Certain foods have health benefits so amazing calling them a “superfood” seems like an understatement.
Take the simple black seed that’s been revered in the Middle East for thousands of years…
It’s been used to treat headaches, fevers, colds, toothaches, digestive distress, worms, back pain, asthma, arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, cancer and many more everyday and chronic diseases. If you ask me, that’s not a superfood… that’s a panacea.
And even the Prophet Muhammad thought so. He is believed to have said, “In the black seed is healing for every disease except death.”
The black seed he was talking about was the black cumin seed, which comes from the plant Nigella sativa. It’s also called Roman coriander, black sesame, black cumin, black caraway, onion seed and even just “black seed.”
I know it sounds crazy that this unassuming little black seed could help nearly every health problem under the sun. But here’s why it does: It contains thymoquinone (TQ), a powerful antioxidant with anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer powers. In fact, some researchers have recommended its use in the treatment of colon cancer because of TQ’s ability to suppress growth and induce cell death in colon cancer cells.
It also contains fatty acids, protein, calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus and iron.
That’s an impressive nutritional profile. And modern science seems to agree…
The black cumin seed’s health properties have been verified by countless scientific studies. In fact, it’s one of the best-researched natural health remedies around. It’s mostly been studied on animals. But over the past 50 or so years, there have been at least 458 published, peer-reviewed studies on this powerful little seed. And here’s what researchers have found:
- It relieves pain
- It reduces inflammation
- It lowers blood pressure
- It eases asthma symptoms
- It fights off bacteria, viruses and fungi
- It decreases anxiety
- It promotes heart health
- It balances blood sugar
- It trims excess body fat
- It kills cancer cells
And the best part about this middle-eastern miracle seed is that it’s easy to add to your diet. You can bake with black cumin seeds, sprinkle them over salads or pour boiling water over the seeds and turn them into tea. You can also mix a teaspoon of black cumin seeds with royal jelly or honey and eat them over toast.
Or you can use black cumin seed oil… put it in juice, smoothies, over salads. Just make sure you get about one teaspoon per day if you want to experience its overall health benefits. Although you may need to take more (two to three teaspoons per day) if you are using it for a specific health ailment.
You can also apply the oil externally to skin and hair — as Cleopatra was believed to have done — to reap the seed’s beauty benefits. It reportedly prevents hair thinning and premature graying and eases eczema. In fact, there are just as many ways to use black cumin seed and black cumin seed oil as there are health conditions it treats. So eat, drink and be healthy with these powerful black seeds!
Editor’s note: Natural remedies like you’ve just read about have been time-tested. How would you like to know the best ones for whatever ails you? On page 199 of The Part-Time Health Nut, you can find the best natural supplements to lower cholesterol… on 198 the ones that help prevent Parkinson’s… and on page 197 you’ll find 15 anti-cancer supplements. Get your copy, plus 2 FREE books and 2 FREE reports, today!
Sources:
Ahmad, A. Husain, M. Mujeeb, et al. “A review on therapeutic potential of Nigella sativa: A miracle herb.” Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine. 2013;3(5):337-352. doi:10.1016/S2221-1691(13)60075-1.
“Black Seed – ‘The Remedy For Everything But Death’” GreenMedInfo. com. http://www.greenmedinfo.com. Retrieved August 12, 2016.
N. Al-Naqeep, M.M. Ismail, A.S. Al-Zubairi and N.M. Esa, 2009. “Nutrients Composition and Minerals Content of Three Different Samples of Nigella sativa L. Cultivated in Yemen.” Asian Journal of Biological Sciences, 2: 43-48.
S. Butt, M.T. Sultan. “Nigella sativa: reduces the risk of various maladies.” Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. 2010 Aug;50(7):654-65.
H. Ali, G. Blunden. “Pharmacological and toxicological properties of Nigella sativa.” Phytotherapy Research. 2003 Apr;17(4):299-305.
Gali-Muhtasib, A. Roessner, R. Schneider-Stock. “Thymoquinone: a promising anti-cancer drug from natural sources.” International Journal of Biochemistry & Cell Biology. 2006;38(8):1249-53.
