Kalonji, the black nigella seeds, being added to many recipes like pickles and curries, makes the cookery healthy and beneficial for the body. It belongs to the family of plants known as Renunculcea and is mostly found in abundance in Bangladesh, India, Turkey, and some Eastern countries of the world.
Biochemically, being rich in monosaccharides and non-starch polysaccharides, these are a great source of dietary fiber. Moreover, the seed is also abundant in essential fatty and unsaturated acids as well as fifteen different types of amino acids. Arginine, an important component of kalonji seeds is very much beneficial for infants. Being very rich in carotene, it is excellent in preventing the cancer. It is also very rich in iron, calcium, potassium and sodium.
Kalonji is extremely excellent to building body resistance against many ailments and helps in the healing processes of the body. Bronchial asthma and many allergic reactions triggered by histamine can be very efficiently treated by Nigellone, a substance extracted from kalonji seeds, which inhibits certain proteins which can release histamine; moreover, it decreases the uptake of calcium in mast cells. This way it plays an important role in the treatment of AIDS and cancer. Nigella sativa, another compound in kalonji seeds, is very potent against tumors and can completely prevent tumors’ development.
There are also strong antifungal and antibacterial properties comparable to certain types of commonly used antibiotic medications such as gentamicin, ampicillin, cotrimoxazole, tetracycline and nalidixic acid. It is also effective in gastrointestinal disorders like diarrhea, vomiting and flatulent colic. On account of their powerful anti-inflammatory properties, kalonji can also relieve arthritis. It has also got antioxidant properties. Kalonji seed is also very beneficial in encouraging lactation, so effective in breastfeeding. The seeds are also rich in essential fatty acids such as Linoleic acid, which cannot be produced inside the body and need to be obtained from food.