Now that summer is on the way and the days are heating up. I am excited to report I can smell Basil in the air. There is something about Basil that really excites me. Says a lot about my life doesn’t it. But just to justify my exuberance about the health properties of the humble herb basil I am going to let you in on a few of the many health benefits of the essential oils found in basil.
It turns out its qualities play a huge part in reducing inflammation. This is important when we are fighting or trying to reduce the chances of developing cancers and cardio vascular disease. Basil helps stop inflammation by blocking the cells excretion of proteins called cytokines and also a chemical called nitric oxide which when cells are able to exchange these two components, inflammation results.
Also essential oils found in basil can effectively inhibit bacterial growth especially disease causing bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, Shigella species, Salmonella species, Mycobacterium species and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Pathogenic strains of these bacteria can cause illnesses like food poisoning, urinary tract infections, pneumonia and dysentery. Just the names themselves sound bad enough don’t they?
Anyway you get my point and if you don’t I will spell it out. Basil is good for you and you should be making the most of it right now and all through summer. In fact researchers say it is worth noting that herbs and spices contribute significantly to the total antioxidants obtained from the diet. Basil is virtually calorie-free and, in addition to antioxidant vitamins and phenolics, is a rich source of vitamin K, zinc, calcium, magnesium, potassium and dietary fibre. It adds a lot of flavour in a way that’s waistline-friendly.
I can see it now on your Christmas lunch table in a pesto dip, maybe a tomato salad or even in the marinara or Neapolitan pasta sauce.
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