Benefits of basil seeds (Sabja seeds) for skin, hair, and health:Top 15 benefits
Benefits of basil seeds or sabja seeds are known from ages. Basil seeds are being used for many generations. These seeds are produced from the holy Tulsi or Basil plant or Ocimum Basilicum. Basil plant has many medicinal properties and Tulsi is used as a part of many ayurvedic and Siddha medicines.
You people might have come across these yummy Basil seeds in some refreshing drink like Falooda. Basil seeds are also used in many other drinks like Sherbet e Rihan, Hot e, etc. But you might not be aware of their name and that sabja seeds are produced from Basil plant.
Basil plant originally belongs to India. Tulsi or Basil plant is found in each and every home of India. People worship Tulsi plant like a Goddess. They use Tulsi plant regularly as part of many home remedies to cure various ailments. Basil seeds also have medicinal properties similar to the Basil leaves or Tulsi leaves.
Now Basil is being used in many other cuisines as well like Italy, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, etc. People from other parts of the world are also realizing the health benefits of sabja seeds and they are using it regularly.
Other names of Basil seeds:
Sabja or Basil seeds are known by many other names like Sabja seeds, Subja seeds, Falooda seeds, tukhamaria seeds, takmaria seeds, sweet basil seeds, Sabja ginjalu, Sabja vethai, Selashi Tukmaria, Thai basil seeds, holy basil seeds, hairy basil seeds, Tulsi seeds, etc
Basil seeds Nutrition facts:
Sabja seeds contain many vitamins like vitamin A, vitamin K, and folate. They are also rich in minerals like potassium, calcium, manganese, and magnesium. They are also very rich in essential oils like Eugenol and Citronellol.
Basil seeds also contain many other substances with promoting our health like vicenin, orientin, beta carotene and lutein.
Benefits of Basil seeds/Benefits of Sabja seeds:
1. Basil seeds for weight loss:
Basil seeds expand many more times, about 15 to 20 times more than their original size when soaked in the water. When you eat these basil seeds, they fill up your stomach and suppress your appetite. You will not feel hungry for a long duration after eating Sabja seeds.
Benefits of basil seeds for weight loss are also due to the high fiber content of these seeds. As they are very rich in fiber, they help in secretion of excess cholesterol from the liver in the form of bile juice. This helps us to get rid of cholesterol that leads to excess weight.
You can either mix basil seeds in water and drink it directly. You can also add these soaked sabja seeds to your milk or yogurt and drink it. This makes basil seeds drink very yummy and you lose weight at the same time.
2. Benefits of basil seeds for constipation:
Basil seeds are highly rich in fiber. This makes them ideal as a remedy for constipation. They help in easy passage of the stools. They cleanse your colon very effectively.
You need to soak about 1 to 2 spoons of Sabja seeds in a glass of water at night. Wait for 10 to 15 minutes and you will notice that these seeds swell up. Then drink this sabja seed water at night and go to bed. Do this daily for a week or so. You will notice that you will no longer suffer from constipation after a week. Basil seeds help in clearing up toxins from your intestines.
3. Benefits of basil seeds for hair:
Basil seeds are very nutritive and they contain many essential nutrients like vitamin k, proteins, and iron. You all know that our hair is made up of proteins. We also need sufficient levels of iron in our body to maintain hemoglobin levels. This ensures proper blood supply to our hair. Adequate blood supply to the hair and protein in the sabja seeds ensure healthy growth of the hair.
You will no longer suffer from hair loss, hair thinning, dry and rough hair if you take sabja seeds regularly in your diet. Just add 1 or spoons of basil seeds to your milk daily. It’s just that easy. You don’t even need to do any special preparation to have basil seeds for hair growth.
4. Sabja seeds cool down our body:
Sabja seeds have the ability to soak up the heat from our body. During the scorching summer months, we suffer from the excessive heat outside. This makes us really very dehydrated and tired. We won’t be able to concentrate on any work properly.
This is the time when the cooling effects of sabja seeds come into play. Just add few sabja seeds to any drink like milk, falooda, nimbu sherbet, room afza, etc. These drinks are very refreshing and they cool down your body at the same time. Drinking drinks mixed with sabja seeds is a very yummy and healthy way of fighting the summer sun.
5. Benefits of Sabja seeds for acidity:
Sabja seeds are very good for your stomach as well. Many people suffer from acidity these days due to the incorrect lifestyle choices. People eat more of junk food, spicy food, have a lot of stress, drink a lot of coffees and teas. All these things lead to severe acidity or heartburn problems.
