Benefits of basil

You may associate basil with a very tasty pasta sauce, but did you know that it also has a number of health benefits? Vitamin K, Iron, Calcium, Vitamin A and more are present in the leaves of this wonderful seasoning. one) . Basil leaves are high in antioxidants and other important phytonutrients. Some of these are flavonoids, which have been found to protect cell structures as well as chromosomes from radiation and oxygen damage. 1) The antibacterial properties of basil are associated with its essential oils, such as: estragole, linalool, cineole, eugenol, sabinene, myrcene and limonene. The essential oil of basil, obtained from its leaves, is able to inhibit the development of certain types of bacteria that have become resistant to commonly used antibiotics. 2): Eugenol blocks the enzyme cyclooxygenase (COX) in the body. This is important because COX is the enzyme that modern drugs such as aspirin and ibuprofen aim to block. Thus, basil acts as a natural anti-inflammatory agent. 3) Vitamin A (beta-carotene), magnesium and many other nutrients protect cell walls from damage by free radicals (in the circulatory and other body systems), improve blood circulation and stop the oxidation of cholesterol in the blood.

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