Lemon Basil Seeds Turn to Jelly in Water

Lemon Basil — แมงลัก (maeng-lak) — Ocimum africanum.

Lemon basil — maeng-lak. Drop its seeds in water, and they swell into a soft jelly, a soluble fiber called mucilage. The edible part is the seeds. Early animal studies on basil-seed mucilage looked at satiety-related markers in high-fat-diet mice. The seeds also bring omega-3 ALA, calcium, and magnesium. Gel-forming soluble fiber can slow carbohydrate absorption. ALA is an omega-3 your body can't make on its own, and it contributes to normal blood cholesterol. Calcium helps maintain normal bones and teeth and supports normal blood clotting. Magnesium helps turn food into energy and keeps muscles and nerves working normally. Kaeng Liang boils a peppery vegetable broth, stirring in fresh lemon basil leaves right off the heat to preserve their scent. Khanom Jeen Nam Ya ladles a coconut fish curry over fermented rice noodles, piled high with raw lemon basil, cabbage, and long beans. The lemon-scented leaves are eaten fresh in Thai soups and salads. To grow lemon basil and save seeds, let the small white flower spikes dry to papery brown on the stem before you harvest.

Gaeng Liang — แกงเลียง (gaeng-liang)
Khanom Jeen Nam Ya — ขนมจีนน้ำยา (kha-nom-jeen-nam-ya)

Nutrition data: Foods 2021, 10(7):1467; PMC8303141 (Tables 2 and 5)

Food and nutrients

Seeds rich in: fiber, omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid), calcium, magnesium

Research context

Basil-seed mucilage swells and may promote fullness — animal studies, 2023

Sources

Source: Effects of Ocimum basilicum mucilage on lipids/gut microbiota in high-fat-diet mice. ScienceDirect (2023); basil-seed flour & insulin resistance, PMID 39516211

Narration transcript

Opening

Lemon basil — แมงลัก, maeng-lak. Drop its tiny black seeds in water and within minutes each one swells into a soft, clear jelly — a soluble fiber called mucilage that Thai cooks spoon into cool desserts. The seeds are the prize, and the lemon-scented leaves go into soups fresh. Let the flower spikes dry on the stem, then thresh out the seeds.

Gaeng Liang (Thai Peppery Vegetable and Shrimp Soup) (แกงเลียง)

Gaeng liang is a peppery Thai vegetable soup that gets fresh lemon basil leaves stirred in at the end, off the heat, and it's eaten with steamed jasmine rice.

Khanom Jeen Nam Ya (Thai Rice Noodles with Fish Curry) (ขนมจีนน้ำยา)

Khanom jeen nam ya serves fermented rice noodles under a fish curry. You pile on raw lemon basil leaves, cabbage, and long beans at the table.

Nutrition summary

Measured dry, these jelly seeds are especially high in fiber and manganese, with a good amount of plant protein.

Fiber

Fiber adds bulk to meals and can help with fullness.

Omega-3 (ALA)

Omega-3 ALA is an essential fat your body cannot make, contributes to normal blood cholesterol, and helps build healthy cells.

Calcium

Calcium is needed to maintain normal bones and teeth, supports normal muscle and nerve function, and contributes to normal blood clotting.

Magnesium

Magnesium supports normal muscle and nerve function, contributes to normal energy metabolism, and helps maintain healthy bones.

Closing

The lemon-scented leaves are best torn into kaeng liang or nam ya right off the heat, before their perfume cooks away. To save seeds, let the small white flower spikes turn papery brown on the stem before you harvest. Follow Longevity Biome, and LIKE this video for regular updates.

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