{"id":4209,"date":"2025-08-17T09:57:40","date_gmt":"2025-08-17T09:57:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/?p=4209"},"modified":"2025-09-01T10:11:29","modified_gmt":"2025-09-01T10:11:29","slug":"the-52p-herb-that-can-protect-you-from-cancer-and-lower-your-blood-pressure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/2025\/08\/17\/the-52p-herb-that-can-protect-you-from-cancer-and-lower-your-blood-pressure\/","title":{"rendered":"The 52p herb that can protect you from cancer and lower your blood pressure"},"content":{"rendered":"
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This herb is going to have some very positive health benefits for you (Picture: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Whether you throw it on your pizza<\/a>, add it to your pasta sauce<\/a>, or heck, even make it into ice crea<\/a>m, basil is the herb that keeps on giving.<\/p>\n

While we may associate it with Italy<\/a>, the herb is believed to have been discovered in India<\/a> and southeast Asia more than 5,000 years ago.<\/p>\n

And it doesn’t just taste good – it can help you live longer, too.<\/p>\n

‘Basil contains nutrients and compounds that can help stave off chronic diseases, including cancer<\/a>, diabetes<\/a>, heart disease<\/a> and arthritis,’ says registered dietitian Gillian Culbertson, for the Cleveland Clinic.<\/p>\n

‘On top of that, basil has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory benefits. And it may even boost your mental health, depending on the variety and form that you use.’<\/p>\n

But why is it such a wonder food?<\/p>\n

Basil helps manage blood pressure<\/h2>\n

Cardiovascular disease has been treated with basil in traditional Chinese medicine for hundreds of years, since studies on animals have shown it can reduce high blood pressure<\/a>.<\/p>\n

‘Plus, holy basil contains eugenol, an oil that may help lower blood pressure by relaxing your blood vessels,’ adds Gillian.<\/p>\n

This goes for basil in all forms, including extracts, leaves and powders.<\/p>\n

That being said, you should still consult your doctor if you struggle with your blood pressure levels<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Basil helps prevents cancer<\/h2>\n

The herb doesn’t just taste great on pizza, it can also help prevent some types of cancer.<\/p>\n

A study in the Journal of Molecules in 2016, found sweet basil essential oil prevented human colon cancer<\/a> cells from growing.<\/p>\n

In fact, five different types of basil have been found to have anti-cancer properties, getting in the way of the cancer cells being able to grow and divide, ultimately destroying them.<\/p>\n

This included genovese basil, purple ruffle basil, dark opale basil, anise basil and bush green basil, according to a Natural Product Research study.<\/p>\n

‘There is a growing body of evidence that basil could be a powerful cancer prevention tool,’ says Gillian. ‘But researchers need to do more human studies to confirm these promising results and understand how much basil people should consume.’<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\tTypes of basil\t\t\t<\/h2>\n
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The scientific name for basil is Ocimum basilicum, but it comes in many different varieties than the one were used to seeing in the supermarket.<\/p>\n