An Unexpected Learning

Never stop learning because life never stops teaching.

Watching a teleserye (Filipino version of a drama series that is comparable to US’ daytime drama series or soap opera) is a guilty pleasure for me. Even though one can easily predict the fate of every character in the show, it is still fun though sometimes exasperating to watch how it unfolds. I never expected I’ll learn something new from these kinds of show so the tidbit of information I learned the other night is a pleasant surprise.

So what did I learn? The existence of Holy Basil.

Holy Basil. This image is from www.eatingthaifood.com . 

Of course, I know what basil is. It is an herb that is constantly present in my cupboard in its dried form. I put it mostly on my pasta sauces but I also love using it on other dishes. I have tried placing some on my vegetable soup, toasted bread, and even on my sunny side up eggs. I really like the flavour it imparts even on the simplest of dishes therefore making it a little special.

I know that there are types of basil. I am quite familiar with sweet basil and Thai basil. Sweet basil is the one used in marinara and pesto sauces while Thai basil is used in curries and other Asian dishes. The other night is my first time to hear about Holy Basil.

In the teleserye, the lead female character used the dried leaves of this herb to make tea for her father who at that time have high fever. I admit I don’t know if basil has medicinal properties since I am more interested with its culinary uses. So this scene prompted me to find out and after a few clicks I discovered very interesting stuffs about Holy Basil.

According to Wikipedia, Holy Basil is an aromatic plant native to the Indian subcontinent and widespread as a cultivated plant throughout the Southeast Asian tropics. It is a sacred plant for Hindus. It symbolizes the goddess Lakshmi. For centuries, dried leaves of Holy basil have been used as insect repellent when it is stored with grains.

But what really amaze me are the health benefits of this plant. According to www.webmd.com , holy basil is used for the common cold, influenza, diabetes, asthma, bronchitis, earache, headache, stomach upset, heart disease, fever, viral hepatitis, malaria, stress, and tuberculosis. Wow! That is a lot for such a small plant.

I’m happy that I learned something new. I strongly believe that one should never stop learning and that one should find joy in any newfound knowledge. Hopefully, I will be able to pass this love of knowledge to my little Queen B.

#xoxo