The Surprising Benefits of Basil
Basil is a herb in the mint family. There are several types of basil, which have been used widely in cooking around the world for hundreds of years.
Not only does basil taste, look and smell delicious, but there are some surprising health benefits to taking it. This is true for basil both in its natural form, and as an essential oil.
In this article I will explain the history of basil, how it can benefit our health, potential risks, and top tips on how to include more basil in your diet.
Let’s dive in!
History of Basil
Basil is native to Central Africa and South-East Asia. It can also be grown in other areas of the world as a perennial, and has been used for centuries in European, Iranian, Chinese and Indian cuisines.
In the UK when we say basil, we’re referring to sweet basil (Ocimum Basilicum). Another common type of basil is Thai basil (O. basilicum var. thyrsiflora), but there are over 150 varieties.
In India and Pakistan basil is called ‘Tulsi’. Tulsi is regarded as having religious significance, as does basil in the Greek, Serbian and Macedonian Othodox churches. Basil has been used for thousands of years in Ayurvedic, Chinese, and traditional medicine around the world (6).
Traditional therapeutic uses of basil have been for treating coughs, headaches, worms, diarrhoea and skin infections. More recently its essential oil has been used as a component of oral health and dental products, as well as by the fragrance and food industry (2).
Basil Nutrition
This table shows the nutritional content of 1 tbsp (5 leaves) of fresh sweet basil, and 1tbsp of dried sweet basil.
| Nutrition | 1tbsp (2.5g) fresh basil | % Reference Intake | 1tbsp (2g) Dried basil | % Reference Intake |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iron | 0.14mg | 1% | 1 mg | 8% |
| Calcium | 6.25mg | 1% | 53 mg | 7% |
| Vitamin A | 0.65mg | 1% | 0 | 0 |
| Vitamin C | 16.5ug | 2% | 23.5ug | 3% |
| Vitamin K | 53ug | 59% | - | - |
Using Nutritics nutrition analysis software (vitamin K data from 3).
Basil contains the highest concentration of calcium, vitamin K, and iron of all herbs (3). But is this enough to confer a significant health benefit?
As you can see from the percentage Reference Intake, even a generous amount of dried basil will only contribute a small amount in terms of vitamin and mineral intake. This is even less for fresh basil.
The beneficial health effects of basil appear instead to come from plant chemicals. Current research focuses on extracting these for a more potent form of basil in the form of essential oil, pharmaceuticals, drugs and medicines (7).
The only micronutrient in basil to contribute a significant amount to our Reference Intake is Vitamin K. Vitamin K is an essential nutrient for blood clotting and bone health (4). This may only pose a risk to those on blood thinning medication, who need their daily consumption of vitamin K to remain consistent.
Health Benefits of Basil
The Mediterranean diet is commonly cited as the healthiest way to eat for health and wellness. This is due to its high fibre intake from vegetables and wholegrains, as well as healthy fat intake from olive oil, nuts and seeds. Herbs and spices associated with this diet might also contribute to its benefits (5).
We also know that eating 30 different types of plants a week optimises the health of our gut bacteria, also known as the microbiome (8). This can lead to health benefits of reduced heart disease and diabetes risk, and improved mental health.
Adding in more herbs, such as basil, can contribute towards reaching our goal of 30 ‘plant points’ per week. Plant points can also come from fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes and wholegrains.
Historical Use of Basil for Health
In traditional medicine basil seeds are used in Asian beverages and desserts as a source of dietary fibre. It has also been used for cancer treatment in traditional Chinese medicine (2).
Evidence for Health Benefits of Basil in Humans
Stress reduction
Basil extract has been shown to reduce stress in humans in a small randomised controlled trial. The basil extract was taken for 6 weeks, and reduced stress to a greater degree than those taking a placebo (12).
Cholesterol, blood sugars and blood pressure
Tulsi (Indian basil), has been shown in human studies to decrease glucose levels, improve blood pressure and lipid profiles, and reduce many diabetic symptoms in patients with type 2 diabetes (13).
Basil Uses
- Health – see above
- Cooking – see Eating Basil below
Basil Risks
Vit K blood thinning
Basil might slow blood clotting due to its high vitamin K content. This also applies to other foods high in vitamin K such as spinach, kale and broccoli.
This is only an issue in those taking a blood thinner such as warfarin. In these people vitamin K content of the diet should be kept as consistent as possible day to day. It would be healthier to include dark green leafy vegetables or basil daily, rather than cut them out.
On blood pressure/sugar drugs
We have preliminary evidence in human trials that basil can help lower blood pressure, and blood sugar. This means that those on medication for these conditions should monitor their levels to avoid becoming hypoglycaemic, or developing low blood sugar.
Basil intolerance
Basil contains salicylate, and so for anyone with a salicylate food chemical intolerance, it should be eaten in small amounts to tolerance.
Basil also contains eugenol. This is a contact allergen, and can cause contact allergic dermatitis.
Carcinogenic compounds
When basil is consumed daily as an essential oil there is a risk that it could be carcinogenic. This is not the case with fresh basil, as the carcinogenic compounds are inhibited by plant chemicals flavonoids and polyphenols.
