Basil is a plant with a wonderful aroma. It is a pleasant herb in many dishes. Few people know that you can also make delicious tea from it. When you use this plant to season food, put it over the food when the food is already ready. Sprinkle it over tomato soup when it is served. Sprinkle it over a pizza or through a pasta dish when it is on your plate. This is actually tastier; the flavor of basil is best preserved and you also make the most efficient use of the many nutrients contained in this herb. NB! This article is written from the personal view of the author and may contain information that is not scientifically substantiated and/or in line with the general view.Flower of basil plant / Source: Sebastian Stabinger, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA-3.0)

Contents:

• King’s herb
• Against colds
• Minerals and vitamins
• Important polyphenols
• Good for eyesight
• Insect repellent effect
• Against nausea
• Basil in the herb garden
• Basiel cookies
• Dry your own basil

King’s herb

Basil is also called royal herb. That was because three magi, the three kings, went to Bethlehem because Jesus was born. Balthasar saw a basil bush from which a ruby red bird emerged. It spoke in a human voice: “The creator of heaven and earth has been born, it is God-and-Man and the world is subject to him.”In the original spiritual movements of Christianity, also called Gnosticism, people have the ability equity to live according to their divine origins. Man is clothed with divine gifts.

Against colds

Basil is native to Africa and South Asia. Wild basil grows in abundance in the forest countries of Africa, and residents have been making tea from it for centuries. In India, where the tropical basil also grows, the tea is drunk for its medicinal properties against colds. It is of course also just a nice tea if you don’t have a cold.Basil leaves / Source: Paul Goyette, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA-2.0)

Minerals and vitamins

Basil is a plant that contains a large amount of minerals and vitamins. Basil contains a lot of vitamin A and vitamin K. In addition, it contains the following minerals in large quantities: potassium, manganese, copper and magnesium. It also contains a lot of iron. This makes the plant good for people who want to prevent anemia.

Important polyphenols

There are many healthy phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals in the basil plant. It contains the polyphenols orientin and vicenine. These protect the body against radiation. Scientific research showed that antioxidants that entered the liver of mice were neutralized by radiation. There are even more active antioxidants in basil, namely: vitamin A, cryptoxanthin, lutein and zeaxanthin. These all help fight harmful free radicals and thus help prevent cancer.Flowering basil / Source: Christian Bauer, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-2.0)

Good for eyesight

Zeaxanthin has the additional effect that it filters the harmful UV radiation from sunlight, allowing the retina to continue to function optimally. Because basil also contains vitamin A, this plant is excellent for your eyes. Basil is also available as a nutritional supplement, but in general it is always healthier to eat the whole plant rather than an extract.

Insect repellent effect

Rubbing the skin with basil keeps insects at a distance. If you have not rubbed basil on yourself and are bitten by a mosquito, the basil leaf offers a way to relieve the itching. Gently rub the leaf over the bump. Basil is also said to help against warts by holding a bruised basil leaf on the wart for some time. In Africa, people rubbed basil leaves on their skin to keep animals from smelling them. This allowed hunters to approach animals from a short distance.

Against nausea

Basil tea helps against nausea. Basil contains an extensive range of anti-inflammatory substances, making it useful against inflammatory diseases such as metabolic syndrome and rheumatoid arthritis. It is also a plant that fights harmful bacteria. In general, basil herb strengthens the immune system, preventing many diseases.

Basil in the herb garden

Basil is an ideal plant in the herb garden. Because snails also find this plant a delicacy, it is best to grow basil on the windowsill. Buy a few pots of basil and place them in a larger pot with soil. This way you let the plant grow vigorously and you have fresh basil for a whole season. When the plant is finished, you can also choose to use basil pesto instead of fresh basil. When you make pasta with pesto, only add the pesto to the pasta when it is on your plate. Then the taste is retained much better.

Basiel cookies

Ingredients:

• whole grain flour,
• finely chopped basil,
• salty,
• crumbled stale bread,
• butter,
• organic milk.

Mix the ingredients together until a firm batter is formed. You can then bake cookies in a frying pan. You can also add other herbs such as parsley, celery, a fried onion or sage. Do this to your own taste.

Dry your own basil

You can dry fresh basil yourself. If you have a lot of basil plants and you are going on holiday so you cannot eat the plant, make sure you make dried basil and put it in a well-sealable jar. You dry it by cutting off branches, tying them together and hanging them upside down or by spreading the leaves over a large clean surface where the wind cannot affect them.

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