A little honey on the grain may be a sweet substitute for refined sugar. Adding oil from black seeds (also known as black mustard, black cumin or black coriander) to honey can further increase health benefits. Both honey and black seeds have antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties, although most studies showing these effects are directed at animals rather than humans. Although black seed honey provides sweetness, it should not be used to treat health without the approval of a doctor.
Adding black seeds to honey may bring additional health benefits. (Source: Mariusz Blach / iStock / Getty Images) Benefits of Honey
Honey contains a variety of polyphenols, plant matter that may be good for health. Polyphen Indian researchers reported in the July 2009 issue of the Journal of Biomedical and Biotechnology that ols found in honey, including caffeic acid, chrysin, galangin, kaempferol, apigenin and quercetin May have antioxidant properties and limit the growth of cancer cells in the laboratory.
Black Seed Benefits
Black seeds have a long history in Islamic medicine, using black seeds to treat a variety of diseases, from cancer to dizziness, from the "Islamic Gazette." Nigella sativa is a Flowering plants found in Asia, India and Europe, from which seeds can be extracted from oil. Mix the oil with honey to make black seed honey. Black seed oil contains thymoquinon, an antioxidant. Antioxidants can destroy molecules that damage cellular DNA by destroying free radicals that damage cells.
Synthetic effect
Combining honey with black seeds may be a weapon to prevent liver disease. A study published in the December 2010 issue of "Comprehensive Cancer Therapy" found that a combination of increased levels of two antioxidants reduced the viability of liver cancer cells in the laboratory. Although animal and laboratory research is beneficial, they do not prove that a substance has a similar effect on people.
Points to consider
Although honey and black seeds are safe substances, honey from rhododendron plants can cause honey poisoning, and irregular heart rhythms may occur.Weak, sweaty, convulsive and slightly paralyzed. Children under 12 months should not consume any type of honey as they may contract botulism. The Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center warns that a dose of black seeds greater than 2 grams per kilogram may cause liver damage. Black seeds can also interfere with the way the body absorbs drugs by interfering with CYP2D6 and CYP3A4 enzymes, which helps break down the absorption of the drug. According to the July 2009 issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, the CYP3A4 enzyme metabolizes more than 50% of all drugs. Consult your doctor, including honey, before taking any black seeds in preparation.
