I just planted one of my favorite herbs yesterday—sweet, silken and fragrant, basil. Not only is it terrific in the flavor department, it’s also queen among healing herbs. There’s no surprise that it’s one of the most popular herbs grown in the home garden today.


Native to tropical nations such as India and Iran, it has been used for centuries in combating a staggering range of health problems. Grandmothers from times past prescribed it as a cure for almost every ill, ranging from coughs to cuts to malaria, and everything in between!

This was an ayurvedic way of healing, and we’ve come full circle now, giving basil a reverential status almost. While basil is fantastic in dishes, people aren’t just cooking with it; they’re using this lovely herb as an alternative to common over-the-counter medications.


In case you didn’t know, here are 5 ways to heal with basil, as found on the Care2 website:

• Pound 6 to 7 basil leaves with a pestle and mortar. Mix the paste with 1 teaspoon honey. Take this first thing in the morning to boost immunity and get relief from hypertension.
• Boil a handful of basil leaves in 4 cups of water. Strain the water and sip it, warm, every 30 minutes or so. Your throat will feel relieved, your stomach settled, and your senses calmed.
• If you dip a ball of cotton in basil-infused water and dab it on your skin, you will get instant relief from itchiness and sore skin.
• Sweet and wonderfully aromatic basil essential oil brings relief from inflammatory conditions such as joint ache and heartburn. It is also reputed to sharpen the mind and strengthen the nervous system.
• Applying a dot of basil essential oil on the tip of your nose and on your temples brings quick relief from stress.

But no matter how awesome the healing factor, we still want to cook with it. So here are 5 fresh ways to cook with basil. When we think basil, it is usually in the context of pesto. There’s so much more to basil than pesto, however. Consider these easy and exciting ideas on how to use this bountiful herb:

• Knead some fresh chopped basil leaves into your bread dough.
• Tear up a few leaves and scatter them upon your omelette, pizza or toast. Intensifies the aroma and flavor dramatically.
• How about trying a couple of finely chopped basil leaves in a tall glass of iced tea or a cool summer mocktail?
• Chop some basil leaves really fine, and whisk them into a knob of butter. You have delicious basil butter!
• Basil, tomato and mozzarella are a match made in culinary heaven! But you knew that, of course.

And one last tip: If you’re growing your own, you know how quickly you can end up having too much. To cope with its prolific production, clip the leaves on a regular basis, and place several in each of the cups of an ice cube tray. Freezing whole leaves, rather than chopped leaves ensures the basil oil doesn’t leach away.


Fill the tray with water and freeze. When cubes are solid, pop them into a zippered freezer bag. Now you’ll have fresh basil at your disposal when the growing season is over.

    Alice Osborne
    Weekly Newsletter Contributor since 2006
    Email the author! alice@dvo.com