14 Surprising Health Benefits of Sabja Seeds (Basil Seeds)

Call them basil seeds, tulsi seeds, falooda seeds, or sabja seeds! These tiny seeds are a bundle of essential nutrients. Ayurveda and ancient medicine systems have been using these seeds for ages because they were aware of all the sabja seeds benefits.

This powerhouse of essential nutrients are seeds of the Ocimum Basilicum plant or the sweet basil plant. The most common type of basil seeds that people consume come from the sweet basil plant, which is why they are often referred to as sweet basil seeds. They have a sweet taste and are consumed after soaking in water. The most common reason why people are now using these seeds is that they are now aware of the numerous health benefits of basil seeds including their efficiency for weight loss.

Sabja seeds have been used in Ayurveda and Chinese medicine for many years now. However, their benefits have been reviewed in limited studies.

In this article, we will throw light on the benefits of sabja seeds and also talk about their side effects.

Nutritional Value of Sabja Seeds

Before we start discussing the health benefits of these wholesome seeds, have a look at the basil seeds nutrients:

• Carbohydrates
• Fibre
• Fat
• Protein
• Zinc
• Iron
• Magnesium
• Omega 3 Fatty Acids
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin E

10 Incredible Health Benefits of Basil Seeds or Sabja seeds

You may be familiar with the benefits of sabja seeds as they are widely used in India, but basil seeds are not as famous as basil leaves. Listed below are some of the health benefits of basil seeds:

1. Eat Basil Seeds for Weight Loss
2. Regulates Blood Pressure
3. Keeps Blood Sugar Levels Under Check
4. Superfood to Boost Immunity
5. Combats Stress
6. Relieves Constipation and Bloating
7. Promotes Good Dental Health
8. Natural Body Cooler
9. Good for Bone Density
10. Sabja Seeds Benefits for Skin
11. Helps in Reducing Cholesterol in the Body
12. Good for Hair
13. Beneficial for Vision
14. Reduces the Intensity of Pain in Certain Conditions

1. Eat Basil Seeds for Weight Loss

Many people these days are using sabja seeds for weight loss. Do these seeds help lose weight? Yes, full of omega-3 fatty acids like ALA and fibre, these seeds are good for weight loss. Having them daily will keep your stomach fuller for a longer period and prevent excessive calorie intake.

Therefore, if a person is having troubles while losing weight, they must consider drinking water with sabja seeds. Weight loss is just one of the many benefits of drinking sabja water, it is also good for your overall health.

2. Regulates Blood Pressure

Basil seeds are good for health, as they help to regulate blood pressure. The eminent presence of potassium in these little seeds works wonders to manage blood pressure by dilating the blood vessels.

This makes sabja seeds a great addition to a person’s diet who has hypertension; diet and lifestyle changes can make a chronic condition such as hypertension easily manageable.

3. Keeps Blood Sugar Levels Under Check

If you consume basil seeds daily, you can easily keep your blood sugar levels under check. The presence of dietary fibre in these seeds makes these seeds ideal for those suffering from type-2 diabetes.

Often enough, people with diabetes mellitus (or type-2 diabetes) end up with limited dietary choices. For example, while everyone is enjoying a refreshing shikanji or lemonade, a person with diabetes may feel left out by refusing the beverage or give in to the peer pressure and risk spiking their blood sugar levels. They can easily prepare a special beverage for themselves with sabja in about 20 minutes and join the group.

4. Superfood to Boost Immunity

Another remarkable benefit of eating sabja or basil seeds is that it shoots up your immunity. This happens due to the presence of immunity-boosting nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, vicenin, orietin, beta carotene, and protein. So, eat sabja and increase your immunity.

Consuming sabja seeds can prevent a person from falling ill too often and help them recover fast. Children and people with a compromised immune system can benefit from consuming sabja seeds. However, sabja seeds may be a choking hazard for young children; one can always grind them and mix them in a smoothie or add to the child’s dessert for added nutrition all the while avoiding any potential risk of choking.

5. Combats Stress

Not many people are aware that eating sabja every day also helps to combat stress. The rich content of antioxidants in these seeds helps to release tension and stress. It is therefore a superfood that helps prevent depression.

