If you’re thinking of trying your hand at some basil juice recipes, you’re most likely a creative juicer who is wise to the many, many basil juice benefits you can get with each glass of this yummy herb juice.
But maybe you’d like to know a couple more healthful reasons to justify your love of basil juice.
Well, we got you covered. ‘Cause basil isn’t just an easy-to-find, easy-to-love herb that instantly adds flavorful green-ness to your juice recipes – it’s also one of the most beneficial plants you can get your hands on. Here’s 7 reasons to love and juice this awesome herb!
Also check out: 9 super herbs to add a boost to any juice recipe!
7 Basil Juice Benefits to Love
One of the things we absolutely love about basil is how beginner-friendly it is. Basil is no doubt one of the most common herbs so pretty much everyone has tasted it at some point or another. Which makes it easy as pie to start adding it into your juice recipes.
What’s not so common, ‘though, is basil’s list of health benefits…
Amazing for Acne (and Other Skin Conditions)
If you’re juicing for acne, basil is one herb you’ll want on your frontline of defense, as it’s packed with blood-cleansing, detoxifying chlorophyll as well as acne-busting vitamin A and iron.
And it’s not just acne – the essential oils found in basil have been shown to have anti-bacterial, anti-microbial qualities that fight a wide range of bacteria, yeasts, viruses and molds. This makes basil a wonderful herb to juice to add a bit of natural protection against the likes of candida and other skin irritations.
Bust Stress
One of the coolest things about basil is that it contains phytochemicals that’re linked to lowering cortisol levels, making basil juice the perfect thing to sip on when you’re feeling stressed.
Studies suggest that basil’s link to lowering stress may be due to its role as a natural adaptogen – meaning that it has the ability to help the body adapt to stress by regulating the harmful effects of various stressors on the body.
One super interesting study found that rabbits who were given fresh basil leaves while exposed to a high stress environment had much better resistance to oxidative stress levels and showed cardiovascular and respiratory protection as well as a significant decrease in blood sugar levels!
Keeps Blood Sugar in Check
While we’re on the topic of blood sugar, it should be mentioned that basil is a great juicing ingredient for diabetes since its essential oils have been shown to help regulate glucose levels in diabetics. And it’s not just a natural blood sugar regulator – basil’s also been shown to lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels!
Anti-Inflammatory Protection
Inflammation. It even sounds like a dirty word, doesn’t it? And it is, when you consider that inflammation is at the root of most diseases. Yup, even conditions that don’t seem related like arthritis and heart disease – they’re both caused by inflammation in the body.
So it’s a great thing that basil comes with ample anti-inflammatory benefits.
How anti-inflammatory? This yummy herb is rich in (E)-beta-caryophyllene (BCP), which has been studied for its effectiveness in treating inflammatory illnesses like arthritis and inflammatory bowel diseases like IBS. Basil extracts have also been shown to reduce symptoms of inflammation like swelling and redness.
Delicious Way to Detox
One look at basil’s beautiful green-ness clues you in on what it’s packing: lots and lots of chlorophyll. And in case you didn’t know, this “life blood of plants” is good stuff. It’s known to cleanse the blood, improve circulation, boost energy, and help our bodies detox itself of toxins and heavy metals.
Sure, lots of leafy greens also contain chlorophyll but with its familiar, pesto-y flavor, basil is one of the least intimidating greens to get started juicing with.
Slow Down the Effects of Aging
That’s a bold claim, you say. And it’s easy to be jaded since you hear this claim being bandied around by every “miracle cream in a jar” advertiser. But in the case of basil, it’s true.
You see, much of the aging process has to do with oxidative stress which occurs over our lifestyle due to the buildup of toxins in our diet and our environment. And this is where basil comes in.
Basil has anti-aging properties since it’s effective at protecting against harmful molecules while preventing damage caused by free radicals. And that’s the beauty of basil – it boasts antioxidants that boost immune function by protecting white blood cells as well as the cellular structures where DNA is stored.
By protecting these chromosomes from being altered (i.e. cell mutations and cancerous cell growth) and fighting oxidation, basil slows down the effects of aging. Not bad for such a delicious herb, eh?
Protects Against Cancer
All that antioxidant activity is good for more than slowing down the aging process – turns out it can even help prevent cancer. Preclinical studies have shown that basil can prevent various chemical-induced cancers by increasing antioxidant activity, altering the gene expressions, inducing apoptosis (death of harmful cancer cells), and preventing cancerous growth from spreading.
In animal studies, basil extract even proved to be able to selectively protect normal tissue and cells from the negative effects of cancer treatments like radiation and chemotherapy.
That’s a lot of benefits for such a little herb. Ready to reap them in the form of a delicious juice recipe?
Best Basil Juice Recipes
Want some delicious basil juice recipes you can try? Here are a few favorites you’ll fall in love with!
Basil Orange-ade
When you only have a few minutes but want to reap the benefits of basil, reach for this smart, simple recipe:
- 2 oranges
- 6 basil leaves, fresh
It’s a delicious twist on a favorite taste and a lovely way to add some greens to your morning glass of OJ!
Melon-y Basil
Here’s a simple, delicious, weight-loss-aiding juice recipe combining the savory flavor of basil with the lycopene-rich sweetness of watermelon – it’s the perfect match and the cukes provide a great base of mineral-rich hydration.
Tomato Basil Juice Recipe
Whenever you’re craving the taste of homemade tomato pasta – but don’t want the carbs, whip up a glass of this very fresh, very nutritious tomato basil juice, courtesy of Dr Axe:
- 2 tomatoes
- ½ cucumber
- 1 cup fresh basil
We love how low in sugar this juice recipe is while being surprisingly filling and full of skin-protective goodness!
Inner Glow
This one’s a simple yet highly cleansing juice recipe to get you glowing from the inside out. It features hydrating, mineral-rich cucumber, pH-balancing lime, flavonoid-rich apples, and skin-health-boosting basil.
Berry Basil Juice Recipe
When you’re in the mood for something sweet, refreshing and reminiscent of summertime, whip up a glass of this delicious berry basil juice:
- 6 large strawberries
- 1 cup blueberries, fresh
- 1 cup spinach
- 5 basil leaves
- 1/2 lime (peeled)
If you want, you can even transform this into a smoothie rather than a juice – simple add half a banana or half an avocado 🙂
The Perfect Pear
If you haven’t yet tried pear and basil together – put this recipe on your “To Juice” list today. It’s seriously yummy. Plus, it comes with digestion-boosting, pH-balancing, and blemish-fighting benefits!
Sweet Basil Beetroot Juice Recipe
When you want a whopping dose of deliciousness for skin and eye health, go ahead and whip up a glass of this beautifully red juice. You’ll need:
- 1 apple
- 1 pear
- 1 carrot
- 1/2 beetroot
- 1 small handful fresh basil
- 1 inch ginger
Quick tip: If you want to ease up on the sugar, skip either the apple, the pear or both and instead, add cucumber or celery! The sweetness of the carrot and beetroot more than do their job 🙂
