Basil Seed: Yes Indeed Eat This Seed!

by Mila McManus MD

Yes, indeed, eating basil seeds is good for you. For centuries, they have been used as a natural remedy in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine.

Have you ever heard of eating basil seeds? They are indeed very good for you! Basil seeds have been used in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine for centuries as a natural remedy for indigestion, ulcers, diarrhea, fever reducer, and protection against radiation. They stimulate the nervous system and protect against oxidative DNA damage and gene mutations. Other names for them are sweet basil, sabja, and tukmaria seeds.

Nutritional Benefits

These tiny black seeds aren’t just for growing basil herbs but are deeply nutritious edible seeds. Similar to chia seeds, basil seeds are a nutritional powerhouse and are often referred to as a superfood or a functional food. Check out these impressive nutrition facts!

Basil seeds:

Are lectin-free, unlike the chia seed. For information about lectins, look here.
Are a substantial source for calcium, magnesium, and iron.
Contain significantly higher concentrations of vitamin E than flaxseeds.
Are an excellent antioxidant.
Are anti-inflammatory and have anticancer properties.
Are full of healthy unsaturated fat, quality protein, and all of the carbohydrates are fiber, making them ideal for maintaining stable blood sugar.
Are high in soluble fiber, including pectin, which nourishes favorable gut bacteria, promotes satiety, helps with blood sugar control, and improves cholesterol. Basil seeds have TWICE the fiber as chia.
Are loaded with omega-3 fatty acids. One tablespoon provides the recommended daily intake.

Using Basil Seeds

It’s best to soak basil seeds for 15 minutes [1 Tablespoon in 8 ounces of water or other liquid] before using them in recipes, unless the recipe contains a lot of liquid, such as a soup, in which case pre-soaking would not be needed. The seeds will triple in size and then can be added to smoothies and protein shakes, used in homemade lemonade and other drinks, soups, salad dressings, yogurt, puddings, and oatmeal. If using them in baked goods, you can grind them and use them to replace part of the flour rather than adding them soaked. They also can be used as an egg replacer; 1 tablespoon soaked in 3 tablespoons of water will replace one egg in a recipe. You will find many recipes on the web as well as numerous quality brands.

Yes indeed! Eat this seed, and be well.

References:

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/basil-seeds

Calderón Bravo H, Vera Céspedes N, Zura-Bravo L, Muñoz LA. Basil Seeds as a Novel Food, Source of Nutrients and Functional Ingredients with Beneficial Properties: A Review. Foods. 2021 Jun 24;10(7):1467. doi: 10.3390/foods10071467. PMID: 34202798; PMCID: PMC8303141.

By Mila McManus MD|2025-03-12T06:09:48-06:00March 13th, 2025|Articles, General|

Prebiotic Soda: A Good Choice for Gut Health?

by Mila McManus, MD

The beverage industry is flooding the marketplace with pre-biotic soda pop and promoting it as a “healthy” choice for gut health. Is it?

As more people move away from classic sugary sodas, the beverage industry is flooding the marketplace with prebiotic soda pop and promoting it as a “healthy” choice for gut health. These popular beverages include brands such as Olipop, Culture Pop, Poppi, Wildwonder, and Turveda, to name a few. But are these soft drinks truly good for your gut?

Prebiotic soft drinks contain a kind of fiber called inulin, which is very good for your gut health. It helps you to maintain a healthy digestive system by supporting the growth of beneficial bacteria called probiotics. Fibers like inulin act like Miracle Grow for your favorable gut bacteria. In simple terms, prebiotic fibers nourish probiotics.

Here’s the catch. The amount of inulin needed daily to achieve gut health benefits would need to be eight or more grams, making it necessary to drink four or more of these beverages daily. In addition, that would significantly increase sugar intake, which would cancel out all the potential benefits of the prebiotic inulin. Soda is not your best option for optimizing gut health.

If you really want to improve and optimize your gut health, you need a high quality source of prebiotics and probiotics. The easiest way to get prebiotic fiber is to eat the foods that contain it. Prebiotic fibers that feed your favorable gut bacteria include whole foods such as greens, kiwi, onions, jicama, avocado, leeks, apples, bananas, and flaxseeds. Another affordable and practical way to increase prebiotic fiber is to use a quality product such as Heather’s Organic Prebiotic Acacia Senegal Fiber.

As for probiotics, high quality fermented foods, such as sauerkraut, kimchi, and yogurt, can all support a healthy digestive system. We also recommend that our patients take a quality probiotic as a routine supplement to ensure a strong population of good, favorable gut bacteria. In addition, we recommend rotating your probiotics every once in a while, e.g., every 3 to 6 months. For instance, take a broad spectrum probiotic for a few months, and then switch to, or add, S. boulardii for a few months. Then switch to a spore biotic for a few months, and so on. The beneficial microbes in your gut support your immune system and contribute directly to overall physical and mental health.

