Basil is one of my favorite herbs. It's so good on pizza! And basil essential oil has some awesome benefits. Find out more about basil essential oil, its properties, benefits and uses.
Pros: Basil essential oil is antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial.
Cons: -
Precautions: Check with your doctor before using basil essential oil.
Properties of Basil Essential Oil
Here are some properties of basil essential oil that you should probably know.
NameThe botanical name for basil is Ocimum basilicum. Be sure to check this name when buying the essential oil. You will also come across sweet basil. But don't worry, it's the same thing.
Color & ScentBasil essential oil has a light green color and smells mildly peppery just like the herb.
CompoundsAt least 25 compounds have been found in basil essential oil. The most prominent ones are: methylchavicol or estragole (which makes up 45% of the oil), geranial (20%), neral (15%), geraniol, nerol, and caryophyllene.
Basil Essential Oil Benefits
The properties and compounds in the oil add to the many basil essential oil benefits. Here are just a few of them.
1. Basil essential oil is anti-inflammatory
This oil is able to reduce any redness, swelling and inflammation you may have. In fact, a 2014 PLoS One article proved basil essential oil was highly effective even at very low concentrations. The article went on to show just one drop of basil oil added to one teaspoon of carrier was able to give a 98% reduction in inflammation. Impressive, right!
2. Basil is antioxidant
Free radicals are harmful compounds that can damage your cells' DNA while antioxidants are free radical scavengers that neutralize these radicals and stop them from harming your body.
Basil essential oil has very powerful antioxidant and free radical scavenging effects! That is according to the study mentioned above (in #1).
3. Basil oil can kill cancer cells
The same 2014 article also investigated basil's cytotoxic effects on prostate cancer cells. The study revealed basil essential oil has significant anti-proliferative effects and recommended the oil for anti-tumor drug designs.
Basil essential oil is just amazing!
4. It is antibacterial
There are a lot of studies that prove basil oil kills bacteria. A recent one was published in the Food Science and Nutrition Journal in 2014. It showed basil essential oil was very effective against several types of bacteria including E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus (the bacteria that causes skin infections and sinusitis).
5. Basil oil is anti-fungal
The study outlined above also proved basil oil can kill fungi, even at very low concentrations. And the fungi tested in the study were Aspergillus niger (the fungus that causes black mold in plants) and Candida albicans (the species that causes yeast infections and nail fungus).
So use basil oil to take care of all your mold, yeast and fungi problems.
6. It fights ear aches
A 2005 animal study published in the Journal of Infectious Disease tested basil oil on ear infections. Two drops of the oil were added to a piece of cotton wool and placed over the ears of infected rats. A few days later, more than 75% of the infected rats were cured.
These effects were due to the antibacterial and antifungal benefits of basil essential oil.
7. Basil essential oil is an effective insecticide
Another 2014 study, this time in the Parasite Journal, tested the effects of basil essential oil on mosquito larvae and the protozoa species that causes malaria (Plasmodium falciparum). The results were promising. The study recommended the oil for the development of insecticides and anti-malaria products.
There you have seen some of the many basil essential oil benefits.
Basil Essential Oil Uses
Let's now look at some basil essential oil uses.
InhalingAdd basil essential oil to your vaporizer for a wonderful, spicy aroma. You can also pair the oil with other spicy blends like marjoram, rosemary, and sage.
Massaging
Before using basil essential oil on your skin, do a patch test to make sure you are not sensitive or allergic to the oil. Once you don't see any redness, feel free to add 3-5 drops of the essential oil to 1 teaspoon of any carrier oil for massaging.
More Precautions
Be sure to get the all clear from your medical practitioner before using basil essential oil. This is especially important if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or planning to use it on small children.
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What's next?
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