Basil for Taste and Health
Posted: Friday, November 20, 2009
by Yulia Berry
Great Home Remedies
Basil is an aromatic and tasty herb that is a popular addition to many Italian Dishes, particularly Pesto. It is also added to soups and fresh basil makes a wonderful addition to any salad. The basil plant is a member of the peppermint family and has long been valued as an herb that can help alleviate moods, aid digestion and was once even used as an aphrodisiac . It is also useful as a carminative, antispasmodic and antibiotic. The essential oil of sweet basil is steam distilled from the leaves and flowers of the Ocimum basilicum.
Basil is loaded with the flavonoids orientin and vicenin, which can help prevent radiation and oxygen from damaging cell structures and chromosomes. Basil is also high in that natural free radical fighter: Vitamin A. Vitamin A helps keep free radicals from oxidizing cholesterol, preventing its buildup in the bloodstream. The herb is also rich in magnesium, which is essential when it comes to blood flow and keeping the heart and blood vessels relaxed, as well iron, calcium, potassium and Vitamin C.
The essential oil within the herb has also been shown to inhibit several types of bacteria including staphylococcus, enterococcus, pseudomonas and e-coli. Many of these bacterium have become resistant to today's antibiotics making basil's ability to inhibit them extremely useful. Adding fresh basil to your salad, or chopping it up and putting it in our vinaigrette will not only add flavor, but also make the greens you are eating safer to eat.
Basil's essential oil also contains the compound Eugenol which works well as an anti-inflammatory. Much like Aspirin and Ibuprofen, eugenol blocks the enzyme cyclooxygenase helping to provide relief from inflammatory symptoms that can occur with arthritis and inflammatory bowel conditions.
Use basil to help spice up a boring soup or slad with its fresh and spicy flavor. It can be used fresh, whole or shredded to spruce up any dish. You can also use it to spice up a cooked dish, just be sure to add it to the dish towards the end to keep the volatile oils from dissipating. Good basil will have a sweet, grassy scent with a hint of spice to it.
Aromatherapy
Basil is diffused into the air to help clear the mind, increase concentration and help maintain focus. It has also been used by aromatherapists to help ease the fear and feelings of vulnerability that can come with a life changing event such as a move, divorce or job change, Basil is believed to help with one's courage making it easier to be objective and decisive.
"It makes a man merry and glad" : Herbalist John Gerard
Blending
Basil is said to blend well with citrus (orange, lemon, lime), with heavier oils like Jasmine or Ylang Ylang, and with woody oils such as pine or cedar. It is also considered to be a top-note essential oil.
Warnings:
Basil is considered to be safe, but its use during pregnancy is inadvisable. The high level of methyl cinnamate and methyl chavicol in Basil oils can also irritate the skin.
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