TRIQUETRA TQ-ADVANCED
COMPANY INFO
Before founding Triquetra Health, the company’s founder pursued self-education in holistic health, integrative medicine, and plant-based therapies. Today, Triquetra offers a broad range of supplements and vitamins — nearly 100 products are available in their online store. Black seed oil is only a small part of their overall product line and is not a primary focus.
● On March 20, 2025, we reached out to Triquetra via email requesting detailed information about their black seed oil, including any analyses or supporting materials. We did not receive a response. As a result, all the information presented here was gathered through independent research using open online sources.
It is important to note that only three companies responded to our inquiries: Piping Rock, Bionatal, and Prime Natural.
PACKING AND SAFETY SEAL
The product comes in a small amber glass bottle with a plastic cap-dropper and pipette system. It includes a standard transparent shrink wrap around the cap. There is no inner liner inside the cap, and the bottle neck is not sealed with foil.
● While the bottle’s seal is not particularly strong, it is likely still safe for use. The small 2 oz volume of oil is not enough to create significant pressure on the cap during transport — even in hot weather, when black seed oil can expand by up to 20%.
SEEDS ORIGIN
There is no publicly available information about the origin of the seeds used in Triquetra’s black seed oil, and our research did not uncover any details. However, the oil’s aroma provided valuable insight into its likely source.
OIL DISCRIPTION
To begin with, this is not pure black seed oil. The label clearly states that it is an extract, and the brand’s website confirms that the oil is produced using CO₂ extraction — a method involving pressurized carbon dioxide to draw out volatile oils from plants and herbs. The resulting product resembles an essential oil in both composition and potency, and may even pose risks if used undiluted.
Because Black Seed Oil Research Group exclusively focuses on pure cold-pressed oils, this extract does not qualify for our ranking. Nevertheless, we are including this report to inform consumers about its nature and properties.
The concept behind this extract is theoretically sound. Since thymoquinone (TQ) is one of the volatile components in black seed oil, a CO₂ extract should contain a higher concentration of TQ per milliliter than standard cold-pressed oil.
However, its real-world effectiveness is questionable. While it may be rich in volatile compounds like TQ, the extract excludes over 250 other beneficial components naturally found in black seeds. This raises an important question: Can thymoquinone in its isolated form deliver the same benefits without the synergy of the other natural components that nature — or God — intended to work together within the seed?"
When we examined the extract, we noted the following:
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The oil has a cloudy, yellow hue that appears brown when seen in larger quantities (e.g., in a spoon).
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Its texture is similar to that of Turkish black seed oil, though the darker tone can be attributed to its concentrated nature.
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The aroma is unmistakably that of Turkish black seed oil — strong and highly concentrated. Based on this, we believe the extract is derived from Turkish-grown seeds.
The bitterness, however, deviates from what is typical of black seed oil. Usually, the flavor and bitterness work together in harmony, but in this extract, the two seem disjointed. The bitterness is intense, but not characteristic — it resembles the sharpness of red pepper more than that of nigella sativa.
There are also a few peculiar characteristics we observed:
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A visible oil stain forms on the surface when the product is left exposed to air—something usually seen in traditional black seed oils, not in extracts.
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The oil is filled with small particles resembling sawdust. Some team members have only seen this phenomenon once before, when oil was extracted from very old Pakistani seeds, which developed similar coagulated particles after a few days.
● To our knowledge, this should not happen with a CO₂ extract, which is typically known for its long shelf life and stability. The presence of these particles and surface stains raises questions about the extract’s composition, age, or production process.
THYMOQUINONE (TQ)
Both the product label and Triquetra’s website claim that this black seed oil extract contains 5% thymoquinone (TQ). The label also states that the extract is “standardized for maximum levels of Thymoquinone.” However, this concept of “standardized TQ” is highly questionable and likely misleading.
Triquetra appears to be one of the last remaining companies still promoting the outdated and scientifically unsupported idea of standardized TQ. This concept originated in the early 2000s, when an Israeli company introduced a formulation claiming standardized TQ levels. Many brands adopted this for marketing purposes.
However, after thorough investigation revealed the claims were unfounded, the original company shut down and its website was taken offline. In reality, it is not scientifically possible to standardize a naturally occurring component like thymoquinone in black seed oil, as levels vary due to agricultural factors and weather difference from year to year.
TABLE OF ANALYSIS
Extraction oil videos & photos
NO
Acids pH level analyses
NO
Nigellon level
NO
Non-filtered oil with seeds
NO
Thymoquinone level
YES
Volatile Oils level
NO
Cold press method analyses
NO
Thymohydroquinone level
NO
Heavy Metals level analyses
NO
Thymol level
NO
Industry Clarifications:
(The following industry points are worth noting)
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"Unrefined" ≠ Non-Filtered: Even unrefined oils are typically filtered and don’t contain seed particles.
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"Cold Press" misuse on the label: The term is widely used without proof. True cold pressing should be validated by testing for compounds like Benzo(a)pyrene and related PAHs.
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"Organic" ≠ Pesticide-Free: USDA standards still allow natural pesticides (§§ 205.601 - 205.602). No Nigella sativa seeds are entirely free from them.
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"Non-GMO" claims are unnecessary: Nigella sativa is not genetically modified, and global demand doesn’t justify GMO cultivation.
FINAL RANKING #BUSTED
This product is not pure black seed oil — it’s a highly concentrated extract with properties similar to essential oil. Such extracts can be dangerous for internal use due to their extreme potency and are not the same as cold-pressed black seed oil.
This product is #BUSTED for two major reasons: the product is not cold-pressed pure black seed oil and consumers deserve clarity with safety — this product fails on both fronts.
BRAND OWNERS:
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CONSUMERS:
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