Nigella Sativa (Kalonji)
Nigella sativa is a little black seed that comes from a Ranunculacea blooming plant.
Nigella Sativa is also known as black caraway, black cumin, nigella, kalonji, and mangraila.
Nigella sativa Common Names
Nigella sativa has many rigional names. It is called Karunjarakam, Karunjiragam in Tamil, Peeajila Kara, Nallajilakara in Telugu, Kalajira, Mangraila in Hindi, Karinchirakam in Malayalam, Kala Zeera, Mangrela in Bengali, and Kalaunji Jirum & Kadujeeroo in Gujarati. In English, Nigella sativa is known as Black Cumin, Nigella Seeds, Black Seed, Fennel Seed, and Seed of Blessing.
It's originally from southwest Asia and the Mediterranean, but it's currently found in India, the Middle East, and Europe. Nigella sativa has been used as traditional medicine (home remedy) to treat a many diseases, including inflamation, asthma and bronchitis. It's also been used as a spice and food preservation for a long time.
Culinary Uses of Kalonji (Nigella Sativa)
It is safe to use Nigella sativa (Kalonji, black cumin, black caraway or mangraila) as a spice, natural seasoning, or flavouring. Kalonji seeds are used as a spice in many cuisines. The seeds are mashed into a bitter paste known as qizha in Palestine.
Curries, veggies, and legumes benefit from the dry-roasted seeds. They can be added to meals that use pod fruit, vegetables, salads, and poultry as a flavouring. In multiple cultures, black seeds are used to flavour bread products, and they are used in a variety of Bengali cuisines, most notably in naan, both as part of the spice mixture panch phoron (meaning a mixture of five spices) and separately. Nigella (black cumin) is frequently used in tresse cheese (majdouleh or majdouli), a Middle Eastern braided string cheese.
Chemical composition:
Oils account for 32–40% of the total weight of N. sativa seeds.Linoleic acid, oleic acid, palmitic acid, and trans-anethole are all found in N. sativa oil, as well as minor constituents like nigellicine, nigellidine, nigellimine, and nigellimine N-oxide. Other aromatic chemicals found in Nigella Sativa include thymoquinone, dihydrothymoquinone, p-cymene, carvacrol, thujene, thymol, pinene, pinene, and trans-anethole. The seeds include protein and a variety of alkaloids.
Medicinal uses of Nigella sativa (Kalonji)
The clinical trials found that Nigella sativa has a short-term benefit in lowering systolic and diastolic blood pressure, with limited evidence that various extracts of black seed can lower triglycerides, LDL, and total cholesterol while raising HDL cholesterol. Despite the fact that N. Nigella sativa is widely used in traditional medicine in Africa and Asia as a home remedy for various diseases. There is insufficient clinical evidence to suggest that eating the seeds or oil of Kalonj (Nigella sativa) has any health benefits.
Some of the health benefits of Nigella Sativa (Kalonji) are as below:
Kalonji seeds for Constipation.
Nigella sativa and its main constituent thymoquinone are useful in various gastrointestinal disorders.
Constipation makes people restless and also impacts on health. Constipation may also impact on appetite. Constipation is the most common gastrointestinal disorder that causes problems with the human digestive system. Drinking Kalonji oil mixed with warm water or black tea can help to overcome constipation quickly and effectively.
Headache Relieving
Natural home remedies are always good. We should avoid consuming unnecessary medicinal pills as much as we can. A few drops of Kalonji oil applied to the temples will help to relax and ease a headache problem naturally.
Aids in weight loss.
Obesity is connected to many major health problems. It is also directly related to heart attack and diabetes. Studies show that consuming kalonji seeds helps with weight loss when taken with warm water.
Help with Tooth Ache
Kalonji is an excellent natural home remedy for tooth pain. It is beneficial for general oral health, bleeding gums, and weak teeth. Application of a few drops of Kalonji oil on the painful area will relieve the tooth pain.
Healthy Heart
The heart is the most important & critical organ in our body. The Kalonji works as an excellent heart tonic. It keeps the heart healthy by lowering bad cholesterol levels. Less cholesterol means fewer chances of heat attacks and proper blood circulation. keeps other organs healthy too.
Diabetes Treatment
Kalonji seeds are a natural and powerful source for the treatment of diabetes. It helps in blood sugar regulation. Kalonji oil can be mixed with warm water or may be consumed in black tea every morning on an empty stomach, which helps diabetics.
Enhances Memory
Memory loss is a common concern in elderly people. For optimum brain function and sharp memory, consume Kalonji every morning on an empty stomach. Ayurvedic medicine recommends eating kalonji seeds with mint leaves to boost memory. Kalonji seed oil has been linked to improved memory power.
Regulates blood pressure
Kalonji seeds help naturally control blood pressure. Kalonji seed oil also helps in reducing the bad cholesterol levels.
Kalonji Oil and Its Health Benefits
Nigella Sativa (Kalonji) seed oil has therapeutic effects. Nigella Sativa oil is commonly extracted from the seeds by cold pressing, which preserves all its nutrients.
The Kalonji Oil is good for skin and hair. It acts as an anti-bacterial. It has lots of antioxidants which keep our body healthy.
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