By Abrar Al-Shaer, PhD and RD in Nutrition Candidate

Nigella Sativa, commonly known as “black seed” or “black cumin seed” is an ancient remedy mentioned in all Abrahamic faiths spanning Judaic texts, Christian biblical texts, and Islamic texts as a cure-all remedy. In fact, it has been referred to as the seed that can cure any illness except for death. What gives this seemingly random seed so much popularity? Surprisingly, searching Nigella Sativa in PubMed returns over 1,400 scientific research articles of the effects of black cumin seed on countless illnesses ranging from type 2 diabetes, cancer, inflammation, pain, rheumatoid arthritis, neurodegeneration, sepsis, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, ischemia, hyperlipidemia, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, hypertension, autoimmunity, dermatitis, asthma, kidney stones, and the list goes on. One would have to write a book (or multiple books!) to comprehensively discuss all the benefits and clinical trials around black cumin…