Basil (Ocimum basillcum)
Written by Sky Taylor, Diet Bites
Basil's House of Herbs: Herb Recipes | When Herbs & Medicines Collide
Basil - Culinary Notes & Roots
Basil is ultra-easy to grow. This past summer, I had purchased a few small pots of basil for my herb garden, but they were rather poor specimens.
When the warmer weather took root, they uprooted and died. Bummers.
As the local feed and garden stores were depleted of basil plants, I decided to plant a cheap package of basil seeds - hoping that they might sprout. To my surprise, they did just that - proving how easy they are to grow.
This herb is very common in Mediterranean foods and recipes. It adds a pungent flavor to foods.
However, it has a unique flavor and may not be cuddled by all. While I love the stuff, my husband isn't a fan of it.
Whenever we purchase commercially prepared tomato products for use as a soup on its own or to use as a sauce for pasta, any product that highlights the amount of basil in the product isn't one that he'll eat, much less enjoy if he did manage that feat.
And it's not that he is difficult to please; it's just that he is very sensitive to the flavors - and it only takes a tiny bit where his taste buds are concerned.
Try adding a few leaves to fresh salad, or toss into your next marinara or spaghetti sauce recipe.
Basil - Herbal Medicine Uses
Medicinal uses for Basil include:
as a tea, used to relieve headaches as well as other body aches
as a tea, used to aid in digestion and to soothe
as a tea, used to treat restlessness and nervousness
has been touted to promote circulation health
also has been used as an eye wash
Nutrition Facts, Calories for Basil, Fresh
|
Nutritional Elements |
Units |
100 grams |
5 leaves |
1 tablespoon, chopped |
1/4 cup of whole leaves |
| Energy, Calories |
kcals |
23 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
| Protein |
g |
3.15 |
0.08 |
0.17 |
0.19 |
| Carbohydrates |
g |
2.65 |
0.07 |
0.14 |
0.16 |
| Fiber, Dietary |
g |
1.6 |
0.0 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
| Sugars |
0.30 |
0.01 |
0.02 |
0.02 |
|
| Total Fat |
g |
0.64 |
0.02 |
0.03 |
0.04 |
| Saturated Fat |
g |
0.041 |
0.001 |
0.002 |
0.002 |
| Monounsaturated Fat |
g |
0.088 |
0.002 |
0.005 |
0.005 |
| Polyunsaturated Fat |
g |
0.389 |
0.010 |
0.021 |
0.023 |
| Cholesterol |
mg |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Minerals, Vitamins |
|
||||
| Calcium |
mg |
177 |
4 |
9 |
11 |
| Iron |
mg |
3.17 |
0.08 |
0.17 |
0.19 |
| Magnesium |
mg |
64 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
| Phosphorus |
mg |
56 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
| Potassium |
mg |
295 |
7 |
16 |
18 |
| Sodium |
mg |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Zinc |
mg |
0.81 |
0.02 |
0.04 |
0.05 |
| Vitamin C |
mg |
18.0 |
0.4 |
1.0 |
1.1 |
| Thiamin |
mg |
0.034 |
0.001 |
0.002 |
0.002 |
| Riboflavin |
mg |
0.076 |
0.002 |
0.004 |
0.005 |
| Niacin |
mg |
0.902 |
0.023 |
0.048 |
0.054 |
| Vitamin B-6 |
mg |
0.155 |
0.004 |
0.008 |
0.009 |
Reference for Diet Bites Herb Series: Tom, the Biologist
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