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Benefits and Uses of Basil Seeds

Basil seeds aren’t just for growing basil plants — you can also eat them.

They look similar to sesame seeds but are black. The type that you eat typically comes from sweet basil, Ocimum basilicum, which is the plant commonly used to season foods.

For this reason, the seeds are typically referred to as sweet basil seeds. They also go by many other names, including sabja and tukmaria seeds.

Basil seeds have a long history of use in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine, but their health effects have only been tested in a few studies.

Here are 12 fascinating benefits and uses of basil seeds.

Based on U.S. product nutrition labels, 1 tablespoon (13 grams or 0.5 ounces) of basil seeds supplies 15% of the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for calcium and 10% of the RDI for magnesium and iron.

Calcium and magnesium are essential for your bone health and muscle function, while iron is vital for red blood cell production

Many people don’t get enough calcium and magnesium through their diet. Eating basil seeds could help you reach your daily needs of these nutrients.

Additionally, basil seeds could be an important source of iron and calcium for people who don’t eat meat or dairy products