What is black seed?

Black seed is the seed oil or whole ground seeds of Nigella sativa — a flowering plant in the buttercup (Ranunculaceae) family that grows in certain parts of Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Middle East.^[1] Black seed has a long history of use in many cultures, both as a spice in foods and as an herbal medicine. It contains a variety of nutritional compounds like polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals, as well as an abundance of phytochemicals — thymoquinone (a terpenoid) being considered the most important.