Ditch the soda pop. Eat real. Be Well.

Resources:

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/new-lawsuit-challenges-poppi-soda-gut-healthy-claims-what-to-know-rcna156021

https://drhyman.com/blogs/content/the-truth-about-gut-healthy-soda-how-to-really-optimize-your-microbiome

By Mila McManus MD|2024-10-09T06:33:21-06:00October 10th, 2024|Articles, General|

Incorporating Chia Seed

Chia seeds are a very tiny powerhouse of nutrition and, for that reason, I encourage our patients to figure out ways to incorporate them into the diet. However, I confess, it can be difficult to find satisfying ways to do it because of the nature of chia seed. Very tiny, these seeds have little taste. They are not suited for snacking on like with pumpkin seeds. Eaten whole and raw, they tend to get stuck in your teeth too. But it is hard to ignore the 10 grams of fiber, 5 grams of protein, healthy fat, and calcium, magnesium and phosphorus content found in just 2 tablespoons of them.

So here are several ways to add them to your diet without any hassle:

Add them to your protein shake. This is one of the most popular options and an easy way to get them into the diet, especially well hidden if you use a blender. Add 1-2 tablespoons of whole seed to the blender for the best results. It will help to thicken the shake too.
Thickener for stews or gravy. This is a great gluten free way to avoid the use of wheat flour and increase fiber at the same time. When moistened, chia seeds dissolve into a thick mucilage (the fiber), much like an egg white. Simply soak the seeds in a little water, or a portion of the gravy for 5-10 minutes, then stir the mixture into the pot.
As a binder for meatballs and burgers. Instead of eggs or breadcrumbs, use chia seeds to bind your meat together. Use 2 tablespoons of seeds per pound of meat. They can be added dry or first softened in a little water for 5-10 minutes and then added.
Or try this easy breakfast recipe from our website: https://woodlandswellnessmd.com/chia-pudding-blackberries-coconut-pistachios.html/

Live Well, Eat Well, Increase your Fiber.

By Mila McManus MD|2020-12-30T16:40:18-06:00October 13th, 2020|General, Recipes|

The Health Benefits of Pumpkins

By Nancy Mehlert, MS

Wait! Before you say you don’t like pumpkin, consider trying it again. Here’s why:

The fruit of these large, vining plants, so associated with harvest, belong to the Cucurbitaceae, or cucumber family. The two main types are “pepo,” dubbed “small” pumpkins and are often carved into Jack-o-lanterns, and “maxima,” the giant variety grown to enter the “biggest pumpkin” contest at the county fair.

Pumpkin patch

Pumpkins are wonderful when it comes to vitamins and minerals, including large amounts of fiber and 100% of the daily vitamin A requirement. Pumpkins also provide plentiful amounts of vitamin C, riboflavin, potassium, copper, and manganese. Smaller but significant amounts of vitamin E (alpha tocopherol), thiamin, niacin, vitamin B6, folate, iron, magnesium, and phosphorus also are present.

What does that mean for us? The bright orange hints at the presence of a particularly beneficial phytonutrient: carotene. This converts to vitamin A in the body for a tremendous punch of antioxidants with the capacity to help prevent heart disease, cancer, and many of the degenerating signs of aging. Vitamin A is also a must for good vision and helping to prevent lung and mouth cancers. Flavonoids such as cryptoxanthin, lutein, and zeaxanthin destroy harmful free radicals, and the latter, especially, helps protect the retina of the eye from macular degeneration.

Pumpkin seeds are not only a tasty, easy-to-transport snack, you could also say they’re a concentrated source of minerals and vitamins. Two cups contain 30 grams of protein, 110% of the daily recommended allowance for iron, and 559 calories. The fiber helps maintain regular elimination to keep the colon clear. Two cups may sound like a lot and we are not suggesting you eat it all in one sitting, but rather over the course of a week, 8 – ¼ cup servings adds a great deal of nutrition to snacking, salads, sweet potato and butternut squash, just to name a few uses. A special bonus in pumpkin seeds is the amino acid tryptophan, which, once in the brain, converts into serotonin – a neurotransmitter which relaxes the body, calms the nerves, and improves sleep.

Suggestions: Stir canned organic pumpkin into a Paleo porridge such as Pure Traditions Instant Hot Cereal (www.paleomountain.com). Blend pumpkin puree with cooked acorn squash, carrot, sweet potato or butternut squash and blend with chicken bone broth and spices for a creamy, winter soup. Pureed pumpkin blended with unsweetened applesauce makes a great baby food or seniors food where chewing is an issue. Also a great comfort food for everyone to replace puddings. Perform an internet search for a keto pumpkin pie and you will find plenty of low sugar, healthy pumpkin pie options for the holidays.

Sources:

www.mercola.com

www.nutritiondata.self.com

By Mila McManus MD|2017-10-30T10:08:30-06:00October 30th, 2017|General, NANCY’S NUTRITIONAL NUGGET|