Kalonji seeds popularly called as Nigella seeds | Black Cumin | Black Seeds in English and Karunjeeragam in Tamil have amazing health benefits. From aiding weight loss and promoting hair growth to treating diabetes, it does have amazing medicinal uses. Kalonji seeds are very popular in India as they are used to season certain dishes and kalonji oil also called Kalonji Ka Tel in Hindi is used extensively for hair and skin care too.
What Is Kalonji?
Kalonji are the seeds of Nigella Sativa plant. They look almost like our black sesame seeds but kalonji seeds are more intensively black and the seeds are slightly oval. Kalonji seeds are used in Unani, Siddha & Ayurvedic system of medicines and is quite popular throughout India. It is an annual flowering plant that produces delicate flowers and large fruits.
It is native to North Africa, Southern Europe and Southern parts of Asia. Black seeds have been described in certain religious (Islam) texts like Quran as a miracle ingredient that cures everything except death, this itself signifies it’s medicinal importance.
Kalonji Botanical & Common Names:
Kalonji Nutritional Information:
of protein. It is rich in calcium, iron, vitamin C, magnesium and vitamin B6.
Kalonji Chemical Composition:
The wonderful healing powers of this plant is due to the presence of bioactive compounds like thymohydroquinone, dithymoquinone, p-cymene, carvacrol, 4 – terpineol, etc.
Kalonji Seeds & Kalonji Oil Use In India:
In India kalonji seeds are used mostly in North Indian cuisine and very rarely in South India. It is one of the five spices used in Panch Phoran (meaning a blend of 5 spices) which is used to spice all the curries in Bengali cuisine.
Since it looks very attractive, kalonji seeds are usually sprinkled over breads like sesame seeds. Here in India, we sprinkle it over our famous Indian bread called Naan. At home, I have a small box of these wonderful seeds always in my pantry for sprinkling over naan and for using it in remedies.
Kalonji seeds are in use for more than 2000 years so it has been widely used for medicinal purposes for a very long time. Both kalonji oil and the seeds have been used for treating headache, deworming, cold related diseases and diarrhoea.
It is also used for increasing immunity and increasing breast milk production. It is a liver tonic and is effective in fighting off parasitic infections. In addition to the mentioned uses, kalonji also has a positive effect on our thyroid, patients suffering from thyroid problems will greatly benefit consuming kalonji seeds.
Nigella Seeds Dosage:
Nigella Side Effects:
Where to Get Kalonji?
How To Make Kalonji Powder?
10 Top Benefits & Medicinal Use Of Kalonji (Black Seeds):
1. Kalonji Anti Bacterial Properties:
Kalonji seeds have wonderful antibacterial properties. In clinical research, both ground kalonji seeds and the crude water extract which is made by infusing the seeds in hot water have been shown to have anti bacterial properties.
Especially, the water extract showed inhibition of the growth of staphylococcus aureus very effectively. This is the reason that nigella sativa has been used for treating skin diseases very effectively from ancient times. You can read the research proving the anti bacterial properties here.
2. Kalonji Anti Fungal Properties:
Kalonji seeds exhibit significant anti fungal properties too. Traditionally kalonji seeds and the oil have been used for external application in the form of poultice for treating fungal infection and this traditional use has been backed by research.
You can read the study supporting this claim here. Two anti fungal compounds have also been isolated from kalonji seeds now and they exhibit anti fungal activities against many fungal strains.
3. Anti Diabetic Properties:
Kalonji seeds have been traditionally recommended for type 2 diabetic patients as it was believed to reduce the blood sugar levels and this traditional belief is backed by research. Kalonji was given to 94 patients for a period of 90 days and the dosage was separated into 1 mg, 2 mg and 3 mg between patients.
Patients who received 2 mg showed the best results and 1 mg didn’t give the desired results and also increasing it to 3 mg didn’t give any positive change either. You can read the study that proves this claim here.
4. Kalonji Anti Oxidant & Anti Cancer Properties:
Another very significant benefit of this magical seed is it’s amazing anti cancer properties. It protects us from so many cancers. Kalonji seeds have many active compounds and especially TQ (thymoquinone) found in kalonji seeds have anti tumor, anti carcinogenic, anti mutagenic properties.
The list of cancers it is effective against is quite impressive! It has a protective effect against breast cancer, blood cancer, colon cancer, pancreatic, lung, renal, prostate and renal cancer! You can read the study that proves it here.
5. Kalonji Analgesic &Anti Inflammatory Properties:
Kalonji seeds have been used traditionally for treating joint pain for a very long time. This is due to it’s wonderful anti inflammatory and pain relieving (analgesic) properties.
For treating inflammations kalonji oil is usually rubbed on the joints. We can also make an infused oil by heating the kalonji seeds with any unrefined oil and use it as a massage oil for external application.
6.Kalonji Anti Asthma Properties:
Kalonji has lung protective properties and is wonderful against fighting asthma. A study that was done on 29 patients proving this effect. They were divided into 2 groups of 15 and 14 each. One was the study group taking the kalonji supplements and the other was placebo (not given anything).
Asthma severity, frequency and chest wheezing were measured and in each week the study group taking the kalonji extract improved greatly compared to placebo group who showed no improvement at all. Kalonji seeds also can be taken for treating cough and cold too.
7. Kalonji Nephro & Hepato Protective Properties:
Kalonji has both kidney and liver protective properties. Consuming kalonji seeds protects the liver tissue from toxic exposure to chemicals which is happening to us all the time now. Kalonji seeds are also great for patients suffering from kidney disorders as it has protective effect and it also reduce serum urea and creatinine levels.
8. Kalonji For Weight Loss:
Kalonji seeds are very effective for weight loss too. Kalonji seeds has lipid lowering properties. When Overweight individuals combine moderate exercise with kalonji supplementation, they will get good results. To prove it’s efficiency, 20 overweight women were divided into 2 groups.
One group was given kalonji supplement and the other was not but both groups received moderate physical training. Though both groups had positive impacts on their health due to the physical training, the group that took kalonji seeds experienced higher reduction of LDL and increase in HDL. You can read the study here.
9. Kalonji Benefits For Hair:
Kalonji seeds have been used for hair treatments for centuries. It treats all scalp infections very effectively. Kalonji seeds are especially very effective in treating telogen effluvium which is characterised by diffused hair shedding. The main constituent of kalonji seeds, TQ has antioxidant and anti inflammatory properties and it greatly lowers the inflammation leading to hair loss.
10. Kalonji For Skin:
Kalonji seeds, due to it’s amazing anti microbial properties and anti inflammatory properties reduces skin inflammation and treats many skin problems including psoriasis. Traditionally, for treating psoriasis the seed paste is applied on the affected area. This traditional method has been proven to be one of the non toxic and safe methods for treating psoriasis. You can read about it here.
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