Viridian Organic High Potency Black Seed Oil 3% TQ (50ml)

Black seed oil has been in steady use across the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia for centuries. It's pressed from the seed of Nigella sativa, sometimes called black cumin, and it's one of those traditional staples that quietly stays popular while trendier oils come and go.

Viridian's Organic High Potency version is the one customers ask for by name in the shop. The '3% TQ' on the label tells you what really matters: it's standardised for thymoquinone, the compound the seed is best known for.

What it is

A 50ml glass bottle of cold-pressed, organic black seed oil, standardised to 3% thymoquinone (TQ). Soil Association organic. No added carriers, no fillers, no sweeteners. Just the pressed seed oil in a UV-protective dark glass bottle with a dropper for measured dosing.

What 3% TQ actually means

Thymoquinone is the active compound that black seed oil is most studied for. Most cheap supermarket black seed oils sit at well under 1% TQ, which is why the same teaspoon dose can vary wildly in strength from brand to brand. Viridian standardise theirs to 3%, which puts it in the higher-potency end of the UK market.

If you're going to take black seed oil at all, it's worth taking one that tells you the TQ figure. Otherwise you're guessing.

Who takes it

Black seed oil is popular with people who've grown up around it culturally, and increasingly with anyone working on a steady, traditional daily routine alongside diet and lifestyle. Customers in the Paignton shop come back to it season after season once they've found a quality version.

It's not a treatment for anything specific and we won't pretend it is. It's a daily oil with a long traditional history that some people genuinely don't want to be without.

Who it suits

• Long-time black seed oil users who want a UK organic source they can trust
• Anyone curious to try it for the first time and who'd rather start with a higher-TQ option than a cheap supermarket one
• People who prefer liquid oils to capsules
• Vegetarians and vegans (it's a pressed plant oil, fully suitable)

If you're pregnant, breastfeeding or taking prescription medication including blood thinners or blood pressure tablets, please speak to your GP before starting.

Why Viridian's version is the one we stock

Viridian is a UK family-run brand that has built a reputation across independent health shops for clean, additive-free, ethically formulated products. The black seed oil is organic, cold-pressed (so the heat-sensitive oil isn't damaged in extraction), and packaged in dark glass to protect it from light. The TQ standardisation is stated on the label, which is the bit most cheaper brands won't commit to.

We stock the Viridian range in full at LSC because customers ask for it specifically. Mark's been recommending Viridian for years in the shop and online.

How to take it

The usual approach is one teaspoon a day, taken neat or stirred into yoghurt, honey, smoothies or warm (not hot) drinks. It has a distinctive peppery, slightly bitter taste that takes some getting used to. Many people prefer to take it with a spoonful of honey or in food rather than on its own.

Keep the bottle in a cool dark cupboard once opened. 50ml is roughly a month at one teaspoon daily.

What pairs with it

Black seed oil tends to sit alongside a wider daily routine rather than replace anything. Browse the Botanicals & Adaptogens range and the Omega & Oils collection for other staples we stock.

Shipping and help

Free UK shipping over £75, £4.99 flat rate otherwise, 30-day returns. Walk into the shop at 22 Hyde Rd, Paignton, TQ4 5BY for a proper conversation, or call us on 07711 393130 if you'd like a recommendation based on your goal.