Those considering a move to a new place or struggling with office politics, for example, can give sabja seeds a try. They might work in lowering your stress levels, but they will definitely improve your overall health. Oftentimes, people who are struggling mentally may also observe that they are not doing so well physically. Taking care of the body in such scenarios is always recommended, even if the person is not able to manage the stress levels. To reduce stress levels, people should also consider the option of talking to a therapist in addition to eating good food.

6. Relieves Constipation and Bloating

Enriched with volatile oils, sabja seeds help evict gas from the gastrointestinal tract. This further helps in preventing bloating. Moreover, these seeds are full of dietary fibre that helps to detoxify the stomach to offer relief from constipation.

An upset stomach is the difference between a good day where a person feels on top of their game and a bad one where they struggle to get through the day. Taking basil seeds on a regular basis may also help in preventing constipation and bloating, and as is said, prevention is better than cure. People who have chronic constipation can also make basil seeds a staple in their diet.

7. Promotes Good Dental Health

Basil seeds are marvellous when it comes to dental health. Possessing antimicrobial properties, these seeds help to prevent cavities, plaque, ulcers, and bad breath. In a nutshell, basil seeds are good for your oral health.

A healthy mouth plays an important role in the digestion process as it is the first step involved the processing of food (broking the food into small pieces and mixing it with the saliva to aid digestion). People who are concerned about their oral health or get an upset stomach frequently may benefit from consuming basil seeds regularly.

8. Natural Body Cooler

Sabja seeds also help in cooling down your body in the scorching summer season. Some compounds found in basil or sabja seeds help in reducing stomach heat leaving behind a cooling effect in your stomach.

One can beat the harsh heat of summer, especially in areas near the desert, by taking basil seeds regularly. There are numerous ways to incorporate basil seeds in your diet; one can soak them and make a refreshing beverage while enjoying the benefits of basil seeds water, grind them with some fruits to make a smoothie, or add them to any dessert/snack.

9. Good for Bone Density

Not many people know that eating sabja seeds every day helps in improving bone density. Being a good source of minerals like copper, calcium, and iron, these seeds are good for your bone health.

Healthy bones are essential in maintaining good health; bones not only support the body’s internal organs, but they also synthesise essential compounds required for the body’s optimal functioning. Consuming sabja seeds is a great way to ensure that your body has enough nutrients for strong bones.

10. Sabja Seeds Benefits for Skin

The list of sabja seeds benefits doesn’t end here. These tiny black seeds are good for your skin too. Those who consume these tiny black seeds can see a difference in their skin health. Sabja seeds are full of flavonoids like vicenin and orientin that help in the formation of new skin cells.

Who doesn’t want radiant skin? Healthy skin glows from within and can help boost a person’s confidence. Many people disregard other important roles the skin plays except for having a major impact on the appearance of a person. Skin is a major organ of the body that prevents it from the microbes floating in the environment; a healthy skin not only looks good but also does a great job of protecting the body from getting numerous infections.

11. Helps in reducing cholesterol in the body

Pectin, one of the basil seeds’ nutrients, is a type of soluble fibre that may inhibit cholesterol absorption in your gut and lower total cholesterol levels in the body. Studies have found that people who consume about 30 g of sabja seeds for a month show an 8% drop in their total cholesterol levels.

Consuming basil seeds can reduce your risk of atherosclerosis and plaque build-up in the blood vessels and arteries. Several studies have asserted the benefits of basil seeds on human lipid profiles.

12. Good for hair

The benefits of basil seeds are not limited to good skin; the abundance of iron, vitamin K, and antioxidants in basil seeds promotes new hair growth and can prevent hair fall. These nutrients can help with inflammation and oxidative stress on the scalp, which directly relates to hair fall. Basil seeds may also reduce dandruff.

Changing hairstyles or having a new haircut can instantly change the way a person appears. Some physical features are the first thing a person notices about another. Having lustrous, buoyant hair can make one feel more confident and perform better at work or in school. Topical products for maintaining good hair can only do so much; it is important to provide the right nutrition to the body for better health as it impacts the health of a person’s hair and appearance.

