The basil (Ocimum americanum) is well known in Brazil, probably you do not recognize it by this name because it is popularly called Basil , broad leaf, marjoram or basil-de-cowboy. Its most common use today is in cooking, but it is also used in the cosmetics industry and folk medicine. Basil can be great with sauces and cheeses on a pizza, however, it is in popular medicine that it deserves more attention, due to the benefits of its tea .
Index
medicinal properties
Basil is astringent, antibacterial, antidiarrheal, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antimutagenic, antioxidant, local antiseptic, antiviral, carminative, expectorant, hypoglycemic and sedative.
Benefits of basil
- It can be used to treat kidney problems.
- Helps digestion, improving cases of poor digestion.
- It helps in cases of fever and/or cough, reducing both.
- It works by increasing lactation.
- It can be used for problems such as stomach cramps.
- Phlegm, migraine, flu, nausea and throat problems are fought and avoided by tea.
- Gases , gastritis and vomiting are alleviated.
- Indicated for people who have a lot of stress and/or fatigue.
- It is good for treating pneumonia, bronchitis and mental illness.
- Indicated for epilepsy, urinary tract disorders, skin infections, mycoses, pruritus, conjunctivitis and rheumatism.
- Can be used to treat earache.
- It ends with thrush.
How to make tea from this plant
To prepare the delicious basil tea, it’s very simple, you will need:
– 2 tablespoons of the plant (roots, leaves, flowers or branches).
– 1 liter of boiling water.
Place the 2 tablespoons in water, infusing for a maximum of 10 minutes. Straining and sweetening are optional. It is recommended that it is drunk before bed, while it is still hot, as it is during sleep that our body recovers, giving a little strength to the cures.
Alfavaca and SUS
There is a phytotherapy program in the SUS (Unified Health System), which includes numerous plants and herbs. Two characteristics of basil made it also included in the program: the first is the fact that it produces rosmarinic acid, which acts in the body as an astringent, antioxidant, antimutagenic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral. The second is the fact that the antibacterial action is reinforced by the phenols present in the essential oils of the plant, which act against bacteria of different types.