Black Cumin

Nigella sativa, also known as black cumin, is an annual flowering plant native to eastern Europe and Asia. Black cumin's seed can potentially cure "all disease except death." While its seeds are known for health-related purposes, the flower itself is no less of an aesthetical marvel. And this article covers some of its significant features:

Hydroponics of Black Cumin

Hydroponic System

The drip system is a hydroponic system that actively pumps water and nutrients to the plant. And, therefore, it's an ideal choice for black cumin cultivation.

Temperature Requirement

The optimal growth of black cumin is observed in the temperature range of 50 °F to 86 °F.

Fertilizer

Application of NPK fertilizer (80:30:45) positively influences the weight, height, and seed yield of the plant.

Nutritional Profile of Black Cumin

The limited data available on its nutritional profile is as follows:

Carbohydrates

A 100g serving of black cumin seeds contains 40g of carbohydrates and half as much dietary fibers. (FoodData Central, 2019)

Mineral

There's about 7g of iron found in black cumin.

Health Benefits of Black Cumin

Weight Loss

A daily dose of a quarter teaspoon of black cumin accelerates the body's loss of fat. And the mechanism behind this marvelous feat is a reduction in LDL and cholesterol levels up to 27%. (M.D., 2021)

Chemistry of Black Cumin

Upon extensive analysis of the ingredients of Nigella seeds, their constituents were identified as fixed oils, alkaloids, saponin, and essential oils. (Forouzanfar, 2014)

The fixed oil consists of unsaturated fatty acids like arachidonic acid, linoleic, linolenic, palmitic, and stearic. The seeds also contain two different forms of alkaloids, namely isoquinoline alkaloid and pyrazol alkaloid. The essential oils mainly consist of saturated fatty acids, the most important of which is thymoquinone. And much of the benefits of black cumin seeds are attributed to the presence of this particular compound.

Black cumin is a popular culinary ingredient as a spice and whole foods additive. Plus, the health benefits are an additional bonus.

References

1. FoodData Central. (2019, April 1). U.S. Department of Agriculture. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/468991/nutrients
2. Forouzanfar, F. (2014, December). Black cumin (Nigella sativa) and it's constituent (thymoquinone): a review on antimicrobial effects. Iranian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences, 17(12), 929–938. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4387228/
3. M.D., M. G. (2021, June 2). Benefits of Black Cumin Seed (Nigella Sativa) for Weight Loss. Nutrition Facts. https://nutritionfacts.org/video/benefits-of-black-cumin-seed-nigella-sativa-for-weight-loss/