help increase epidermal thickness and soothe eruptions when applied topically to psoriasis inflammation.
Nigella Sativa has a wide spectrum of pharmacological activities which includes anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal and antihelmenthic. The Nigella Sativa seeds are externally applied for eruptions of skin. It has been found in a pharmacological research study that the ethanolic extract of Nigella Sativa is able to help increase the relative epidermal thickness and hence confirm its traditional use in psoriasis treatment.
7) Help to treat sore throats.
In a study conducted in 2008, Nigella Sativa have been found to be an effective treatment for acute tonsillopharyngitis with tonsil or throat tissue inflammation. basically what it does is that it relieves the sufferer of the sore throat and reduces the inflammation.
8) Help in the treatment of Brain cancer.
Glioblastoma is the most aggressive and common type of malignant brain tumor in humans and the median survival is 15 months. A study conducted in 2013 have found that Thymoquinone which is the bioactive compound of the Nigella Sativa oil. It is able to an inhibitor to the Glioblastoma cells and it is able to leave alone healthy cells. Its ability to selectively target cancerous cells while not affecting the healthy cells makes Thymoquinone from the extract of Nigella Sativa a much needed therapy in the treatment of this dreaded condition.
NIGELLA SATIVA AS A HEALTH SUPPLEMENT IN A NUTSHELL
Nigella Sativa have only gotten proper research about 40 years ago and since then, we had more than 200 studies being conducted in universities. The black seed contains a huge amount of constituents and has a long ethnobotanical history. Hence the reason why the people throughout the Mediterranean, Asia and other parts of the world believe that Nigella Sativa is something of a miracle remedy. The completeness of the seeds in terms of their many chemical constituents lends credence to what the cultures have believed all these centuries.
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