Sabja seeds can provide instant relief for acidity. Just mix 2 spoons of sabja seeds in a glass of cold milk. Wait for few minutes and drink it. Both milk and sabja seeds have a cooling effect on your stomach. You will feel better within a matter of few minutes.
6. Benefits of basil seeds for diabetes:
Basil seeds are really very good for controlling Diabetes type 2. Many people ae developing type 2 diabetes hereditarily and due to heavy stress these days. But Basil seeds can come to your rescue.
Basil seeds regulate blood sugar levels very well. They are a low glycemic index food. Sabja seeds help you to feel satiated with very less food. They tend to raise blood sugar levels very slowly, which enables good control of blood sugar. Just add a spoon of basil seeds to your milk and drink daily. This helps you to keep your diabetes in check.
7. Benefits of sabja seeds for skin:
Sabja seeds are very beneficial for our skin. They make our skin glowing. You need to mix a powder of 1 to 2 spoons of basil seeds along with 100 ml of coconut oil. Warm the oil slightly and apply it to the skin.
You can use it over your face or other parts of your body. It is a very good moisturizing agent. It makes your skin smooth and supple like a baby. This combination of sabja seeds and coconut oil can also help you if you are suffering from diseases like psoriasis.
8. Improves mental health:
Benefits of basil seeds on mental health are countless. Basil seeds are known to treat many mental health conditions from ages. Basil seeds contain many medicinal substances that help to control mental health disorders like depression, anxiety, and stress.
Just start using basil seeds in your milk or yogurt daily. You can even make a lassi by blending yogurt with honey. Then add Basil seeds to your lassi and drink daily. This satiates your sweet tooth, makes you feel full and also makes you very healthy both physically and psychologically.
9. Benefits of basil seeds for oral health:
Basil seeds contain many substances which have antimicrobial properties. They kill bacteria and viruses very efficiently. They reduce any inflammation in the mouth like Glossitis.
Dental caries or tooth decay is mainly caused due to bacteria and viruses that destroy our teeth. If you chew basil seeds regularly, you will not develop dental caries or tooth decay. Your mouth will also become fresh and it also eradicates halitosis or bad breath.
10. Basil seeds as an antioxidant:
Basil seeds contain beta-carotene and vitamin A in sufficient amounts. They are very good antioxidants. They fight the harmful free radicals in our body. Thye help in preventing premature aging.
Basil seeds help us get rid of wrinkles, fine lines and all other signs of aging. Due to their antioxidant effects, Basil seeds are also good for heart and brain health.
11. Benefits of basil seeds for respiratory problems:
Basil seeds have potent antibacterial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties. Due to these properties, they help us get rid of cold, flu, sore throat very quickly. Just warm up some water. Squeeze some lemon juice, add a spoon of basil seeds and a spoon of honey to it. Just drink this lemon basil seeds tea to cure your cold and flu naturally and very fast.
12. Basil seeds reduce cholesterol:
Basil seeds are rich in fiber. They enable secretion of excess cholesterol in the body from the bile produced by the liver. This helps to reduce the cholesterol level in the body.
Many ailments like atherosclerosis, heart attack, stroke are caused due to excess cholesterol and diabetes. Basil seeds help to control both of them and prevent such disorders.
13. Benefits of basil seeds for infection control:
Basil seeds are a good source of substances that control infections like bacterial and viral infections. Studies conducted by some scientists has proved that basil seeds have the ability to control infections of the genitourinary tract like infections of the bladder and infections of the vagina in women.
14. Basil seeds as insect repellent:
When basil seeds are crushed and mixed with coconut oil, they act as excellent insect repellants. Insect runs away from your home if you spray this mixture at the corners of your home or place this in a container near corners of the rooms.
15. Basil seeds detoxify body:
Basil seeds can detoxify our body very well. They remove all the toxins from the body through various ways. Sabja seeds help in removing toxins through intestines, kidneys, etc. They even cure conditions like food poisoning, etc due to their detoxifying properties.
Some ways to use Basil seeds or Sabja seeds:
1. Make basil seeds part of your daily tea or milk
2. Mix basil seeds in yogurt and eat it directly
3. Make a lassi with yogurt and honey and add basil seeds to it
4. Add Basil seeds to Rooh afza, Nimbu pani or lemon water, etc.
5. Sprinkle some sabja seeds or basil seeds on your salads.
6. Add basil seeds to your smoothies and blend them or add them at last to your smoothies to give them a nice flavor.
Some tips to use basil seeds:
1. Basil seeds tend to lower estrogen levels. So, they should not be eaten by pregnant women.
2. You can get Basil seeds in any Asian or Indian grocery store.
3. Don’t give them to very small kids. If they are unable to swallow properly, they could choke due to these basil seeds.
