Black seeds come from the plant Nigela Sativa. It is annually flowering plant from the family of Buttercup, which develops beautiful delicate flowers in shades of white, through blue, violet and pink. The flowers produce fruits that encapsulate tiny black seeds, known also by the name of black cumin. The seeds, 2-3.5mm to 1-2mm in size has black color on the outside, yet white interior, aromatic smell and slightly bitter taste. They contain several layers of peal and their main internal part, the endosperm, contains many tiny cells and oil globules.



The black seeds contain a great number of active compounds out of which we need to highlight the content of thymoquinone (30%-48%), thymohydroquinone, dithymoquinone, p-cymene (7%-15%), carvacrol (6%-12%), 4-terpineol (2%-7%), t-anethol (1%-4%), thimol and other. Black seed also contains two different types of alkaloids, isoquinoline alkaloids and pyrazol alkaloids, as well as alpha-hederin, a water soluble pentacyclic triterpene and saponin, with anti-carcinogenic properties. Further to this, black seeds contains high concentrations of the minerals calcium and phosphorus, solid amounts of coper, potassium, sodium, zinc and iron, as well as good amounts of vitamin E, beta-carotene (pro vitamin A) and niacin (vitamin B3).

The extra virgin black seed oil is obtained in a process of mechanical extraction at room temperature (no heat is applied) and it has a brown-greenish color, oily texture and specific smell. It contains a mixture of fatty acids among which linoleic acid, polyunsaturated omega 6 fatty acid with (50-60%), oleic acid, monounsaturated omega 9 fatty acid up to (20%), as well as alpha linoleic polyunsaturated omega 3 fatty acid with (10-13%). The oil also contains many other both unsaturated and saturated fatty acids in smaller percentages.



Aside of the high mineral content and the beneficial fatty acids contained in the oil, the main nutritional and health benefits of the black seed oil come from the high concentration and variety of bioactive compounds contained in the seeds, which in their natural, unchanged form are contained in the very oil that is obtained in a process of cold extraction. In that regard we need to emphasize that bioactive components such as thymoquinone, thymohydroquinone, dithymoquinone, melathine as well as the alkaloids present in the black seed oil. These specific components of the black seed oil are responsible for its exceptionally potent antimicrobial, antiparasitic, antifungal, anti-inflammatory and other important health characteristics that have been confirmed by hundreds of studies and medical research and are the reason for the vast use of the oil in the folks/ayurvedic medicine in the countries of the Middle East and Asia for centuries.

In addition, regarding the vitamin E content of the black seed oil, which can come up to 250mg per kg of oil, unlike any other oil, the dominant form of vitamin E in the black seed oil is the form of β-tocotrienol. Today, science confirms that due to their smaller molecular structure the α, β, γ and δ tocotrienols, as more recently discovered form of vitamin E, have incomparably more potent antioxidant capacity to neutralize free radicals compared to the tocopherols as the most used and recognized form of vitamin E.

Last, it is wort mentioning that the black seed oil has a very beneficial content of phytosterols, up to 2000mg per kg of oil, out of which the beta-sitosterol up to 900 mg per kg of oil, while campesterol, stigmasterol, Ʌ7 avenasterol, alpha-sitosterol and other phytosterols are contained up to 200 mg per kg of oil. Phytosterols poses antioxidant and other beneficial properties that help regulate the fat metabolism and other biochemical processes in the body.