Proven Health Benefits of Black Seed and Black Seed Oil (Evidence Based)

Black seed oil contains many medicinal and therapeutic properties that are good for your skin and general health. The antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effect of black seed oil is great for treating skin conditions and skin infections. Black seed oil is also good for your hair as it can boost the condition of your hair and may even prevent hair loss. You can also take black seed oil capsules for weight loss, to lower cholesterol, and manage diabetes symptoms.

Black seed oil is also called kalonji oil, black cumin seed oil, or black caraway oil. The use of black seed oil for treating various ailments goes back centuries. Recent scientific studies have confirmed many of the traditional uses of kalonji oil for improving the appearance of skin, your hair, and boosting your overall health.

In this article, you will learn about the many reasons why black seed oil or black cumin oil is good for you. You will also find out how to use black seed oil to take advantage of its many health benefits.

What is Black Seed Oil?

Black seed oil (Nigella sativa oil) is produced by pressing oil from the tiny black seeds (Nigella seeds) that grow on the Nigella sativa plant. Researchers say that the Nigella sativa plant is a medicinal plant with many health benefits. Oil extracts from the black seeds (Nigella seeds) has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antimicrobial properties. (1)

Many of the amazing health benefits of black seed oil are due to a compound called thymoquinone. The journal Advances in Phytomedicine reports that thymoquinone is the main active compound that makes black seed oil so good for your health. (2)

Black seed oil also has antiseptic properties that can relieve pain when applied to the skin or wounds. (1)

Black seed oil (black cumin oil) has a pungent bitter taste that some people describe as peppery or spicy. When consuming high-quality black cumin oil for its medicinal purposes, many people advise not to smell the oil but just consume it.

Nutritional Value of Black Seed Oil

Most of the nutritional value of black seed oil comes from the rich content of unsaturated fatty acids that have antioxidant properties. Black seed oil contains large amounts of linoleic acid and oleic acids. (1)

Scientists have also found that black seed oil (kalonji oil) has strong antioxidant qualities. Black seed oil helps to kill off free radicals in the body that can cause oxidative damage. (3)

The benefits of thymoquinone in black seed oil have been linked with antifungal, antiviral, antibacterial, and antiparasitic activity. (4)

What is Black Seed Oil Good For?

Black seed oil is good for your health because of its scientifically proven health benefits. Scientific studies have confirmed that black seed oil is good for your skin, hair, and liver. Black cumin oil is also good for you because it can help lower blood glucose and cholesterol levels.

Here are the proven health benefits of Nigella sativa oil.

Black Seed Oil for Weight Loss – What Science Says

Is there any scientific research to suggest that black seed oil is good for weight loss? Advertisement

In 2018, the Journal of Ethnopharmacology reported that black seed supplementation has an anti-obesity effect. Taking black seed (Nigella sativa) can help to reduce body weight and lose belly fat. (5)

One trial involving overweight women found that taking black seed oil to supplement a calorie-controlled diet helped to speed up weight loss. At the end of the trial, the group taking black seed oil experienced a significant reduction in body weight compared to the group who didn’t take the supplement. (6)

In the trial, women took a dose of 3 grams of black seed oil for weight loss. This was divided into 1 g black seed oil capsules 3 times a day before meals.

Research has also shown that taking black seed oil for weight loss also helps to reduce complications associated with obesity. One clinical trial found that taking black seed oil can help to reduce inflammation in obese women. (7)

Some studies have found that supplementing your weight-loss diet with black seed oil only results in minor weight loss. (8)

Black Seed Oil (Black Cumin Seed Oil) For Skin

Using black seed oil for your skin is good to help moisturize your skin and treat various inflammatory skin conditions.

The anti-microbial, analgesic, and soothing properties of kalonji oil (black seed oil) mean that it is an excellent therapeutic topical application to keep skin healthy.

Nigella sativa helps treat eczema

Medicinal compounds in black cumin seed oil mean that you can use it to soothe dry skin conditions like eczema (atopic dermatitis).

