Detox
Basil
A fragrant herb whose essential oils have been studied for mild anti-inflammatory and stress-modulating effects.
Mood
Anti-Inflammatory
Immunity
Serving
2 tbsp, fresh, chopped (5g)
Calories Per Serving
1
Key nutrients
Vitamin K, essential oils (eugenol), antioxidants
Nutrient density
Not officially rated
Why it’s worth eating
Basil contains vitamin K, manganese, and various plant compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Use basil fresh in salads, pesto, or as a flavorful addition to dishes.
What you may notice
Stress and mood
Digestive comfort
Markers worth tracking
Vitamin K and INR status
C-reactive protein (inflammation)
How to eat it
Add fresh basil at the end of cooking rather than the start, heat quickly degrades its aromatic oils and flavor.
Pairs well with
Olive oil and tomato, a classic pairing that also helps absorb basil's fat-soluble vitamin K
Garlic, a traditional pairing with complementary flavor and compounds
Storage
Store fresh basil stems in a glass of water at room temperature, like flowers, rather than in the fridge.
The numbers, per 2 tbsp, fresh, chopped (5g)
17%
Vitamin K
1%
Vitamin A
1%
Vitamin C
1%
Calcium
1%
Iron
1%
Magnesium
0%
Potassium
0%
Vitamin B12
0%
Vitamin D
Fiber
0.08g
Basil, fresh (FDC 172232)
Evidence
D
CRITICAL SPECIES DISTINCTION, routinely conflated in wellness content: the stress, cortisol and glycemic RCTs belong to HOLY BASIL / TULSI (Ocimum tenuiflorum), a different species. Culinary sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) does NOT inherit that trial data and has no comparable RCTs.
Study dose vs. serving
SPECIES GAP: tulsi trials used 250-1,200 mg/day of proprietary extracts of a different plant. Culinary sweet basil has no established dose-response.
Tulsi evidence: randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial of an O. tenuiflorum extract (Holixer, 250 mg/day, 8 weeks, n=100), Frontiers in Nutrition 2022. Systematic review: Jamshidi & Cohen. J Ayurveda Integr Med. 2017, about 24 human studies. None of this applies to sweet basil.
Use caution if
You take blood thinners, basil's vitamin K content can add up if eaten in very large amounts
You're pregnant, culinary amounts are fine, but avoid concentrated basil oil/supplement amounts
Details
Type
Fruits & Veg
Season
Summer (frost-tender)
Forms
Fresh, dried, pesto (sweet basil); tea, capsule, extract (tulsi)
Price
Budget
Bioactive
Sweet basil: linalool and eugenol. Tulsi: eugenol, ursolic acid, rosmarinic acid, ocimumosides
Heat stable
No - the volatile oil is driven off by heat; add fresh basil at the end of cooking
Reliability
2 / 5
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