Basil tea is used to fight asthma and bronchitis, boost the immune system, improve digestion, and manage high blood pressure because of its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and diuretic properties, which give it several health benefits.
Likewise, this tea can also help manage diabetes as it stimulates the pancreas to produce insulin and fights anxiety and depression due to its relaxing and anti-anxiety effects.
Basil tea can be made from its fresh or dried leaves to take advantage of the medicinal properties of its composition and must be used under the direction of a medical or plant healer.
what are its uses and benefits
Basil tea has the following health benefits:
1. Fights indigestion
Basil tea has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that help fight indigestion, as it is rich in ursolic acid, which helps improve liver function.
2. Prevent stomach ulcers
Some studies with mice in the lab (1, 2) Research shows that basil tea may help prevent stomach ulcers in people who regularly use NSAIDs, such as acetylsalicylic acid or indomethacin.
This is because basil has antihistamine, anti-inflammatory, and gastric-inhibitory properties. However, more human studies are still needed to prove this benefit.
3. Fights Anxiety and Depression
Basil tea is rich in essential oils, especially geraniol, linalool, and eucalyptol, which have relaxing, sedative, anxiolytic, and antidepressant properties that help fight anxiety and depression.
This happens because these essential oils act on the central nervous system, stimulating neurotransmitters and promoting relaxation, which improves sleep quality.
4. Helps Lower High Blood Pressure
Basil tea is rich in eugenol, a compound that has diuretic and vasodilation properties that help reduce high blood pressure.
Likewise, other substances present in basil such as quercetin, rutin, quercetin, chlorogenic acid, gallic acid, and caffeic acid have antioxidant properties that prevent damage caused by free radicals in blood vessels, which also helps to control high blood pressure.
5. Prevent cardiovascular disease
Basil tea is rich in phenolic compounds and flavonoids, which are antioxidants, have cardioprotective effects, and can also lower “bad” cholesterol (LDL) and prevent atherosclerosis. Learn about other antioxidant-rich foods.
In addition, basil is rich in vitamin K and has thrombolytic effects, which means that it can reduce the formation of blood clots and help prevent cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack and stroke.
6. Fights Respiratory Problems
Basil tea has a dilating and relaxing effect on bronchial muscles, which helps fight respiratory diseases such as asthma, bronchitis, coughing, dyspnea, and respiratory infections.
7. Manage diabetes
Basil tea is rich in p-coumaric, cichoric and caffeic acids that help manage diabetes because they stimulate the pancreas to produce insulin and inhibit the enzymes responsible for absorbing and digesting sugar during feeding.
These effects reduce postprandial blood glucose levels, increase glucose tolerance, and increase glycogen stores in the liver.
Also, due to its antioxidant effects, basil tea can reduce free radical damage to the beta cells of the pancreas, which prevents this organ from malfunctioning and is beneficial in managing diabetes.
In this way, this tea can aid in the routine treatment of diabetes as prescribed by the doctor.
8. Boosts the immune system
The composition of basil tea contains rosemary, caffeic acid, cichoric acid and caffeic acid, which have antioxidant effects and help strengthen the immune system and fight viruses, bacteria and fungi.
9. Fights infection
Basil tea has antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, and antiparasitic properties that help fight infections caused by: Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Aspergillus niger, Candida albicans, Trichomonas vaginalis, Salmonella typhi and Escherichia coliFor example.
This is mainly due to the fact that its composition contains geranial, geraniol, nerol, neral and caryophyllene, which are beneficial against bacteria, fungi, parasites and viruses.
10. Relieves Rheumatoid Arthritis
The caffeic and rosmarinic acids found in basil tea have anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties that can help reduce joint pain associated with rheumatoid arthritis.
11. Helps Fight Cancer
some research is done in laboratories (3.4) Studies with breast, cervical, bowel, pancreatic, and bladder cancer cells have shown that the antioxidants in basil can help reduce proliferation or increase cell death in these types of cancers.
However, human studies are still needed to demonstrate this benefit. See a full list of foods that can help prevent cancer.
how to prepare tea
Basil tea can be prepared from its dried or fresh leaves, as follows:
raw material:
- 10 fresh or dried basil leaves;
- 1 cup of water.
Preparation:
Bring the water to a boil, turn off the heat, and add the water to the cup with the basil leaves. Cover and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes. Then strain and drink 1 cup warm up to 3 times daily.
possible side effects
Basil tea is considered safe when used in recommended doses. However, excessive consumption can cause nausea, diarrhea, rapid heartbeat or liver damage.
Additionally, basil tea might cause menstrual cycle disorders in women or reduce fertility in men.
Basil tea can also greatly lower blood sugar and cause hypoglycemia, especially in people taking medication for diabetes.
Contraindications
Basil tea should not be used by pregnant or breastfeeding women as it can affect the development of the baby.
People who are being treated for diabetes or high blood pressure should use this tea with caution, so only use it on the advice of a doctor.
Likewise, basil tea should only be used in people taking anticoagulant medications when medically indicated because of the increased risk of bleeding.
Drinking basil tea should be discontinued for at least two weeks before any surgery or dental procedure as it slows blood clotting and promotes the appearance of bleeding or bleeding.