Basil Seeds (Sabja or Tukmaria Seeds) Benefits & Side Effects

Tukmaria seeds are highly nutritious and are very low in calories. They have more protein content than chia seeds and have lower calories making them the Asian super food. Tukmaria seeds have high fiber and mucilage, which helps in lowering constipation by promoting bowel movement, induce satiety, detoxify by reducing the assimilation in the gut and helps in weight loss by slow conversion of starch into blood sugar.

Tukmaria Seeds are very high in medicinal value and consuming them, one can get rid of some common yet painful diseases like diarrhea, weight gain and many others. They can become a part of balanced diet and are gaining popularity in Europe and America due to their high nutritional content.

Tukmaria seeds are considered holy in their native South-Asian countries like India, Indonesia, Taiwan and many more. These seeds are black in color and look somewhat similar to their western cousins-chia seeds.

Although somewhat similar in nutritional properties, Tukmaria seeds are more versatile and have higher medicinal value. They have 19.6% of proteins and are larger in size than the chia seeds. Tukmaria Seeds have exceptional health benefits and have high medicinal value. They are also known by the names of Sabja or sweet basil.

Plant Description

The scientific name of Tukmaria seeds is Ocimum Basilicum and belongs to the basil family. It is a native to India and the South-Asian countries having a tropical climate. It is highly medicinal herb, which to around 30-130 cm tall having small white flowers arranged in a terminal manner. The flowers soon give way to the seeds and Tukmaria seeds are collected.  The plant has more than 150 varieties has been cultivated since 5000 years in these areas. This annual herb has long silky green colored leaved growing opposite to each other.

Tukmaria seeds are collected from the Sweet basil plant, which needs a hot and dry climate to bloom. It is cold sensitive and needs sunlight for a healthy growth. The leaves may wilt from excessive watering or full sunlight, but can recover if kept in shade and water is given moderately.

The steam bear the flower spikes and one the flower matures, the stem becomes woody. The small white flowers produce tear shaped black seeds called Tukmaria seeds. These seeds swell to 30 times their size when soaked in water and have a gelatin covering. They are very bland and but give a crunchy feel when chewed just like the chia seeds.

Nutritional Value of Tukmaria Seeds

Tukmaria seeds have a high percentage of about 42% carbohydrates, 20% proteins and almost 25% fats. They have exceptionally high fiber content. In just 4 grams of Tukmaria seeds, there is more fiber than an entire bulb of lettuce. They have almost negligible calories and have alpha-linolenic acid abbreviated as ALA acid. It is highly beneficial since it has Omega-3 fatty acids.

They are also high in calcium (244% of recommended daily dose (RDD)), magnesium (178% RDD), iron (499% RDD), potassium (56% RDD), folic acid (78%RDD) and vitamin E (53% of RDD).

Ayurvedic Properties

Basil seeds have the following ayurvedic properties:

According to these properties, Basil seeds are suitable for people with health conditions:

1. Hyperacidity, Acid Reflex, GERD.
2. Polyphagia (excessive eating or appetite).
3. Dysuria (difficult and painful micturition).
4. Urinary disorders with burning sensation and pain.
5. Ayurvedic properties suggest it might cause an increase in weight. But it also suppresses appetite. If the patient is suffering from excessive eating or unusual craving for foods, it might be useful to suppress appetite and induce satiety feeling. It should not be used for a longer duration in obesity. After 2 to 3 weeks of its use, other medicines should be used to reduce weight.
6. Constipation with dry and hard stools.

These seeds are not suitable for people suffering from the following health conditions:

1. It might increase AMA (particles of undigested food). So, it should not be used in cases of diseases caused by AMA including poor digestion, diarrhea with mucus, loss of appetite, rheumatoid arthritis etc.
2. Loss of appetite: It can worsen the condition due to its appetite suppressing action. It is also heavy to digest.
3. Obesity: However, it is used to produce satiety feeling in obese people, but long-term use can be harmful in obese people. Its regular use might restrict weight loss similarly as Ashwagandha does. For reducing craving for foods, it should be used only for 2 to 3 weeks. After that, it should be stopped and other medicines should be used.

Health Benefits of Tukmaria Seeds

The health benefits of Tukmaria seeds are numerous and if consumed regularly as part of a balanced diet, one can remain fit as a fiddle. Some of the major health advantages are:

Constipation

It is a common problem in many households and almost 90% of the people suffer from it. The Tukmaria seeds have a mucilaginous gel around their inner covering, which is when soaked in water, start acting like an emollient. It has a laxative effect due to the high fiber content and smoothes the mucous membrane and helps in the bowel movement.

For constipation, Tukmaria seeds should be taken with milk before going to bed. Its high fiber content helps in the prompting the bowel movement in the morning.

Appetite Suppressant

Obesity and weight-gain is a widespread problem and people everywhere are getting enrolled in weight reducing programs. Eating Tukmaria seeds help in reducing weight since they work as an appetite-suppressant, if taken before meals. The main reason is their low calorie content and high nutritional value. The person does not feel hungry after eating these seeds and their high nutritional value ensures that there is no nutritional deficiency in the body. The main reason they help in weight reduction is the ALA acid present in the seeds that helps the fat burning metabolism of the body.

Tukmaria seeds should be eaten before meals to make the stomach feel fuller and reducing over eating. It should be taken by mixing them with yogurt and fruit as a snack to relive hunger.