13. Beneficial for vision

The availability of a significant amount of vitamin A (a potent antioxidant for the eye) makes basil/sabja seeds one of the best foods to improve eyesight in people whose vision is deteriorating or have high levels of oxidative stress in the eye. A study showed that vitamin A can delay macular degeneration and inhibit the growth of cataract.

14. Reduces the intensity of pain in certain conditions

One of the well-known benefits of basil seeds is that their consumption can reduce the severity of episodic pain and discomfort in conditions like gout, arthritis, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and headaches. This is due to the anti-inflammatory properties of basil seeds that help in lowering inflammation, pain, and swelling in the body.

Basil Seeds Side Effects

After learning all about sabja benefits, here is your chance to understand all about sabja seeds side effects. Basil seeds may lead to the following side effects:

• Diarrhoea
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Abdomen discomfort
• Acid reflux
• Loss of appetite
• Acne
• Headache
• Low blood sugar (in some cases)
• Bloating

To avoid some side effects, such as bloating, you can consider taking a minuscule amount of sabja seeds daily and increase your daily intake slowly. This way your gut can adjust to the fibre content and other nutrients, and you may prevent having an upset stomach.

How to Enjoy the Benefits of Sabja Seeds?

There are many ways to incorporate basil seeds into your diet; you can choose to dry roast them and use them as a topping on your salad or other snacks or soak them in water for consumption. Commonly, sabja seeds are consumed after being soaked in water overnight.

For regular use, you can soak about 2 teaspoons of basil seeds in a cup of warm water for 15 minutes or so until they swell and get a translucent film coating. Now, these can be added to a number of beverages, such as lemonade, milkshakes, coconut water, and smoothies, to increase the texture and nutritional value of the beverage or can be consumed just like that. People also include them in home-made ice creams, sprinkle on their pasta after soaking for a crunchy twist. Soaked sabja seeds are also an integral part of ‘falooda’, a type of dessert.

You can also grind dry basil seeds and include them in your baked recipes, such as muffins, bread rolls, to increase their nutritional value without compromising the taste.

You may end up with an upset stomach if you consume too many sabja seeds. Ideally, an adult should not consume more than 2 teaspoons of sabja seeds in a day. Here is a list of things to keep in mind while consuming sabja seeds:

• Children may choke on the seeds if they are not soaked well enough; thus, you must pay extreme caution while giving children sabja seeds. Soak the seeds overnight and ensure that they don’t stick to the inside of your mouth or the neck before giving them to children.
• Pregnant women are advised to avoid sabja seeds as they may increase oestrogen levels in the body until their obstetrician/gynaecologist recommended sabja seeds.
• People who have undergone surgery or been wounded recently should avoid sabja seeds as they can slow down the blood clotting process. For the same reason, people who are scheduled for surgery should stop consuming sabja seeds at least 2 weeks before the procedure.
• If you take medicines to manage a chronic condition, consulting your doctor before starting a new health supplement is ideal to avoid any complications. Sabja seeds may react to other medications you are consuming and lead to complications.

Sabja Seeds: An Alternative to Chia Seeds

Sabja seeds are often confused with chia seeds as they both look quite similar. There are some notable differences between them, but the nutritional profile is quite similar.

Even though the nutritional composition of these two seeds is almost similar, there is usually a slight difference between the prices. Basil seeds can also swell quicker in water than chia seeds. However, both these seeds are flavourless and can be incorporated in any recipe of your easily.

The Bottom Line

Being fibrous, sabja seeds are used widely to thicken and stabilize food mixtures. They are often part of salad dressings, desserts, and other similar food preparations. Their jelly-like consistency attracts the kids as well. So, if you are worried about how to incorporate these seeds into your diet, options are unlimited!

Sabja seeds are gaining popularity due to their interesting texture seen after soaking them and versatile flavourless profile; you can now see many food and beverage brands that incorporate them in their beverages and snacks. You can enjoy the numerous benefits of basil seeds simply at home after soaking them overnight and adding them to your diet. Exercising caution with these seeds is also important as excess consumption can have adverse effects.