Highlights
- The kalonji, or Nigella seeds, is an interesting spice
- The tiny black seed comes with a whole lot of health benefits
- Its known to have anti-carcinogenic properties and keeps heart healthy
The kalonji, or Nigella seeds, is an interesting spice – when used for tempering, it adds a beautiful aroma to the dishes, and a hint of flavor that you can’t quite nail. In India, dry roasted kalonji is used for flavoring curries, dal, stir-fried vegetables, and even savories such as samosa, papdis and kachori among others.
Flavour and aroma aside, the tiny black seed comes with a whole lot of health benefits. It’s loaded with trace elements, vitamins, crystalline nigellone, amino acids, saponin, crude fiber, proteins and fatty acids like linolenic and oleic acids, volatile oils, alkaloids, iron, sodium, potassium and calcium. It keeps your heart healthy, addresses breathing problem, lubricates your joints, and is known to have anti-carcinogenic properties. That’s quite a lot for a seed that size, isn’t it? In fact, if you keep a bottle of kalonji oil at home, you can use them for plenty of things to boost your health and take care of niggling problems. Let’s take a look at some of them:
1. Fights Acne
2. Keeps a Check on Diabetes
3. Increases Memory and Alleviates Asthma
Ground kalonji seeds with a little bit of honey is known to boost memory. And if you mix this in warm water and drink, it also helps in alleviating breathing trouble (asthma included) in children and adults alike. But you need to do this is for at least 45 days, and avoid cold beverages and food during the period.
4. Gets Rid of Headaches
5. Aids Weight Loss
6. Eases Joint Pain
7. Controls Blood Pressure
9. Makes Teeth Stronger
Quick Facts
- When you’re buying nigella seeds, remember to check the pack carefully; the seeds are jet black and shouldn’t look stale.
- Storing nigella is important. Always store it in a dry place and make sure it doesn’t come in contact with moisture.
- Don’t buy large quantities of kalonji. 100 grams can take you a long way, so buy in smaller portions. This will prevent the seed from losing its aroma and benefits by sitting on the shelf for too long.
Disclaimer:
The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. Cymantra is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information on this article. All information is provided on an as-is basis. The information, facts or opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of Cymantra and Cymantra does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.
This Author has found another health benefit of Kalonji Seeds. Suffering from intense heartburn for many years and trying all the standard remedies to no avail, I find that Kalonji seeds boiled and drank as a strong black tea almost alleviates my heartburn. Who’d have thought that this little black seed could provide so much pain relief from a otherwise daily occurrence.
Cymantra Admin
Original Article
Priya Chakraborty September 09, 2016