Research published in 2018 found that thymoquinone gives black seed oil its anti-inflammatory effect. Applying oils containing thymoquinone such as black seed oil helps to treat outbreaks of dermatitis. (9)

Other studies have found that using black seed oil for eczema is just as effective as Betamethasone. This is a steroid cream used in treating eczema to relieve itching and flaking skin. Patients applied black seed oil to irritated skin twice a day for 4 weeks have seen the best results. (10)

Find out about other natural ingredients that can help treat eczema.

Black seed oil can alleviate psoriasis symptoms

Oil extracted from black cumin seed can also help treat the symptoms of psoriasis.

One study on mice with psoriasis-like skin lesions found that regularly applying black cumin seed oil reduced skin inflammation and helped skin heal properly. The scientists concluded that black cumin seed oil could be a natural treatment for psoriasis. (11)

Further reading: 12 ways to treat psoriasis outbreaks naturally.

Black cumin seed oil (black seed oil) for acne

The antibacterial properties of kalonji oil mean that it is good for treating acne and helping to get rid of inflamed, red pimples.

One clinical study on adults with acne found that applying lotion with 10% black seed oil helped to reduce the number of pustules in a 2-month period. Nearly 60% of patients experienced a reduction in their symptoms of acne thanks to the black seed oil acne treatment. (12)

Other studies have shown that an anti-acne gel containing black seed oil is just as effective as the acne pharmaceutical drug amoxicillin. (16)

Learn about other ways to treat outbreaks of acne and how tea tree oil can help in your fight against pimples. Advertisement

Kalonji oil is good to stop skin infections

Black seed oil has powerful antimicrobial properties that mean it can help treat skin infections and prevent wounds becoming infected.

One clinical trial revealed that extracts of Nigella sativa seed oil can treat skin infections on infants. The researchers found that black seed oil was just as effective as the pharmaceutical antibacterial ointment Mupirocin. Applying black seed oil treated Staphylococcal bacterial infections. (13)

Find out how to take care of wounds properly and how to prevent scabs from forming.

Black seed oil may help reduce fine lines and wrinkles

Black cumin seed oil is good to apply to your face and neck because it can help to reduce the visible appearance of aging.

In one trial involving mice, black seed oil was taken as a supplement to improve skin condition. The antioxidant and anti-apoptosis (preventing cell death) properties of black seed oil had an anti-aging effect on the skin and helped to offset the visible effects of aging. (14)

Applying products containing black seed oil also helps to moisturize the skin, reduce pigmentation, and heal skin lesions. (15)

Did you know that there are many more oils that help reduce the appearance of fine lines?

Black Seeds Oil for Hair

Kalonji oil is also good for your hair and may even help to prevent hair thinning and bald patches. Also, because it has antifungal properties, black seed oil is good for keeping your scalp healthy and free from dandruff.

Black seed oil can boost hair growth and may prevent hair loss

One of the reasons to apply black seed oil to your scalp is to help hair grow quicker and strengthen your hair strands.

The thymoquinone content of black seed oil can help increase hair thickness and density. One trial on 20 people who had the hair-thinning disorder telogen effluvium found that applying a lotion containing black seek oil helped to treat hair thinning. After a 3-month period of treatment, 70% of the patients had increased hair thickness. (16)

Another trial found that combining black seed cumin oil with coconut oil helps to boost hair growth. Scientists found that the rich content of short chain fatty acids in black seed oil along with anti-inflammatory properties helped to promote hair growth. The black seed oil easily penetrates hair roots to improve hair quality. (17)

One study on the medicinal compounds in black seed oil found that black seed oil works similar to the antihistamine cetirizine. (18) A study from 2018 found that applying topical lotions containing 1% cetirizine can help to treat androgenetic alopecia. (19)

Learn about other natural ways to make your hair grow faster and what natural supplements can help hair to regrow faster.

Black Seed Oil May Help Treat Dandruff

Oil from Nigella sativa seeds contains antifungal compounds which can be useful in getting rid of dandruff.