Basil was something we were familiar with prior going to Mexico, though we definitely underestimated how powerful the herb really was. And never did we imagine we would be titling it as a ‘super herb’. Fortunately the beautiful people we met in Mexico enabled us to see basil in a whole new light and opened our eyes to see exactly how many things the herb can be used for. Some of the believed benefits include the below:

Nutritional values: Basil boasts high levels of vitamin A, K and C, magnesium, iron, potassium and calcium.
 

Anti-aging: Some of the properties found in Basil are believed to be extremely beneficial for reducing the signs of aging. “Holy basil extract has a molecule which prevents damage caused by various free radicals in the liver, brain and heart”.

Clears up blemishes: Basil is seen as an effective way to clear up those unwanted blemishes. The oil derived from the herb is meant to stop the bacteria which causes pimples to occur.’
 

Reduce inflammation/swelling: The extracts of tenuiflorn which is found in Holy basil has ben found to reduce “swelling by 73% after applying it to the area.”

Stress stopper: Holy basil is believed to have an antianxiety effect. This is because the herb contains phytochemcials, which is suspected to “lower may lower cortisol, a hormone secreted when you’re tense.

BASIL & LIME BODY SCRUB:

Often we spend a lot of time looking after the skin on our face and as a result we neglect the skin on our body. This is why we thought it was time to treat our body and what better way than incorporating some of our fave superfood ingredients into a scrub. WARNING: Once you make this scrub, you will be addicted as your skin will be extremely thankful.

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup of white sugar
• 6 basil leaves, cut into small pieces
• ½ of a squeezed lime
• 1 teaspoon of coconut oil

Directions:

Add all ingredients into a bowl and mix them all together. Make sure all of the basil has been flattened out to ensure all of its fragrances penetrated throughout the scrub. Once the scrubs has been whisked and combined, put it into a glass jar.

The how:

• Gently massage the scrub over your body and focus on the dry skin with a primary focus on the dryer areas (knees and elbows). Have a shower to remove the scrub.
• If you own a bath, you can also add the scrub in to the water.