Black Seed for cholesterol contains bioactive antioxidant compounds with therapeutic effects including thymoquinone, dithymoquinone, plant sterols, and flavonoids.
Black Seed as a Superfood
Black Seed is a superfood rising to stardom because of accumulating research showing multiple health benefits. Black Seed is also known as it’s scientific name, Nigella sativa or by other common names, black cumin and Sweet Sunnah. Black Seed comes from an annual flowering plant from South and southwest Asia. Black Seed is nutritionally high in protein, dietary fiber, healthy oils, potassium and iron. Black Seed contains bioactive antioxidant compounds with therapeutic effects including thymoquinone, dithymoquinone, plant sterols, and flavonoids (1).
Black Seed for Cholesterol
Black Seed for cholesterol lowering was examined by Sahebkar et al (1) who performed a meta-analysis on 17 randomized controlled trials. This analysis found that Black Seed oil:
- Lowered total cholesterol about 15 points on average
- Lowered LDL about 14 points on average
- Lowered triglycerides about 20 points on average
Black Seed powder showed a possible benefit for increasing HDL in some of the studies. The increase was not significant. Black seed for cholesterol should not be considered for increasing HDL, as there are more effective ways to do this.
Should Black Seed be taken as an oil or as a powder?
The researchers found that Black Seed oil was more effective than powder at lowering total cholesterol LDL and triglycerides. The Black Seed oil dose with therapeutic benefit ranged from 100 mg daily up to 3 g daily taken for 4 to 12 weeks. Black Seed for cholesterol taken as a powder was used at a dose between 1 to 5 g daily.