Black Cumin Seed

Nigella Sativa

Black cumin seed is original to the Middle East and parts of eastern Europe but is now naturalized and cultivated elsewhere. In Middle Eastern countries, the spice is known as kalonji. Around the world, however, black cumin is known by a wide variety of common names, including black caraway, nutmeg flower, fennel flower, cumin noir, Roman coriander, Love in a Mist and Seed of Blessing.

In addition to lending a smokey, pungent flavor to foods, black cumin seed is valued for its high content of volatile oils (up to 40%) that carry several fatty acids and antioxidant and anti-inflammatory aromatics, most notably thymoquinone. The high antioxidant activity of these chemicals makes black cumin seed a good natural preservative in personal care products.