Hi luvs,
Today we a going to talk about an oil that I recently discovered. While this ingredient has been part of my diet for years, I did not use the oil before. I recently stumbled upon it and I can’t believe all the amazing health and beauty benefits it has.
Black seed oil has been used for over 3000 years. Yes, I’m really late to the party learning about this, but better late than never. It has been so highly regarded for centuries, that vials of Black seed oil was placed in the tombs of dead Pharaohs to help them in the afterlife. We know this because it was found in the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamen “King Tut”. Okay I learnt about this in my ancient history class as a freshman in college but did a 17 year old me think hmmm I should try this? No. But let’s be honest some old school beauty and health remedies have endured through the years for good reason.
Black seed is also known as: black caraway, black-cumin, fennel-flower, nigella, nutmeg-flower, roman-coriander and kalonji. There are probably other names but I’m not fluent in every language on the planet. If your country has a different name for black seed please comment it below! Black seed oil is extracted using an oil press. The oil is pressed then it’s left to sit so that impurities can settle at the bottom of the container. Considering how tiny black seeds are I’m assuming it’s a lengthy process.
How can black seed oil be used?
Black seed oil can be consumed or used topically. Before consuming black seed oil please make sure that the product packaging indicates that it’s safe to do so. Not all 100% pure oils are edible. You can mix black seed oil into regular meals and snacks, ex: in yogurts, smoothie, on salad in place of olive oil, etc. I must warn you it’s not the most delicious thing you’ll consume, but it’s possible to mask the taste since you only need to eat 1 tiny teaspoon. Black seed oil can also be used topically as a hair or skin oil to aid with hair restoration and skin conditions like eczema.
Health benefits:
Before attempting to use Black seed oil for any of it’s health benefits please consult with your doctor that it is safe to do so with any medication you are taking. If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, I do not advise you to use black seed oil unless directed to do so by your doctor.
Black seed oil is believed to have antihistamine properties that a relief asthma and allergy symptoms. You should not replace your inhaler or epi pen with this oil. It can be used as a chest rub or as part of your regular diet to help avoid symptoms.
Black seed oil has antibacterial properties that aids in treatment of various fungus, infections and intestinal parasites and can also reduce the risk of various cancers. The Thymoquinone found in black seed oil has shown to induce cell death in leukemia cells (1), brain tumors (2) and breast cancer (3). The thymoquinone found in nigella sativa (the plant from which we get black seeds) is currently being studied for it’s benefits for cardiovascular health, diabetes, and neuro-degenerative diseases
Beauty benefits:
Some cultures use black seed oil topically to increase hair growth and soften skin. Black seed oil helps reduce inflammation which helps with some skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema.
Nutritional value from the label of the Black seed oil that I use.
I personally discovered black seed oil while researching for natural weight loss aids. Black cumin seeds contain high levels of phytosterols which are plant fats that our body absorb. It’s advised that your consume black seed oil before your meal because these Phytosterols limit how much cholesterol your body absorbs when you consume your meal. Studies (4) show that black seed is an effective aid when added to your diet to lose weight.
I’m going to incorporate black seed oil into my salads. We’ll see how this works.
I’ll keep you updated,
Stay Beautiful,
Avi
Skincare Unmasked 
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