Nigella sativa is the scientific name for a plant grown mainly in the South and Southwest Asia. Black seed or black cumin is the common name besides several others like alhabah alsoda, habit albaraka, kalonji, , and the list goes on.
This plant bears beautiful pale blue and white colored flowers. The fruit is in the form of an inflated capsule with several follicles. Each follicle has seeds mainly used as a spice. These seeds are bitter with a pungent odor. Oil extracted from the seeds of this plant has several health benefits. There is ongoing scientific research to identify the composition of Nigella oil and its different constituents having a beneficial impact on human health. A wealth of information exists about the health-promoting benefits of black seed powder or whole seeds. |