Slimming with seeds: Cumin curry spice fights fat
Human clinical trials reveal anti-obesity and heart-protective effects of black cumin
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Black cumin seeds were shown to improve cholesterol levels in a medical trial led by an Osaka Metropolitan University team.
view moreCredit: Osaka Metropolitan University
Nigella sativa (black cumin), the spice that boosts the flavor of curries like korma and paneer also has another use: its seeds have long been used as a medicinal plant in traditional medicine for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Now, a clinical trial led by Osaka Metropolitan University suggests that they also have anti-obesity benefits.
To investigate these effects, a team led by Associate Professor Akiko Kojima-Yuasa of the Graduate School of Human Life and Ecology used cellular experiments and human clinical trials.
In the human clinical trial, participants who consumed 5g of black cumin seed powder daily—roughly a tablespoon—for 8 weeks showed significant reductions in blood triglycerides, LDL (‘bad’) cholesterol, and total cholesterol levels. In addition, HDL (‘good’) cholesterol levels increased.
Improvements in blood lipid profiles like these are associated with a lower risk of heart problems and premature death.
The group also performed cellular experiments to understand the processes involved. They found that black cumin seed extract inhibited adipogenesis—the formation and maturation of fat cells—by blocking both fat droplet accumulation and the differentiation process.
“This study strongly suggests that black cumin seeds are useful as a functional food for preventing obesity and lifestyle-related diseases,” Professor Kojima-Yuasa said. “It was so gratifying to see black cumin comprehensively demonstrate actual, demonstrable blood lipid-lowering effects in a human trial.”
“We hope to perform longer-term and larger-scale clinical trials to investigate the effects of black cumin on metabolism,” she added. “We are particularly interested in investigating its effects on insulin resistance in diabetes and inflammatory markers.”
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About OMU
Established in Osaka as one of the largest public universities in Japan, Osaka Metropolitan University is committed to shaping the future of society through the “Convergence of Knowledge” and the promotion of world-class research. For more research news, visit https://www.omu.ac.jp/en/ and follow us on social media: X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn.
Journal
Food Science & Nutrition
Method of Research
Experimental study
Subject of Research
Cells
Article Title
Black Cumin Seed (Nigella sativa) Confers Anti‐Adipogenic Effects in 3T3‐L1 Cellular Model and Lipid‐Lowering Properties in Human Subjects
New volume explores India’s wild vegetables and their scientific, nutritional, and cultural value
Bentham Science Publishers
Bentham Science has released Wild Vegetables: Morphology, Phytochemistry and Utility – Part 2, an in-depth scientific reference documenting around 120 wild vegetable species from the Western Ghats, one of India’s richest biodiversity regions.
Covering plant families from Fabaceae to Zygophyllaceae, the book provides a comprehensive overview of each species’ morphology, phytochemistry, traditional uses, and nutritional composition. Organized alphabetically by plant family, it connects indigenous knowledge with modern plant science, promoting the rediscovery and sustainable use of underutilized edible plants.
This volume serves as a valuable resource for botanists, nutritionists, ethnopharmacologists, and general readers interested in traditional foods and biodiversity conservation.
About the Editors
Dr. Ganesh Chandrakant Nikalje (Seva Sadan’s R.K. Talreja College, University of Mumbai) specializes in halophyte research, bio-saline agriculture, and wild vegetable utilization.
Ms. Apurva Shankar Chonde is pursuing her Ph.D. on the wild vegetables of Thane District, focusing on their domestication and value-added uses.
Dr. Sudhakar Srivastava (Banaras Hindu University) is an expert in plant-metal interactions and sustainable environmental practices.
Professor Suprasanna Penna (Amity University Mumbai) is an eminent plant biotechnologist and former Head of the Nuclear Agriculture and Biotechnology Division at BARC, with significant contributions to plant stress biology and mutation breeding.
Learn more about this title at: http://bit.ly/47fnsCt
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