Basil's Health Benefits and Medicinal Uses

The Amazing Healing Powers of a Common Culinary Herb

Feb 19, 2009 Juniper Russo

Basil, one of the most common herbs used as a flavoring agent in cuisine throughout the world, offers a number of important health benefits.

Chefs and nutritionists alike are often surprised to find out that common culinary herbs have powerful medicinal properties. Basil, one of the most common herbs used as a flavoring agent in cuisine throughout the world, offers a number of important health benefits, in addition to its unique and versatile flavor.

Basil originated in Asia and the Middle East, and after being traded and cultivated for at least five thousand years, there are now hundreds of different varieties. All strains of basil, from the lemon-scented to camphor-like varieties, each possess a unique chemical makeup. However, the base medicinal properties of basil remain constant from strain to strain.

One of the primary medicinal uses of basil comes from BCP, or (E)-beta-caryophyllene, a natural anti-inflammatory compound also found in oregano and medicinal cannabis. BCP found in basil may offer an alternative to medical marijuana, because it offers the same anti-inflammatory effects without the mental and neurological side-effects of illicit drugs. BCP in basil is believed to combat bowel inflammation and rheumatoid arthritis.

In traditional Ayurvedic medicine, a variety of Indian basil has been used to treat many common ailments, and naturopathic physicians may prescribe it in the treatment of diabetes, respiratory disorders, impotence, and allergies, and infertility. These traditional medicinal uses may stem from the fact that basil contains cinnamanic acid, a powerful compound proven to enhance circulation, stabilize blood sugar, and improve respiration.

Basil is also known to have extremely powerful antioxidant properties, especially when it is used in the form of an extract or oil. The natural antioxidants found in basil can protect the body against damage from free radicals, thereby preventing cellular aging, common skin ailments, and even most forms of cancer. Antioxidants are an important part of maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle, and basil may be a safe and effective source of these potent, life-giving compounds.

Additionally, scientific data shows that the volatile oils in basil, combined with their antioxidant effects, make it a healthy booster for the immune system. Fresh basil leaves and basil oil both have antibacterial properties, and can actually be used to clean surfaces of infectious disease. Basil leaves applied topically to wounds may also eliminate bacterial infections. Ingesting basil as a culinary herb or supplement can also give the body an ability to combat viral infections, including colds, flu, and herpes-family viruses-- much like its distant cousin, echinacea.

Many culinary herbs offer medicinal properties, but basil is especially useful in offering a number of valuable health benefits. Essential oils and standardized extracts are the most potently medicinal forms of basil, though fresh basil leaves also provide antioxidant and immune-boosting properties. The volatile oils of dried basil are weak, so fresh basil is almost always preferable as a culinary use.

Sources Used:

Budavari, Susan (Ed.) The Merck Index, 13 Ed. Merck & Co., Inc, Whitehouse Station, NJ, USA, 2001.;

J Gertsch et al, PNAS Early Edition, 2008;

Bozin B, Mimica-Dukic N, Simin N, Anackov G (March 2006). "Characterization of the volatile composition of essential oils of some lamiaceae spices and the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of the entire oils". J. Agric. Food Chem. 54 (5): 1822–8.

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A flowering basil stalk.