Feeling of Fullness

The Tukmaria seeds convert into a gel when they are soaked in water and slow down the metabolism of the body. In simpler words, they make the feeling of fullness last longer and the person does not eat. Therefore, they decrease appetite, weight and even diabetes by the slow conversion of carbohydrates into blood sugar.

Coolant Properties

Tukmaria or Sabja seeds have high coolant properties. They are consumed in summer to keep the body cool. They absorb the body heat and cool down the system instantly. When the seeds are taken with rose petal water or jam (Gulkand), they become doubly effective as a body coolant.

Prevent Diabetes

People having type-2 diabetes should consume Tukmaria seeds in their diet since they curb this deadly disease. These seeds have the properties to regulate blood sugar levels and maintain the diabetes.

The Tukmaria seeds should be soaked in water and mixed with cold milk to make a healthy diabetic drink without any sugar. It will not only curb the diabetes, but also make the person healthier with its nutritional content.

To make the drink tastier, few drops of vanilla can be added. If one has protein allergy, then Tukmaria seeds can be added to non-dairy milk like soymilk or even drink with cold water.

Acidity and Heartburn

Tukmaria seeds do wonders for acidity and heartburns. They act as a base and neutralize the acidic effect of the HCL in the stomach. They also have high mucilage, which soothes the lining of the stomach and relieves the burning sensation due to acidity.

Instead of taking tea, coffee or cola, Tukmaria seeds with milk or rose petals jam (Gulkand) should be taken to get instant relief from stomach burns

Skin Infections

The antibacterial and antifungal properties of the Tukmaria seeds help in the treatment of skin infections. Studies have shown them to be highly beneficial in treating psoriasis, eczema and other skin diseases.

If one suffers from skin allergies, he/she should crush the Tukmaria seeds and mix it with hot coconut oil. Once mixed thoroughly, the oil should be strained and used in affected area.

Healthy Hair

The high content of vitamins, especially vitamin K in the seeds helps in keeping the scalp, hair and skin healthy. They make the hair shinier, bouncier, add volume to them due to its high proteins, and iron content.

Cough Relief

Tukmaria seeds have antispasmodic properties, which mean they help relieve the tension in the spastic muscles and relax them. This property helps in controlling and reducing whooping cough. It also soothes hiccups, tics, nervous irritation and other respiratory problems like flue, cold and cough.

Stress Reliever

Tukmaria seeds have calming properties, which have a soothing effect on the brain. It relieves stress, mental fatigue, migraine, depression and tension. They also improve the mood and make the person happy.

Aid in Digestion

Tukmaria seeds are carminative in nature, which means they have volatile oils helps in reliving gas from the gastrointestinal tract. They provide relief to bloating, indigestion, stomach cramps, flatulence and many more.

Inflammation

The high anti-inflammatory properties of the Tukmaria seeds help in relieving pain, inflammation and swelling. It has been used since ages in Ayurvedic for managing the formation of plaque in blood vessels and swelling in arthritis.

These properties lower the cholesterol level, so basil seeds reduce the risk of coronary artery disease, heart attacks and strokes.

Detoxifying Agent

Tukmaria seeds help in cleansing the blood and relieves vomiting and nausea. In addition, food poisoning and the gut can be cleaned through the consumption of these seeds. They also flush the kidney through their diuretic functions.

Increase Body Immunity

Tukmaria seeds have flavonoids vicenin, orientin and beta-carotene, which increase the immunity of the body. The flavonoids help in cellular protection against radiation.

Anemia

The high content of iron in Tukmaria seeds helps in the treatment of anemia. They can be soaked in water and chewed.

Mouth Ulcers

The antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal and antimicrobial properties of the seeds and basil help to prevent cavities, mouth ulcers, bad-breath and even plaque in the mouth. The seeds can be chewed simply as a mouth freshener to get rid of any of these problems.

Cancer

The Omega-3 fatty acids and the antioxidants in Tukmaria seeds reduce the production of free radical in the body and reduce degenerative diseases like cancer, Alzheimer’s diseases and many more.

The other health benefits of Tukmaria seeds include an effective digestion, detoxifying agent since it removes the waste from the gut and making the health healthy by lowering the blood-cholesterol levels.

They also help in skin infections and respiratory diseases. Traditionally, they have been used as a stress reliever in many Indian and Chinese medicines. Therefore, Tukmaria seeds are an inexpensive and highly beneficial addition to a balanced and nutritious diet.

How to Eat Tukmaria Seeds

Tukmaria seeds do not have a taste of their own, but give a crunchy feel when chewed or a jelly like texture when soaked in water. Their bland taste makes them a great addition to any recipe and adding the advantages of the seeds to the recipe. They are used in desserts, drinks, salads and even cakes as a binding agent.

One can simply mix the seeds in salads, yogurts, soups, muesli, breads, crackers and even pasta dishes. For consumption for health benefits only, one spoon of Tukmaria seeds should be added to one glass of water and left for 15 minutes. The seeds will swell up to 10-20 times of their volume and then one can drink this water and eat the basil seeds. Soaking the seeds in water helps in releasing their mucilage, antioxidants and digestive enzymes.

Precautions

Tukmaria seeds should not be given to children directly, since they can choke on it. In addition, pregnant women or those who are trying to conceive should not intake Tukmaria seeds since they can lower the estrogen levels in the body and prevent pregnancy.