Health Benefits and Growing Instructions
I keep a fresh basil plant growing in my window and a couple more in the garden. I can’t resist its sweet smell and love the way it enhances the taste and nutritive profiles of my favorite dishes. There are some pretty compelling reasons to plant basil in your garden too!
Tidbits About Basil
Sweet Basil (Ocimum basilicum) is a culinary herb in the mint family. It is used primarily in Italian, Greek, Thai, Indonesian, and Vietnamese cooking. Rich in antioxidants and minerals it packs a powerful health-boosting punch and helps to reduce oxidative stress in the body. Basil is a good source of Vitamins A, K, and C and the minerals magnesium, iron, calcium, and potassium.
Fresh basil contains antibacterial properties restricting the growth of listeria monocytogenes, staphylococus aureus, and several other pathogenic bacteria. Adding basil to your meals reduces harmful bacteria that could be lingering on your plate. While there are many types of basil the most common type to use in cooking is Italian basil. Therefore, having basil on hand to add to your recipes gives you many health benefits. Namely, basil has a high anti-oxidant content in addition to being loaded with magnesium and vitamins.
Holy basil is the big brother of all the basil varieties. First of all, it’s a powerful anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, and adaptogenic, meaning that it is beneficial for relieving stress and helps your body fight disease. Referred to as tulsi in India, holy basil is considered a sacred herb. Thus, it has a long history of being used in Ayruvedic medicine to treat bronchitis, malaria, diarrhea, dysentery, skin disease, arthritis, eye diseases, and insect bites.(1)
If you decide to plant holy basil in your garden you will also enjoy anti-aging benefits and a reduction in inflammation. Holy basil is being studied as an effective natural cancer fighter and has been linked to the reduction of skin, liver, oral, and lung cancers.
Compelling Reasons to Plant Basil
Antibacterial Properties
Basil has the ability to protect your body from resistant strains of bacteria that don’t respond well to antibiotic treatments. In a 2013 study, it was found that the essential oils of basil and rosemary were effective at inhibiting the growth of Escherichia coli with basil having a higher ability to inhibit growth.(2) These are promising findings and may hasten the use of essential oils in the prevention and treatment of resistant strains of bacteria.
Fight Viruses and Infections
Basil essential oil has anti-microbial activity and can be useful in fighting viruses, bacteria as well as harmful yeasts and molds. This makes it a good remedy for candida. Additionally, it has been found useful to relieve some skin irritations.
Anti-Inflammatory
Fresh basil and its essential oil have powerful anti-inflammatory properties. Inflammation is the root cause of many of today’s chronic illnesses. Therefore, adding fresh basil and using the essential oil can help to alleviate symptoms of heart disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and rheumatoid arthritis. In a study in 2017 by Li H, Ge, Luo, Zhou, Zhang, Zhang, and Fu it was found that the essential oil of basil could be an effective component in relieving symptoms caused by extreme oxidative stress. (3)
Contains Powerful Antioxidants
Basil helps to protect your cells and DNA and fights free radical damage. The antioxidants orientin and viceninare in basil help protect white blood cells responsible for immune function. Importantly, these powerful antioxidants protect the cells from becoming altered, thereby protecting the body from cell mutations and possible growth of cancerous cells. Also, there is promising research that orientin and viceninare have been shown to reduce the effects of radiation, as they are efficient free radical scavengers and have the ability to enhance DNA repair. (4)
Combats Stress by Acting as an Adaptogen
An Adaptogen helps the body to resist stressors of all kinds. For the reason that they’re non-toxic plants that assist the body in coming ‘back to the middle’. Therefore, adaptogens help to keep us in balance by tweaking hormone production and physiological responses to stress.
Regulates Acid/Alkaline Balance
Because of basils’ high alkaline profile, it is beneficial in restoring the body’s healthy acid/alkaline balance. Having a healthy acid/alkaline balance improves immunity and helps to mitigate inflammation. Furthermore, basil is beneficial in improving digestion. For instance, basil helps to support healthy bacteria in the gut while decreasing the harmful bacteria that can lead to a leaky gut. This keeps toxins in the intestinal tract from leaking through the intestinal wall. It’s important to note that leaky gut syndrome has been linked to autoimmune disease.
In a study on rats by Rashidian, Roohi, Mehrzadi, Ghannadi, and Minaiyan it was found that basil essential oil was shown to exhibit protective effects against acetic acid-induced colitis. (5)
Read more about Basil Essential Oil
Planting Basil
Here’s how to plant and harvest basil according to the Farmers Almanac:
PLANTING
- Start the seeds indoors 6 weeks before the last spring frost. (See local frost dates.)
- To plant outside, wait until the soil is at least 50 degrees—preferably around 70ºF for best growth. Don’t rush basil. Without heat, the plant won’t grow.
- Basil needs to be in a location that gets 6 to 8 hours of full sun daily; soil should be moist and well-drained.
- Plant seeds/seedlings about ¼-inch deep and 10 to 12 inches apart. They should grow to about 12 to 24 inches in height. For smaller plants, plant farther apart (about 16 to 24 inches).
- During the dry periods in summer, water the plants freely.
- Remember to pinch out the flower heads as soon as they appear to make sure that the leaves will continue growing.
- If you’re planning on cooking with these plants, plant in clean soil (don’t use fertilizers that leave harmful residues) and grow them away from driveways and busy streets so that exhaust won’t settle on the plants.
- Tomatoes make great neighbors for basil plants in the garden.
HOMEMADE BASIL PESTO
I found this recipe for Homemade Pesto Sauce at A Little Spice Jar’s Website. Yum!
My homemade recipe for traditional basil pesto. Pesto Genovese is delicious on EVERYTHING!
INGREDIENTS:
- 3 cups fresh basil leaves, slightly packed
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese (freshly grated is best)
- 2 teaspoons (2 cloves) minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (see notes)
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- OPTIONAL: a pinch of red pepper flakes
DIRECTIONS:
- Add the basil leaves, parmesan cheese, minced garlic, lemon zest, pine nuts, lemon juice, and red pepper flakes to a blender or food processor. Blend until the ingredients start to break down. Stream in the olive oil and allow the ingredients to emulsify with the oil. Continue processing until the oil is combined with the basil and your other ingredients. Add additional garlic or parmesan to taste.
- STORING: Store the pesto in a small container avoiding air pockets. Homemade pesto can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Option to pour the pesto into ice cube trays and freeze. Transfer the frozen pesto to a zip lock bag once frozen.
Planting basil to have on hand is a great way to enhance your dishes, as well as benefit your health!
For a FREE pdf of this information go HERE
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Disclaimer
The use of herbs is a time-honored approach to bolstering and strengthening the body and as a natural, chemical-free way to treat disease. Always keep in mind that herbs can trigger side effects and interact with supplements, medications, or other herbs. Herbs should be taken with care, under the supervision of a qualified herbalist or doctor well versed in the field of botanical medicine.
I am not a doctor and do not claim to be. I am a seeker of pure, healthful living. Always talk with your doctor or qualified health care professional before taking any herbal remedies to ensure safety, especially if you are already on medications. The information on this website has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. None of these statements are intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease. Always consult with your medical practitioner or other qualified healthcare provider.