Made with the seeds of the Nigella sativa shrub, black seed oil—also known as black cumin oil—has been used for thousands of years for its medicinal powers. Whether taken internally or applied topically, black seed oil offers many science-backed benefits for health and beauty; here are 10 of them.
Helps fight cancer
Black seed oil derives much of its therapeutic properties from a compound called thymoquinone, which works as an antioxidant in the body to protect from free radicals and cell damage that can lead to cancer. Thymoquinone has also been shown to have anti-cancer effects, including the ability to shrink tumors and slow their growth. However, more research is needed to investigate the full cancer fighting potential of thymoquinone and black seed oil in humans.