seeds have been used as spice and additive in bread and cookies, as well as in other
dishes in various Asian and Eastern countries. Nigella sativa seed oil as such is not
generally used for culinary preparation but known for its immense medicinal value.
Nigella sativa is native to North Africa, Southern Europe, and Southwest Asia and is
cultivated in many countries in the world including India, Pakistan, Syria, Turkey,
and Saudi Arabia (Khare 2004).
Nigella seed has been reported in different traditional medicine systems including
Unani and Ayurveda for remedy of numerous ailments. It is considered that Nigella
seeds have the ability to cure almost all diseases except death (Muhammad 1994).
Nigella sativa is known as the remedy of various diseases including asthma,
diabetes, inflammation, cough, bronchitis, hypertension, headache, eczema, influenza, fever, and dizziness. Nigella seeds are angular, funnel-shaped, dark black or
brown in color, and have a slightly bitter nutty–peppery taste and strong aroma.
Nutritionally, it contains high levels of oil (32–35%) which is recognized as
medicinal food due to numerous health-promoting effects and therapeutic potential
(Ramadan et al. 2003). Apart from oil, Nigella seed also contains high level of
protein (26.7%), carbohydrate (25%), fiber (8.4%), and ash (4.8%) as well as
micronutrients including vitamins, minerals, and numerous biological active compounds (Yarnell and Abascal 2011; Morsi 2000). Oil from Nigella seed contains
fixed (stable) oil (98.2–99.9%) and volatile oil (essential) (0.11.8%) with plenty of
bioactive constituents. Fixed oil is rich in linoleic acid (48–62%) followed by oleic
acid (19–25%) as well as di-homo-γ-linoleic acid (strong antioxidant) and limited
amount of saturated fatty acids (arachidonic and eicosenoic acid). This oil also
contains fat-soluble vitamins (>0.2%) and a number of nutritionally important
biological active constituents including phenolic compounds, pigments, carotenoids
(β-carotene), tocopherol (α, β, γ), retinol, and a good amount of phytosterol particularly β-sitosterol, avenasterol, stigmasterol, campesterol, and lanosterol (Menounos
et al. 1986), which have cholesterol-lowering effects. Besides the most valuable
bioactive compound thymoquinone (38.23%), kalonji oil (KO) also contains other
bioactive constituents including p-cymene (28.61%), longifolene (5.4%), and 4-isopropyl-9-methoxy-1-methyl-1-cyclohexane (5.8%) (Ramadan 2007).
Recently, kalonji oil has been introduced in several countries for edible purpose
including Egypt, Southern Europe, Israel, and Lebanon as a novel source of edible
oil. However, in India, its oil is not directly consumed, but seeds are widely used in
food preparation. The present chapter will review the nutritional value, health
attributes, and food application of Nigella seeds.
13.2 Nutritional Composition
Nigella seeds are reported to have high nutritive value including micronutrients such
as fat-soluble vitamins and minerals. A large variation in different nutrients has been
reported by Cheikh-Rouhou et al. (2007) among Tunisian- and Iranian-originated
Nigella seed. They reported protein content between 22.6 and 26.7% and large
variation in oil content (28.4–40.3%) as well. They observed total carbohydrate
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P. Sharma and T. Longvah
dishes in various Asian and Eastern countries. Nigella sativa seed oil as such is not
generally used for culinary preparation but known for its immense medicinal value.
Nigella sativa is native to North Africa, Southern Europe, and Southwest Asia and is
cultivated in many countries in the world including India, Pakistan, Syria, Turkey,
and Saudi Arabia (Khare 2004).
Nigella seed has been reported in different traditional medicine systems including
Unani and Ayurveda for remedy of numerous ailments. It is considered that Nigella
seeds have the ability to cure almost all diseases except death (Muhammad 1994).
Nigella sativa is known as the remedy of various diseases including asthma,
diabetes, inflammation, cough, bronchitis, hypertension, headache, eczema, influenza, fever, and dizziness. Nigella seeds are angular, funnel-shaped, dark black or
brown in color, and have a slightly bitter nutty–peppery taste and strong aroma.
Nutritionally, it contains high levels of oil (32–35%) which is recognized as
medicinal food due to numerous health-promoting effects and therapeutic potential
(Ramadan et al. 2003). Apart from oil, Nigella seed also contains high level of
protein (26.7%), carbohydrate (25%), fiber (8.4%), and ash (4.8%) as well as
micronutrients including vitamins, minerals, and numerous biological active compounds (Yarnell and Abascal 2011; Morsi 2000). Oil from Nigella seed contains
fixed (stable) oil (98.2–99.9%) and volatile oil (essential) (0.11.8%) with plenty of
bioactive constituents. Fixed oil is rich in linoleic acid (48–62%) followed by oleic
acid (19–25%) as well as di-homo-γ-linoleic acid (strong antioxidant) and limited
amount of saturated fatty acids (arachidonic and eicosenoic acid). This oil also
contains fat-soluble vitamins (>0.2%) and a number of nutritionally important
biological active constituents including phenolic compounds, pigments, carotenoids
(β-carotene), tocopherol (α, β, γ), retinol, and a good amount of phytosterol particularly β-sitosterol, avenasterol, stigmasterol, campesterol, and lanosterol (Menounos
et al. 1986), which have cholesterol-lowering effects. Besides the most valuable
bioactive compound thymoquinone (38.23%), kalonji oil (KO) also contains other
bioactive constituents including p-cymene (28.61%), longifolene (5.4%), and 4-isopropyl-9-methoxy-1-methyl-1-cyclohexane (5.8%) (Ramadan 2007).
Recently, kalonji oil has been introduced in several countries for edible purpose
including Egypt, Southern Europe, Israel, and Lebanon as a novel source of edible
oil. However, in India, its oil is not directly consumed, but seeds are widely used in
food preparation. The present chapter will review the nutritional value, health
attributes, and food application of Nigella seeds.
13.2 Nutritional Composition
Nigella seeds are reported to have high nutritive value including micronutrients such
as fat-soluble vitamins and minerals. A large variation in different nutrients has been
reported by Cheikh-Rouhou et al. (2007) among Tunisian- and Iranian-originated
Nigella seed. They reported protein content between 22.6 and 26.7% and large
variation in oil content (28.4–40.3%) as well. They observed total carbohydrate
332
P. Sharma and T. Longvah