What is Black Seeds?

Black seed (botanical name is Nigella Sativa) be regarded as originating in the Mediterranean region but in other parts of the world including the Arabian Peninsula, Africa, North and cultivated parts of Asia. Nigella sativa has a pungent odor and taste bitter.

Nigella sativa is an annual flowering plant. It reached 20-30 cm high, finely divided, linear (but not vanished) as a string. The flowers are delicate, and usually pale blue and white with 5 – 10 petals. The fruit is a capsule with a large and of 3-7 blown united follicles, each with numerous seeds.

The plant has no relation to the common kitchen herb, cumin. Tiny and hairy, but has not been fixed more than 3 mm in length, black seeds of the fennel flower plant (Nigella sativa) of the buttercup (Ranunculaceae) family. Nigella sativa is sometimes mistakenly confused with herb fennel (Foeniculum vulgare). The plant has finely divided leaves and violet-blue or white flowers. The flowers come in terminal branches while the leaves grow in opposite pairs on both sides of the mother. Its leaves are small and in the lower stem and upper leaves are long (6-10cm). The stem of the plant reaches a height of twelve to eighteen inches as its fruit, black seed, matures. Nigella sativa is bisexual and is a fruit capsule which consists of many triagonals white seed. Once the capsule of the fruit is ripe, it opens and the seeds are suspended in the air, becoming dark in color (black).

Black seed is known throughout the world by many names such as black cumin, kalonji, blackseed, swartzcummel, nigella sativa, fennel flower, habbat al barakah, sinouj, black caraway, habbatussauda, onion seeds or even coriander seeds. Black seeds is phytotherapuetic (herbal medicine) and has been known to reduce risk of illness and disease by strengthening the body's immune system and protect the important organs of the body. It is a wonderful herb that has been known for centuries used around the world for its many therapeutic properties.