Basil is certainly a contender for my favourite herb, I always get comments on it's great smell when buying it, and the pesto in this week's recipe is always a hit. Health benefits: Research studies on basil have shown unique health-protecting effects in two basic areas: basil's flavonoids and volatile oils.
DNA Protection Plus Anti-Bacterial Properties
The unique array of active constituents called flavonoids found in basil provide protection at the cellular level. Orientin and vicenin are two water-soluble flavonoids that have been of particular interest in basil, and in studies on human white blood cells; these components of basil protect cell structures as well as chromosomes from radiation and oxygen-based damage.
In addition, basil has been shown to provide protection against unwanted bacterial growth. These "anti-bacterial" properties of basil are not associated with its unique flavonoids, but instead with its volatile oils.
