Sabja Ginjalu

Many of us in the modern times are not aware of the uses, nutritional facts and medicinal values of basil seeds. Whenever you get time, especially in the summer season, visit your grandmother place and ask her about the importance of Sabja seeds. She will tell you or make delicious basil seeds recipes. I also come across to one of the yummy Sabja seeds recipes when I visited to my dearest friend’s house in the scorching heat of June. It was none other than basil seeds Lemonade drink. How can I express the luscious taste of the drink? It was refreshing, succulent and tendency of filling the stomach. After quenching my thrust, I got to know the ingredients of this appetizing recipe from my friend’s mother. It was quite simple that can be made within 10-15 minutes by using cold water, lemon juice, sugar and Sabja seeds. I vow to try the recipe at my place. Since then, it is the regular drink at my home in the summer season.

Wonder benefits of basil seeds (Sabja Ginjalu)

As far as health benefits are concerned, the seeds are full of fiber and known for many surprising health benefits. These seeds are used in making falooda, sherbet, milkshakes and other popular health drinks. It is known worldwide as one of the ingredients for sweet Asian drinks. However, like Chia seeds, it is comparatively less tasty.

1. Basil seeds for weight loss: Sabja seeds can be used for weight management purposes. It is full of fiber that makes your stomach full and don’t feel hunger to a certain period of time. After soaking into water, it has the ability to expand 30 times of its original sides thus reduces longing for eating more.
2. Sabja seeds for hair: The seeds contain adequate amount of vitamin K, protein and iron. These nutrients are helpful to make your hair healthy and shining. So, it is suggested to include it in your daily diet requirements to skip embarrassment from hair loss and baldness.
3. Basil seeds for healthy skin: The mix of Sabja seeds and coconut oil is effective to ward off many skin related diseases. Method: Take 100 ml of coconut oil and 1tsp of crush basil seeds. Now heat the mixture for 5 minutes. Strain and apply it over your skin to cure skin related problems like psoriasis, eczema, etc.

4. Basil seeds for acidity: Acidity problems are very common these days due to faulty lifestyle and wrong dietary pattern. Sabja seeds are having cooling and soothing effects on the stomach. Method: Take milk (1 cup) and basil seeds (1tsp), stir it well and drink the same to reduce burning sensation in your stomach.
5. Sabja seeds for diabetes treatment: The seeds are good in curing of diabetes type 2 by lowering down the sugar in blood. Method: Take soaked basil seeds (1tsp), toned milk (1 glass) and vanilla for flavor. It helps to give you energy sans sugar.
6. Relieves constipation: The soaked Sabja seeds when eaten helps to cleanse the inner stomach. It ensures easy bowel movement and helps to flush out toxin from the stomach. It is also taken with milk before going to bed to ease constipation.
7. Acts as coolant: These seeds are used to lower body heat that’s why as one of the important ingredients in summer for a number of cool drinks such as falooda, rooh afza, nimbu pani and sherbet.
8. Nutritional values of basil seeds: The seeds contain many phyto-chemicals and polyphenolic flavonoids like Orientin, vicenin and other antioxidants. The leaves are rich in essential oils like eugenol, citronellol, limonene, citral and terpineol. It contains beta carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, vitamin A and vitamin K. It also contains important minerals like potassium, manganese, copper, calcium, folates, and magnesium.
9. Sabja Seeds recipes: Rooh afza, milkshake, Indian lemonade, paan gulkand milkshake, strawberry falooda, mango falooda, mango sherbet, rose milk recipe, nimbu panni, Shikanji, nannari sharbat, bel sharbat, etc. are some of the important healthy recipes of it
10. Medicinal values: Medicinally, it can be used to treat digestion problems, cure constipation, removes skin infection, respiratory disorder, sore throats and stress relief

Common names of basil seed

The scientific name of Sabja seeds is Ocimum basilicum. The different common names of basil seed are Sabja seeds, Falooda, Arabic falooda seeds, Sabja ginjalu, Thai holy basil, Selashi Tukmaria, Sabja Vethai, Hazbo, Tuk malanga, Basilic cultive, Basilien Kraut, and sweet basil seeds. These seeds are the product of rudra jada plant that comes under Tulsi family but shouldn’t be mistaken with holy basil or Tulsi.