My new favorite herb to use is fresh basil leaves. I was roaming through Pinterest, a social media platform, a few weeks ago looking for an easy and healthy recipe to prepare for my lazy Saturday afternoon. I came across a fantastic recipe that included fresh basil. I typically use dry basil, even when the recipe calls for fresh, but on this day I decided to purchase fresh basil and see if there was a significant difference in flavor. I drove to our local market as a quest to find the basil. Although it took me some time to locate it, I got excited. I do not recall ever really seeing fresh basil aside from magazines and recipe cards. However, basil is extremely aromatic, and the leaves being green look tasty. I prepared my dish that evening, which included pasta, cherry tomatoes, onions and andouille sausage. Simply phenomenal. The aroma and the bursting flavor were unforeseen (Visit us on Facebook for the recipe).
The basil leaf is one of the most popular herbs in the world and is considered a native of India with more than 100 species including the Mediterranean basil, Spice basil, Thai basil and African blue basil. The basil leaves are not only flavorful but offer many health benefits. According to research some of the health benefits include:
- Antioxidant – prevent cancerous cell growth
- Diabetes prevention- reduce blood glucose levels
- Protection of liver and blood vessels – healthy blood pressure and minimize fatty buildup in the liver
- Immune-booster – fights off viruses and infections
- Anti-Inflammation – associated with arthritis, heart disease, and irritable bowel
Moreover, another reasonably exciting benefit is that scientist considers the basil leaves to be a ‘happy leaf.’ Did you know that basil has a “strong potential to act as a natural adaptogen, herbal medicine that helps the body adapt to stress and to normalize the harmful effects of stress on bodily processes.” This leaf can stimulate the happy hormones (Benefits of basil, para. 16). We all can use a little happy in our lives. So, if you are looking for an amazing herb to try out in a healthy, fresh dish, try basil. Basil is rich in vitamins A, C, K, and Manganese.
So, the next time you head to the market grab a bunch of fresh basil to boost your happiness and overall wellness. Remember, use fresh basil in dishes instead of the dried for an unsurpassed flavor, keep it stored in a dry place (basil does not like moisture), and if you realize you have purchased too much simply cut the stems off, save the extra basil in a plastic cup and cover it with a Ziploc bag. Leave it on your counter or in a dry, cool place, and you will get a few extra days to think about the next unbelievable recipe.
Danielle Y. Hairston Green, Ph.D., HDFS-CFCS
Program Specialist, FCS
(936) 261-5118
Danielle.Green@ag.tamu.edu