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While fresh basil herbs are also beneficial and a great way to flavor recipes, basil essential oil is much more concentrated and potent. The compounds found in basil oil are steam-distilled from fresh basil leaves, stems and flowers to form an extract that contains high levels of antioxidants and other beneficial phytochemicals.
The aromatic character of each type of basil is determined by the plant’s exact genotype and major chemical compounds. Basil essential oil (from sweet basil) is known to contain 29 compounds with the three primary ones being 0xygenated monoterpenes (60.7–68.9 percent), followed by sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (16.0–24.3 percent) and oxygenated sesquiterpenes (12.0–14.4 percent). The reason why there is a range for each active component is due to the fact that the chemical composition of the oil changes according to the season. (2)
According to a 2014 review published by the Department of Phytochemistry at the Indian Council of Medical Research, basil oil has been effectively used as a traditional medicinal plant for the treatment of headaches, coughs, diarrhea, constipation, warts, worms, kidney malfunctions and more. (3) The benefits of basil also include the ability to fight bacteria and odors in foods and on skin which is why basil oil can be found in foods, beverages, dental and oral health products as well as fragrances.
Basil oil and holy basil oil (also called tulsi) are different in terms of chemical composition, although they do have some uses in common. Just like sweet basil, holy basil helps fight bacteria, fatigue, inflammation and infections.
13 Basil Essential Oil Uses
1. Potent Antibacterial
Basil oil has shown impressive antimicrobial activity against a wide range of food-borne bacteria, yeasts and mold. Researchers have shown that basil oil is effective against a common food born pathogen known as E. coli. (4)
Another study has shown that Ocimum basilicum oils can decrease bacteria due to spoilage and food-borne pathogens when it’s included in the water used to wash fresh organic produce. (5)
You can use basil oil in your home to remove bacteria from kitchens and bathrooms, prevent surface contamination and purify the air. Try diffusing or basil oil or combining it with water in a spray bottle to rub down surfaces in your home. You can also use the spray to clean produce.
2. Cold and Flu Treatment
Don’t be too surprised if you see basil on a list of essential oils that can help relieve cold and flu symptoms. Reader’s Digest, for example, recently included basil essential oil on that exact type of list and highlighted its “anti-spasmodic qualities that work best if you do a steam inhalation or drink tea made with this.” (6)
So how can basil oil help with a cold or flu case? Both the common cold as well as the flu are caused by viruses and research has shown that basil oil is a natural anti-viral. (7) So it may be surprising but true that basil oil can be used as a natural cold remedy.
If you’re sick, I recommend diffusing the oil throughout your home, add one to two drops to a steam bath, or make a homemade vapor rub using eucalyptus oil and basil oil that can massaged into the chest to open up your nasal passages.
3. Natural Odor Eliminator and Cleaner
Basil is capable of eliminating odor-causing bacteria and fungus from your home, car, appliances and furniture thanks to its antibacterial and antifungal properties. (8) In fact, the word basil is derived from the Greek sentence that means “to smell.”
Traditionally in India, it’s been used for many culinary applications, including to eliminate odors and clean kitchen equipment. Run several drops through your kitchen appliances; combine it with baking soda to remove stains and bacteria from pots or pans; or spray it inside your toilet, shower and garbage cans.
4. Flavor Enhancer
You’re probably familiar with how just a couple of fresh basil leaves can majorly enhance a dish. Basil oil can also infuse a wide variety of recipes with its signature aroma and flavor. All it takes is adding one or two drops to juices, smoothies, sauces or dressings in place of using fresh torn basil. In the process, you’ll make your kitchen smell great and reduce the risk for food contamination, too! Now, there’s a win-win situation.
5. Muscle Relaxant
Thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties, basil oil can help with aching muscles. (9) Useful as a natural muscle relaxer, you can rub a few drops of basil essential oil along with coconut oil into painful, swollen muscles or joints. To further help relax tense areas and feel immediate relief, try soaking in a warm bath with Epsom salts and a couple drops of lavender oil and basil oil.
6. Ear Infection Remedy
Basil oil is sometimes recommended as a natural ear infection remedy. A study published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases used an animal model to look at the effects of putting basil oil into the ear canals of subjects with middle ear infections. What did they find? The basil oil “cured or healed” over half of the animal subjects with ear infections due to H. influenzae bacteria compared to about a six percent heal rate in the placebo group.
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