Benefits of basil for pregnant women and children

Basil is a familiar spice vegetable in family meals. This vegetable has a very good effect on health, especially for pregnant mothers, fetuses and children.

Tree  basil is an herb popular and therapeutic uses. Basil leaves have a green color and characteristic aroma that create a great taste when used in soups, salads and many other dishes. Basil has high nutritional content, contains many proteins, vitamins, fiber, minerals ... Therefore, basil is very popular and used as a nutritional food for pregnant women and children.

What is basil used for?

Basil is the same family as mint. The leaves have a characteristic aroma that spice the meal more deliciously. People often use basil in raw vegetables, salads, seasoning baby dishes or pureed to create a delicious and nutritious sauce for both you and your baby.

Nutritional composition of basil leaves

Basil leaves contain high levels of vitamins K, A and C that help boost the child's immune system and stimulate the healthy development of bones. This herb contains antibacterial and DNA-protective properties that work like the anti-inflammatory drugs that we often take. The nutritional ingredients in basil include:

Vitamin K: helps blood clotting and promotes bone development

Vitamin A:  bright eyes, teeth, and strong bones

Vitamin C:  an effective antioxidant that boosts the immune system and keeps gums healthy during teething.

Folate: a B vitamin that helps boost nervous system and brain function

Manganese: helps form bones and cartilage, and participates in the synthesis of sugars, amino acids

Calcium: helps convert food into energy in cells and plays an important role in the formation of bones and teeth.

Iron: needed to make hemoglobin, a protein that carries oxygen into the bloodstream

Magnesium: An essential trace element for a healthy heartbeat and for maintaining strong bones.

The use of basil for pregnant mothers

In addition to its therapeutic effects , basil has other significant uses for pregnant women such as:

1. Helps regulate blood clotting

Basil provides vitamin K, which plays an important role in ensuring the health and safety of the fetus. Vitamin K helps blood clotting and prevents the risk of blood loss.

2. Promote fetal development

Basil is rich in vitamin A, ensures the growth and development of the fetus, promotes the health of the heart, eyes, lungs and development of the central nervous system.

3. Support the bone formation process for the fetus

The manganese content in basil helps in the formation of fetal bones and cartilage. In addition, manganese acts as a powerful antioxidant, helping to reduce oxidative stress and prevent the risk of cell damage in pregnant women.

4. Supply blood to the pregnant woman

The folate in basil helps to replenish the blood needed for pregnant women. In addition, this substance also has the ability to prevent the risk of birth defects in babies.

5. Prevent anemia

Basil is rich in iron, which promotes hemoglobin content and increases red blood cell count. Thanks to that, basil helps prevent the risk of anemia in the mother, provides the necessary energy and avoids fatigue during pregnancy.

6. Strengthen the immune system

Basil contains many vitamins E, C, riboflavin, niacin ... In addition, basil is also rich in minerals such as zinc, phosphorus, magnesium, copper and potassium. All the important vitamins and minerals in basil help increase immunity and fight many infections, ensure the health of pregnant women and the development of the fetus.

Side effects when pregnant mothers use too much basil

Although it brings many benefits during pregnancy, if pregnant women eat basil too much, it can lead to side effects such as:

1. Health problems

The Eugenol essential oil in basil can be a health hazard if you eat this vegetable in excess. In addition, this essential oil also increases heart rate, hot throat and mouth, shortness of breath, seizures, dizziness, bloody urine and even coma.

2. Severe hypoglycemia

Consuming too much basil during pregnancy can cause  severe hypoglycemia , which lowers blood sugar levels. The most common symptom is that you may experience dizziness, irritability and tremor.

Add basil to diversify the flavor of your child's food

By making the baby's own food, moms will be able to unleash many different flavors and food combinations. Best of all, mothers are free to choose the cleanest ingredients for their babies, which cannot be found in ready-made foods. Take advantage of the versatility of homemade foods so that children can taste a variety of flavors and familiarize them with beneficial herbs and herbs like basil. This is a good opportunity for your child's taste buds to come in contact with a variety of flavors and help them love more family meals.

In many countries, mothers let their children get acquainted with spices from a very early age. Indians often add a little curry powder to their child's food. Families in Thailand often put coconut milk, lemon grass, tamarind or even chili in their children's powder. In addition, Latin children were soon introduced to the wonderful taste of herbs and spices such as  cumin , cilantro, chili and pepper.

Once you know the great benefits of basil, you will no longer hesitate to choose this perfect spice for your baby. You dare to let your child get acquainted with many flavors to promote the development of your child's taste buds.

Note when using basil

Although pregnant women eat basil safely, they should only consume a moderate amount (2-3 times / week). In addition, rinsing basil before eating will help remove parasites and harmful bacteria that can cause infections such as listeriosis and toxoplasmosis.

Using too much basil can cause symptoms such as heart palpitations, shortness of breath, convulsions, dizziness, blood urination or severe coma, hypoglycemia and possibly uterine contractions. making pregnant mothers risk premature birth. Ideally, you should consult your doctor before eating basil during pregnancy.