Basil seeds are known for their benefits that add value to your life. They not only help in keeping your skin
and hair healthy but also offer several other health benefits that are required to maintain a healthy life.
With the temperatures soaring, it’s essential to keep your health and nutrition in check by including summer-
friendly food items in your diet. While you must consume hydrating antioxidant-rich seasonal fruits, don’t miss out
on seeds that are known to address several health issues, and also cool down the body. One of them is sabja or
basil seeds , commonly known as falooda seeds, which are a rich source of nutrients and ideal for hot and humid
weather.
BASIL SEEDS 7 HEALTHY BENEFITS OF BASIL SEEDS
1. Helps in Weight loss
2. Reduces body heat
3. Control blood sugar levels
4. Relieves constipation and bloating
5. Treats acidity and heartburn
6. For healthy skin and hair
7. Cures cough flu
How to use:
1. Soak in water for 10-20 mins,
2. Add to water juice or drinks
Basil seeds are high in fiber, particularly soluble fiber, including pectin (3Trusted Source, 4Trusted
Source).
Here are some ways the fiber in basil seeds may benefit your health:
2. Helps you meet your fiber quota. Just 1 tablespoon (13 grams or 0.5 ounces) of basil seeds
supplies 7 grams of fiber — 25% of the RDI. Only about 5% of Americans eat enough fiber
(5Trusted Source, 6Trusted Source).
3. May support gut health. Test-tube studies suggest that pectin has prebiotic benefits, meaning it
may nourish and increase beneficial gut bacteria. This may include anti-inflammatory bacteria
that support gut health (7Trusted Source, 8Trusted Source, 9Trusted Source).
4. May help you feel full. Pectin may delay stomach emptying and increase hormone levels that
promote a sense of fullness. Still, it’s uncertain whether eating basil seeds to curb appetite is an
effective weight loss strategy (4Trusted Source, 10Trusted Source).
5. May aid blood sugar control. When people with type 2 diabetes ate 10 grams (3/4 tablespoon)
of basil seeds in water after each meal for a month, their post-meal blood sugar was 17% lower
than at the start of the study (11Trusted Source).
6. May improve cholesterol. Pectin may lower blood cholesterol by inhibiting cholesterol
absorption in your gut. People who ate 30 grams (7 teaspoons) of basil seeds daily for one month
had an 8% drop in total cholesterol (4Trusted Source, 7Trusted Source).
7. Rich in Plant Compounds
8. Basil seeds are rich in plant compounds, including flavonoids and other polyphenols.
9. Flavonoids are antioxidants, meaning they protect your cells from damage by free radicals. These
plant compounds also have anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties (18Trusted
Source, 19, 20).
10. Several observational studies link higher flavonoid intake to reduced heart disease risk
(21Trusted Source, 22Trusted Source).
11. Additionally, in a test-tube study, basil seed extract killed harmful bacteria and triggered the death
of cancer cel
12. Fun and Fibrous Beverage Ingredient
13. Basil seeds have long been used in drinks in India and Southeast Asia.
14. A popular cold beverage-like dessert in India is falooda, made with basil seeds, rose-flavored
syrup, and milk. Some versions add ice cream, noodles, or fruit.
15. Additionally, a few food manufacturers in the United States and Europe now sell bottled
beverages made with basil seeds.
16. The seeds make the drinks a bit chewy and add plenty of healthy fiber — something beverages
typically lack.
17. Plant Source of Omega-3 Fat
18. Basil seeds contain an average of 2.5 grams of fat per 1-tablespoon (13-gram or 0.5-ounce)
serving. This varies based on the growing conditions (17, 23Trusted Source).
19. Of this fat, about half — 1,240 mg per tablespoon — is alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an omega-3
fat.
Soaking the Seeds
To soak basil seeds, add 8 ounces (237 ml or 1 cup) of water per 1 tablespoon (13 grams or 0.5 ounces)
of basil seeds.
Use more water if desired, as the seeds only absorb as much as needed. Using too little water may cause
the seeds to clump as they hydrate.
Let the seeds soak for about 15 minutes. As the seeds swell, they approximately triple in size.
Additionally, the gel-like outer portion turns gray.
The center of a soaked basil seed remains black. This part has a light crunch when you chew it — similar
to tapioca.
Strain the soaked basil seeds and add them to your recipe. If a recipe contains a lot of liquid, such as
soup, pre-soaking is unnecessary.
Ways to Use Them
You can find recipes online that include basil seeds. Their bland flavor blends easily in dishes.
For example, you can use basil seeds in:
smoothies
milkshakes
lemonade and other drinks
soups
salad dressings
yogurt
pudding
hot cereal like oatmeal
whole-grain pancakes
whole-grain pasta dishes
bread and muffins
When using basil seeds in baked goods, you can grind them and use them to replace part of the flour
rather than adding them soaked.
Alternately, you can use soaked basil seeds to replace eggs in baked goods. Use 1 tablespoon (13 grams
or 0.5 ounces) of basil seeds soaked in 3 tablespoons (1.5 ounces or 45 ml) of water to replace 1 egg.
