This aromatic herb does everything: digestion, sleep, hypertension.
Chopped on a salad, slipped into a marinade or sprinkled on a pasta dish. Aromatic herbs enhance each bite with their summer flavors. And with the return of sunny days, they naturally take their place in our kitchens. But beyond the taste pleasure, these herbs are full of health benefits: digestive, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory… and even good for the heart. They are therefore true allies. One in particular.
Researchers have looked into the effects of this popular aromatic herb. In a first study carried out on hypertensive rats, an extract administered orally for four weeks helped reduce systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Compared to captopril, a medication used against hypertension, aromatic has been shown to be less effective in lowering blood pressure, but more effective in protecting the heart from cardiac hypertrophy (swelling of the heart linked to hypertension). A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and conducted among 71 adults with cardiovascular risk factors also showed that a diet enriched with herbs and spices for four weeks was associated with a reduction in blood pressure. Participants consumed a mixture of 24 herbs and spices, including basil, thyme, cinnamon and rosemary (known for its benefits on the liver).
The star aromatic here for the heart is: basil. Essential to Italian cuisine, this aromatic herb with green, fragrant leaves has been used for centuries in traditional Chinese and Indian medicine to treat cardiovascular diseases. Its action would be linked to the presence of several active compounds, such as eugenol and camphor. According to a second study, these molecules act in synergy to bind to a key enzyme in regulating tension in a way that “similar” with captopril. Researchers therefore believe that certain basil compounds could act on mechanisms involved in the regulation of blood pressure, without replacing medical treatment.
And the benefits of basil are not limited to the heart. “Basil is known to treat digestive disorders such as bloating, slow digestion and flatulence as well as to relieve pain related to digestive problems”explains Dr Carole Minker, doctor of pharmacy, in “Le petit Larousse de l’herbaliste”. The plant also has “soothing properties of the nervous system and soporific, which makes it useful in cases of insomnia”specifies the specialist. It is therefore a real 3-in-1 that you absolutely must have at home.
To benefit from its benefits on a daily basis, it is better to use fresh basil rather than dried, as it retains more active compounds. Gillian Culbertson, dietitian, recommends to the Cleveland Clinic to favor “green basil and Italian basil” in the kitchen: chopped on tomatoes, mixed in a homemade pesto, slipped into an omelette or added at the last moment to grilled vegetables. “THE Thai basil supports cooking.” Basil can also be consumed as an infusion for digestion and sleep: let a few fresh leaves infuse for 5 to 10 minutes in hot water after a meal. Basil consumed in cooking does not present any particular risk. On the other hand, in large quantities, in a very regular infusion or in concentrated form, it can interact with certain anticoagulant or antihypertensive treatments. As a precaution, pregnant women should also avoid excessive consumption.
