Are There Health Benefits of Basil?

Basil is extremely popular when it comes to cooking, especially in Italian food, but there are also many health benefits to eating basil and drinking basil tea when it comes to natural health. Basil is full of flavanoids and flavanoids help protect cells and chromosomes from damage. Two of the flavanoids that basil contains are orientin and vicenin. These two flavanoids in particular are good for protecting against cell damage from radiation.

Basil essential oil may also help to inhibit the growth of bacteria naturally. It works particularly well for bacteria that has become resistant to antibiotics. Basil essential oil also has an anti-inflammatory effect and can be used in homemade tinctures to reduce swelling (for example, one can steep calendula herb in grapeseed oil and mix in basil essential oil to make an anti-inflammatory oil, which is safe to be applied to the body).

Basil contains magnesium, which is excellent for the heart and blood vessels, improving flow overall. Basil also contains iron, calcium, potassium and vitamin C.

Basil is available in many different varieties, all of which differ in color and in taste. Common types of basil used in Italian cooking include sweet basil, Thai basil and holy basil. Basil is also sometimes used in oriental cooking and can be made into a tea.
Some studies have shown that basil may help prevent the early signs of aging and it is a rich source of Beta-carotene. This means basil can help protect from free radical damage, such as that found from smoking tobacco cigarettes and other toxins.

Basil is commonly used in Pesto and other Italian cooking. Fresh basil can be used in pastas, sauces and mixed with vegetables. For added health benefits, try eating pesto. Pesto has the added benefit of olive oil and pine nuts. Olive oil is also said to possess anti-aging properties.
According to the Mayo Clinic, olive oil is a healthy choice that can help reduce the risk of heart disease. The FDA says that eating just 2 tablespoons a day is enough o help reduce the risk of heart disease in most healthy adults.

And what are the added health benefits of pine nuts you may be wondering? Easy! They may help reduce your appetite. Check out Allrecipes.com for Pesto recipes.