Gaia Herbs Black Seed Oil Review

Once again, this product offers a significantly lower daily serving than our first choice. With just 800mg per serving, is this enough to get you the benefits you’re looking for? We are not convinced that this serving size will be effective. Furthermore, Gaia Herbs Black Seed Oil is not standardized to contain a high percentage of Thymoquinone (TQ). Only if you look at the ingredients on the label will you find the information that informs us that each serving provides just 8mg of TQ - but nowhere else is there any mention of it in their otherwise extensive information. It's as if they acknowledge that their TQ content is low, and have therefore chosen to bury any further mention or details of its essential benefits. This lapse on their part is significant because the Thymoquinone in Black Seed Oil is what makes it so incredibly beneficial for reinforcing the immune system and reducing inflammation throughout the body. Also, even though Black Seed Oil is a supremely rich source of Omega-6 and Omega-9 acids, and other healthy fats and oils, again, there appears to be no mention of this anywhere, and certainly not on the label itself. When a manufacturer breaks down the nutritional benefits for the consumer, it helps to ascertain the effectiveness of the product and prove the company's transparency credentials.

On the plus side, one of the reasons that raised this product up to our #3 Pick is the reviews of consumers. Judging by the overwhelmingly positive reviews we read, both on the Gaia Herbs website as well as external sites, it certainly seems that this product might be effective. If customers are happy that their health needs are being met, who are we to argue? We were pleased to see that this Black Seed Oil is cold-pressed to maintain the oil's integrity, balance and spectrum of compounds. And we were impressed that Gaia Herbs developed their own, patented "phyto-cap" technology to offer the power of a liquid with the convenience of a capsule - but we suspect that if as much attention had been paid to what's inside the capsule as the outer coating, this product would probably be more effective.

Is Gaia Herbs Black Seed Oil Safe?

This product is considered a safe herbal supplement if it is taken according to the manufacturer's recommendations. It has no reported side effects and can be taken with most medications. That said, we suggest you always check with your healthcare professional to be absolutely sure.

On the whole, we were impressed with the amount of information this company provides about safety, allergen and ingredient concerns, addressing each of them extensively on their website. Gaia Herbs is transparent about the thorough checks their laboratory does on all its supplements. They claim to do pesticide-, microbe-, heavy metal- and DNA-testing on all of their products. This, together with their patented capsule technology and their 'Meet Your Herbs' traceability tool for purity and potency, gives us confidence that the company takes safety and quality very seriously. They pledge to keep their products safe for both consumers and the environment, and comply with all applicable GMP standards for manufacturing, testing and packaging. So it's somewhat disappointing that Gaia Herbs only has third-party testing on an "as needed basis", instead relying on their own in-house testing. In addition, we did not see any specific reassurance that this oil does not contain hexane, or other chemical solvents, which can be toxic.