1. Basil Seeds Aids Weight Loss
Rich in alpha-linolenic acid, sabja seeds are known for their weight loss properties. As they are full of
fiber, they keep you full for a long time, prevent unwanted cravings, and aid in weight loss.
2. Basil Seeds Controls Blood Sugar Levels
It slows down the metabolism of your body and controls the conversion of carbs into glucose. It is even
considered to be good for type II diabetes patients.
3. Basil Seeds Helps Relieve Constipation and Bloating
Sabja seeds naturally detoxify your body by regulating smooth bowel movement. It contains a volatile oil
that helps in relieving gas from your gastrointestinal tract and acts as a stomach cleanser.
4. Basil Seeds Helps Treat Acidity and Heartburn
Sabja seeds help to neutralize the acidic effect of HCL in the body, which can bring relief from acidity and
heartburn. This is because we consume the seeds after being soaked in water, the water content helps
soothe the stomach lining and relieves you from the burning sensation.
5. basil Seeds Good for Skin and Hair
We can accomplish Sabja seeds’ benefit for the skin by adding crushed seeds to coconut oil and applying
it to the affected area. This helps in treating skin ailments such as eczema and psoriasis. It also has
numerous other benefits like regularly eating the seeds helps your body to secrete collagen, which is
required to form new skin cells.
It is proven that Sabja seeds are beneficial for maintaining healthy hair as they are full of iron, vitamin K,
and protein that is needed for long and strong hair. Also, the antioxidant properties present in them also
benefit your skin and hair.
6. Basil Seeds Helps Cure Cough and Cold
Yet another sabja/basil seed’s benefit is its antispasmodic property. These seeds soothe the spasmodic
muscles and help them relax. The antispasmodic property helps to control whooping cough and also aids
in strengthening the body’s immunity system.
Basil seeds are a rich source of minerals that are essential for your body to stay healthy.
Sabja Seeds (Basil Seeds) for Weight Loss
These seeds play an important role in ayurvedic medicines that relieve conditions that include high blood
pressure, cholesterol, depression, type II diabetes, and metabolic imbalances. A recent discovery said
that these seeds can keep you feeling full and thus avoid unwanted binging. Basil seeds for weight loss
have gained immense popularity recently because of the consistent and reliable evidence.
How it works is, sabja seeds swell up and release digestive enzymes when soaked in water. Upon
consumption, these digestive enzymes suppress your appetite and help reduce unwanted cravings. Basil
seeds are loaded with fiber, which keeps you feeling full for a long time and thus prevents you from
unnecessary overeating by reducing your appetite.
These seeds are low in calories and high in nutrients like calcium, magnesium, iron, and phosphorus,
along with other multivitamins. They are also rich in alpha-linolenic acid, which stimulates the fat-burning
metabolism in your body. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that daily
consumption of linolenic acid results in fat loss.
How to use sabja seeds for healthy weight loss?
They are packed with nutrients and are one of the best ways to lose weight without falling short of the
essential nutrients that your body needs. They are most effective when consumed after soaking them in
water. When you soak these seeds in water, the water makes them translucent and soft.
To use basil seeds for weight loss, soak one/two teaspoons of the seeds in a cup full of warm water and
consume them directly after fifteen minutes. You can also sprinkle these seeds in salads and soups, or
mix them with lemonade or green tea.
Q2. How to consume sabja seeds to lose weight?
A. The best way to take sabja seeds is to soak a tablespoon of them in a glass of water for about 15
minutes. You can simply drink the water with soaked seeds or add them to lemon water or in buttermilk,
milk, or your desired juice. Since these seeds are high in dietary fiber, they help a person feel full and
satiated. The gelatinous seeds create a feeling of fullness and help in keeping away cravings, thus
helping in weight loss.
Q3. Can we take Sabja seeds every day?
A. Yes, you can consume sabja seeds daily.
Q4. Do Sabja seeds help reduce body heat?
A. Yes, these seeds work as natural coolants and reduce body heat. Have them in a glass of cold milk in
order to help reduce body heat.
Q14. Are Sabja seeds good for hair growth?
A. Sabja seeds are beneficial in reducing hair fall and promoting hair growth because they are loaded
with iron, vitamin K and protein.
Q15. Are sabja seeds good for skin?
A. Yes. Packed with antioxidants and flavonoids, sabja seeds improve skin texture and reduce wrinkles
and fine lines. It is also known to treat skin infections.
Q17. Are Basil seeds good for menstruation?
A. Yes, Basil seeds help improve the regularity of menstruation while reducing menstrual cramps.
Sabja or Basil seeds are extensively used for seasoning. They add a unique flavour to food. But did you know
that Sabja seeds or falooda seeds, are not just terrific for seasoning or growing new basil plants but also
loaded with health benefits. These tiny black seeds that resemble black sesame seeds can give flax seeds and
chia seeds a run for their money when it comes to nutritional benefits.