It has been suggested that essential oils should be tested for carcinogenic compound levels to be safe before going to market (1).
Growing & Planting Basil
Basil is easy to grow from seed sown indoors, or from small plants from the supermarket. It will grow well throughout the Summer, and give repeated harvests. Remove the tops of pants to encourage bushy growth.
Grow from seed
Sow seeds from February to mid-Summer. Only sow a few more than you need as most will germinate. Cover with a clear plastic bag and an elastic band until the seeds germinate. Keep the soil moist, and transfer to a sunny windowsill with the bag off.
Grow from supermarket plants
Separate the individual plants you get within a pot of basil from the supermarket, and plant each in its own pot. Once they have grown and been hardened off, plant outside (11).
Eating Basil
Basil contributes to flavour, colour, aroma, and enjoyment of food. There is also a chance we can benefit from the plant chemicals it contains to help prevent disease. So what are the best ways of incorporating basil into our diets?
How to add basil into your diet:
- Salads – tear up fresh sweet basil leaves into salads such as caprese salad, or roasted vegetable salad. Thai basil compliments an asian salad well.
- Soups – add dried basil to soup when cooking, or fresh basil just before serving.
- Curry – add Thai basil to creamy coconut thai curries as a tasty garnish.
- Pesto – needs no explanation! Add to pasta, on top of pizza, or in sandwiches.
- Pizza – add dried basil into the tomato sauce, and tear fresh basil leaves over cooked pizza just before servings.
Storing Basil
Freeze
Basil doesn’t easily freeze, so there are a couple of tips for helping it freeze better. Blanch it first by just dipping the leaves in hot water. Then dry the leaves, separate with baking paper, pop in a freezer bag and place flat in the freezer. Use in soups and stir-fries.
Dry leaves
Cook basil leaves in the oven on a very low setting, around 50 degrees. Once they are dry, wait for them to cool, and then crumble and store into an airtight container.
Make pesto
Blend your excess basil leaves, pine nuts and nutritional yeast for a delicious vegan pesto. This can be eaten fresh, or frozen in portions to defrost and use in the Winter months.
Conclusions
Basil is a herb enjoyed around the world in cooking for it’s taste and aroma. Not only is it delicious, but it contains plant chemicals that may benefit our health.
There is a wealth of growing evidence and once more human studies have been conducted we may be able to take basil in a more prescriptive way to prevent and treat disease.
In the meantime we can enjoy basil as part of a plant-based diet. Enjoy!
References
1. The potential effects of Ocimum basilicum on health: a review of pharmacological and toxicological studies
Piero Sestili,Tariq Ismail,Cinzia Calcabrini,Michele Guescini,Elena Catanzaro,Eleonora Turrini,Anam Layla,Saeed Akhtar &Carmela Fimognari
Pages 679-692 |
2. Chemical components and pharmacological benefits of Basil (Ocimum basilicum): a review
Mohamad Hesam Shahrajabian,Wenli Sun &Qi Cheng
Pages 1961-1970 |
4. IOM, 2006. Dietary Reference Intakes, The Essential Guide to Nutrient Requirements
5. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr
. 2016 Dec 9;56(16):2728-46. doi: 10.1080/10408398.2013.805713. The Health Benefits of Selected Culinary Herbs and Spices Found in the Traditional Mediterranean Diet
Allyson Bower, Susan Marquez Elvira Gonzalez de Mejia
7. A Comprehensive Review on Chemical Profile and Pharmacological Activities of Ocimum basilicum
Kuldeep Dhama,Khan Sharun,Mudasir B. Gugjoo,Ruchi Tiwari,Mahmoud Alagawany,Mohd. Iqbal Yatoo,Pallavi Thakur,Hafiz M.N. Iqbal,Wanpen Chaicumpa,Izabela Michalak,Shaaban S. Elnesr &Mayada R. Farag
8. 15 May 2018 American Gut: an Open Platform for Citizen Science Microbiome Research
Authors: Daniel McDonald et al
9. Bioresource Technology
Volume 98, Issue 1, January 2007, Pages 198-201
Short Communication Larvicidal and repellent potential of Albizzia amara Boivin and Ocimum basilicum Linn against dengue vector, Aedes aegypti (Insecta:Diptera:Culicidae)
K.MuruganP.MuruganA.Noortheen
11. Royal Horticultural Society, Growing Basil
12. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med
. 2012;2012:894509. doi: 10.1155/2012/894509. Epub 2011 Oct 3.Efficacy of an Extract of Ocimum tenuiflorum (OciBest) in the Management of General Stress: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study
Ram Chandra Saxena 1, Rakesh Singh, Parveen Kumar, Mahendra P Singh Negi, Vinod S Saxena, Periasamy Geetharani, Joseph Joshua Allan, Kudiganti Venkateshwarlu
13. J Ayurveda Integr Med. 2014 Oct-Dec; 5(4): 251–259.
doi: 10.4103/0975-9476.146554Tulsi – Ocimum sanctum: A herb for all reasons
Marc Maurice Cohen