3 Benefits of Basil Leaves for Health, Not Only Delicious As Fresh Vegetables
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Superblogseo.web.id - 3 Benefits of Basil Leaves for Health, Not Only Delicious As Fresh Vegetables - Basil leaves that have a fresh taste are often used as salad dressing or ingredients for other dishes. Not only does it offer pleasure, basil leaves also have many health benefits, you know . So, what are the content and benefits of basil for health? Find out the answers in the review below.
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Nutrient content in basil leaves
The true basil plant is the result of a cross between the common basil ( Ocimum basilicum ) and the American basil ( Ocimum americanum ). Basil has a strong lime aroma , so some people also refer to it as lemon basil .Indonesian people are very familiar with basil leaves. These leaves can often be directly used as fresh vegetables or used in various preparations, such as Pepes. Besides the taste is good, the aroma of basil leaves is also fresh. If you process it properly, basil leaves can be a delicious snack.
Not only that, basil leaves also contain nutrients that should not be missed. According to the Indonesian Food Composition Data (DKPI) , 100 grams of fresh basil leaves contain:
- Water: 83.1 grams
- Kalori: 62 kkal
- Protein: 4,0 gram
- Fat: 0.5 grams
- Carbohydrates: 10.5 grams
- Fiber: 5.3 grams
- Calcium: 122 milligrams
- Phosphorus: 16 milligrams
- Iron: 13.9 milligrams
- Sodium: 3 milligrams
- Potassium: 650.6 milligrams
- Copper: 0.4 milligrams
- Zinc: 0.7 milligrams
- Retinol (Vit. A): 0.0 micrograms
- Beta carotene: 4,112 micrograms
- Thiamin (Vit. B1): 0.5 milligrams
- Riboflavin (Vit. B2): 0,1 miligram
- Niacin (Vit. B3): 0.2 milligram
- Vitamin C: 24 milligrams
Benefits of basil leaves for health
The natural antioxidant content in basil leaves can be used for various purposes. Some of the health benefits of basil leaves that you should not miss include the following.1. Help relieve stress
Of the various herbs used in traditional medicine, basil is one of the most widely recognized for its properties.Many studies have found that this leaf can help deal with physical, metabolic, to psychological stress with a combination of doctor-prescribed medications.
This leaf is known to help protect organs and tissues against chemical stress from exposure to industrial pollutants, heavy metals, excessive physical activity, to psychological stress.
Basil is also known to help fight metabolic stress by controlling blood sugar, blood pressure, and lipid levels because it has antianxiety and antidepressant properties.
2. Fight free radicals
Free radicals are chemical compounds that are unstable and reactive. You can be exposed to free radicals from food, drugs, daily activities, to exposure to pollution. If free radicals are allowed to accumulate in the body, of course this will be a problem.According to the Harvard School of Public Health , the chemical reactions carried out by free radicals in the body can damage cell membranes and tissues. This condition will increase the risk of various degenerative diseases, one of which is cancer.
The content of flavonoids in basil leaves, namely apigenin can be used as an anti-free radical. Using this leaf regularly is known to help reduce a person's risk of developing neoplasms (tumor formation and growth) and liver cancer.
However, further research is still needed to confirm the benefits of basil leaves as an antitumor and anticancer agent.
3. Prevent dengue fever
Along with dengue fever cases that are increasingly endemic, there is one way you can do to prevent the transmission of infection with the disease.Research published in the Journal of Agromedicine and Medical Sciences shows that this leaf extract can be used as an insecticide in the preparation of mosquito coils to prevent the bite of the Aedes aegypti mosquito that causes dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF).
The content of flavonoids, saponins, tannins, and essential oils in these leaves are known to be toxic to mosquitoes. Of course, the effectiveness of natural insecticides from basil leaf extract is still lower than that of manufactured insecticide products.
Even so, the potential of this basil leaf can be a consideration for you to repel insects naturally at home. This also requires further research to ensure the effectiveness of the content in it.
4. Other benefits of basil leaves
In addition to those mentioned above, this leaf is also claimed to have other benefits for your body's health, such as:- helps eliminate bad breath and body odor,
- facilitate digestion ,
- relieve inflammation, and
- improve skin health.
Know the difference between basil and basil
Basil leaves are a tonic spice plant that is still in the same family as basil or mint leaves . No wonder the basil and basil leaves at first glance look similar. Although often said to be similar, basil and basil leaves have a different appearance.Basil tends to have a thicker texture with larger, fatter leaves. In contrast to basil which has a leaf shape that is thinner and elongated. In addition, basil also has a strong distinctive aroma like lime.
Basil leaves are commonly used to add flavor to pasta, various fish preparations, or salads that are often served in Italian cuisine. While basil is commonly used by the Indonesian people as fresh vegetables and additional spices or grilled rice.
Tips for processing basil leaves into delicious food
Besides being delicious eaten raw, basil leaves can also be processed into various types of dishes, you know . Also remember, before processing the basil leaves, remove the damaged parts and wash them thoroughly with running water.Of course, you don't have to ask about the taste, because the processed basil leaves are definitely delicious and will make you more appetizing. Here's a basil anchovy grilled rice recipe that you must try at home.
Basil anchovy grilled rice recipe
Ingredients for grilled rice
- 250 grams of brown rice, washed
- 120 grams of pure coconut milk
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 stalks lemongrass, bruised
- 5 cloves of garlic
- 5 cloves of red onion
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt to taste
- Red chili / cayenne according to taste
- Toothpicks / broom sticks that have been cut into small pieces
- Salt to taste
- Banana leaves to taste, steamed for a while so that the leaves are not stiff
Ingredients for stir fry
- 200 grams of unsalted small anchovies, soak so they are not too foreign
- 4 bunches of basil leaves
- 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 5 cloves of red onion, finely chopped
- 1 lemongrass
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 lime leaves
- Chili, types and quantities according to taste
- Sugar to taste
- Salt to taste
How to fry anchovies
- Heat the pan and fry the anchovies until cooked or slightly dry. Lift and drain.
- In the same pan, sauté the shallots, garlic, and chilies until fragrant.
- Put the anchovies into the pan, stir to evenly distribute.
- Add bay leaf, lemongrass, gram, lime leaves, and sugar. Taste the taste, then remove the anchovies.
How to make grilled rice
- Puree the onion, garlic, and red chili using a pestle or blender.
- Heat the pan and then saute the ground spices along with the bay leaves and lemongrass. Wait a few moments until the aroma of the spices is fragrant.
- Add the washed brown rice to the pan. Add salt and coconut milk. Saute for a while.
- Transfer the brown rice that has been sauteed earlier into the rice cooker ( rice cooker).
- Add enough water and cook until cooked.
- When the rice is cooked, mix the stir-fried anchovies and basil leaves.
- After that, wrap the rice in banana leaves. To make it neat and not easy to come off, use a toothpick / stick to lock the banana leaves.
- Prepare charcoal or you can also grill it on hot Teflon.
- Bake on low heat. Wait a few minutes until the banana leaves look wilted and slightly charred.
- Grilled rice is ready to eat. You can make chili sauce to make it more delicious.
- Eat the grilled rice while it's warm.