15 Oct 2026
Could a spoonful of tiny basil seeds help bring your blood pressure down? A small study on heart patients offers some interesting clues.
Photo Credit: Magnific
Basil seeds, also called sabja or tukmaria, are tiny black seeds. They swell into a jelly-like coating in water and are often added to drinks.
Photo Credit: Magnific
In this small study, 60 heart patients were split into three groups: no seeds, 5 g daily, and 10 g daily, for 90 days.
Photo Credit: Magnific
In the group without basil seeds, blood pressure (diastolic numbers) kept creeping up over time. It didn’t improve on its own during the study.
Photo Credit: Magnific
Patients who ate 5 g of basil seeds daily saw both the top number (systolic) and bottom number (diastolic) come down.
Photo Credit: Magnific
Patients who ate 10 g daily saw an even bigger fall in BP. Still, it was one small study, so more research is needed.
Photo Credit: Magnific
Soak 1 teaspoon (about 5 g) of seeds in water for 15 minutes; never eat them dry. Add to lemon water, buttermilk, or smoothies.
Photo Credit: Magnific
Basil seeds can’t replace BP medicines. Check with your doctor before adding them, and keep tracking your BP at home.
Photo Credit: Magnific