scented candles
09/10/2024Pergolas
09/10/2024
A fragrant, fragrant shrub, reaching a height of about a meter, its flowers are found in clusters. The plant belongs to the Lamiaceae family, is grown for ornamental purposes and for its distinctive fragrant smell. It has other medicinal uses and is characterized by its tolerance to heat, so it is suitable for cultivation in desert and dry areas.
This basil is considered the regular, non-edible basil, as edible basil differs in terms of color, shape, and leaf thickness. Edible basil has light, not thick leaves, and its color tends to be light green, while regular basil has a dark color. Edible basil leaves are smooth, while regular basil leaves are rough and their shape tends to be elongated, while edible basil tends to be round.
Basil Plant Care
Prune the tops of the long branches of the newly planted plant to stimulate the growth of the root system, and cut off the flowers that appear to encourage vegetative growth (branches and leaves). The soil is cleaned of weeds, and fertilized up to three times a year. Watering is twice a day in summer and once every two days in winter. The number of times it is watered is determined by the moisture content of the soil, as it must remain moist.
Benefits of Basil
Its nutritional content Vitamin
K: The body needs vitamins to grow and develop properly, and Vitamin K is one of the important vitamins for the body, as it plays a role in the manufacture of important proteins; to maintain healthy bones and tissues, in addition to the manufacture of proteins necessary for the blood clotting process, and a severe deficiency in Vitamin K may cause bleeding. It is worth noting that two tablespoons of fresh, chopped basil provide 27% of the daily requirement for Vitamin K.
Vitamin A: One of the important vitamins for vision, growth, cell division, reproduction, and immunity, in addition to its antioxidant properties; which help reduce damage caused by free radicals (in English: Free Radicals:) and a tablespoon of fresh, chopped basil provides 3% of the daily requirement for Vitamin A.
Manganese: Manganese is one of the cofactors of many enzymes, and through the work of these enzymes, manganese participates in the metabolism of amino acids, cholesterol, and carbohydrates, and contributes to bone building, reproduction, and immune response. Manganese also enters into the blood clotting process in conjunction with vitamin K. A tablespoon of chopped, fresh basil provides 1.5% of the daily requirement for this mineral.
Benefits of basil according to the degree of effectiveness
There is insufficient evidence of its effectiveness (Insufficient Evidence)
Reducing gas: Basil helps relieve gas, soothes the stomach, and can be used in cases of indigestion.
Reducing constipation: Basil seeds may help relieve constipation by increasing the volume of stool and expelling it from the body.
Reducing kidney disorders: Basil contains acetic acid, which may help break up kidney stones and relieve the pain caused by them. Basil juice is also full of nutrients, such as antioxidants and anti-inflammatories, and may be useful for maintaining kidney health.
Other benefits: Basil is used in many other conditions not mentioned above, but there is not enough evidence to confirm its effectiveness in these cases, including: colds, loss of appetite, stomach cramps, and worms.
Does basil provide special benefits for pregnant women?
There are no studies that show any special benefits for eating basil during pregnancy. It should be noted that eating basil in the amounts found in food is mostly safe for women during pregnancy, but it is likely that it is not safe to eat it in medicinal amounts for pregnant women. To read more about this, you can refer to the paragraph on the harms of basil at the bottom of the article. It should also be noted that there is a type of basil called holy basil, and women are advised to avoid it during pregnancy.
Scientific studies on the benefits of basil
A laboratory study published in the journal Natural Product Research in 2015, during which the effect of some compounds contained in extracts of six types of basil was studied, showed that these compounds have antioxidant properties, which may help reduce the risk of cancer, but this is not certain, and more studies are still needed to confirm this.
A preliminary study conducted on mice and published in the journal Metabolic Brain Disease in 2018 indicated that basil extract may contribute to improving nerve function after a stroke; such as improving memory, reducing oxidative stress, and reducing the size of cerebral infarct size; A cerebral infarct is defined as an area of dead tissue in the brain, which appears as a result of narrowing or blockage in the arteries supplying the brain.
A preliminary study published in the journal Hypertension Research in 2010, on the effect of sweet basil extract on high blood pressure, was given to a group of mice suffering from high blood pressure, and it was found that basil contributed to reducing their blood pressure, but to a lesser degree than the drug used in cases of high blood pressure, and there is a need for more studies on this effect. In a small study published in the journal Experimental and Molecular Pathology in 2017, the effect of basil oil was evaluated in mice suffering from depression; As a result of their exposure to chronic stress; It was found that basil can contribute to reducing the symptoms associated with depression; Such as improving behavioral and biochemical changes, and reducing the rate of programmed death (Apoptosis) of some parts of neurons in these mice, but more studies are needed on this effect in humans.
A laboratory study published in the journal Toxicology & Industrial Health in 2011 indicated that the aqueous extract of basil may reduce blood sugar levels, and may be used to control diabetes, because it contains a large amount of phytochemicals, which have an antioxidant effect, and may inhibit the work of enzymes involved in the process of digesting carbohydrates; such as alpha-glucosidase and alpha-amylase, but this study is not sufficient to confirm this effect.
A study conducted on mice, and published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology in 2009, indicated that The aqueous extract of sweet basil has antiplatelet properties and properties that reduce tension in the blood vessels, so it may help expand blood vessels, reduce the risk of blood clots, and may be beneficial for heart health.
A study conducted on mice and published in the journal Food and Function in 2018 mentioned the role of sweet basil in alleviating stomach ulcers caused by the use of aspirin, and other problems resulting from the use of this type of medication.
In a laboratory study published in the Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research in 2017, it was found that the oils of some types of plants, including sweet basil, have properties that reduce the risk of tooth decay and contribute to maintaining their health; This is due to their antibacterial effect on some types of bacteria, which play a major role in the process of tooth decay; Such as Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacilli
A laboratory study published in the Macedonian Journal of Medical Sciences in 2015 mentioned the effect of sweet basil oil at different concentrations on two types of fungi. It was found that basil has antifungal properties and may be used to reduce the symptoms of fungal infections.
A preliminary study conducted on rabbits, published in the journal Methods and Findings in 2007, indicated the role of basil in reducing the effects of oxidative stress, when rabbits exposed to oxidative stress were fed a quantity of fresh basil leaves for 30 days. This effect may be due to its high content of antioxidants, which work to remove free radicals; these are compounds whose accumulation in the body leads to the emergence of oxidative stress. Which causes damage to the body’s cells, or the occurrence of diseases.
You can buy it from our store:
https://gardenhub-eg.com/product-category/plants/