Basil seeds (sabja or tukmaria seeds, from Ocimum basilicum) are small black seeds that swell dramatically in liquid to form a thick, translucent gel coating similar to chia seeds. They provide fibre, some ALA omega-3, iron, and calcium. They are widely used in South Asian and Southeast Asian drinks and desserts and are distinct from Thai basil seeds.
Soak in water for 10-15 minutes until the seeds swell to 3-4 times their size and develop a jelly coating; drink or eat immediately. Add to lemonade, coconut milk drinks, or fruit salads.
Where Basil seeds Stands Out
Macronutrients per 100g
Vitamins & Minerals
| Nutrient | Per 100g | % Daily Value* | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iodine | 0.000 µg | 0% | |
| Polyunsaturated fat (PUFA) | 6.70 g | — | |
| Monounsaturated fat | 2.10 g | — | |
| Sucrose | 0.500 g | — | |
| Fructose | 0.000 g | — | |
| Glucose (dextrose) | 0.000 g | — | |
| Glutamic acid | 2.81 g | — | |
| Arginine | 1.78 g | — | |
| Aspartic acid | 1.33 g | — | |
| Leucine | 1.21 g | — | |
| Valine | 0.844 g | — | |
| Phenylalanine | 0.755 g | — | |
| Serine | 0.740 g | — | |
| Proline | 0.740 g | — | |
| Alanine | 0.740 g | — | |
| Isoleucine | 0.681 g | — | |
| Glycine | 0.666 g | — | |
| Threonine | 0.533 g | — | |
| Tyrosine | 0.518 g | — | |
| Lysine | 0.518 g | — | |
| Histidine | 0.385 g | — | |
| Methionine | 0.326 g | — | |
| Cysteine | 0.266 g | — | |
| Tryptophan | 0.222 g | — | |
| Plant sterols (total) | 110 mg | — | |
| β-Sitosterol | 77.0 mg | — | |
| Stigmasterol | 16.5 mg | — | |
| Campesterol | 16.5 mg | — | |
| Omega-3 (Alpha-linolenic acid) | 4.70 g | — | |
| Omega-6 (Linoleic acid) | 2.00 g | — |
* % Daily Value is the proportion of an adult
EU Nutrient Reference Value (NRV) supplied by 100g of this food.
NRVs are the labelling standard — the same basis as the “%RI” figures printed on
food packaging — so these percentages are directly comparable with a shop label.
They are a single adult figure and do not vary by age or sex, which is why they
sometimes differ from UK dietary reference values: the NRV for vitamin C is 80mg
where the UK RNI is 40mg. When Nutriofia assesses your own intake in the
reports and trackers, it uses the age- and sex-specific UK values instead.
Fibre is shown without a percentage. Our fibre values use the UK
Englyst NSP method, while the published 30g daily goal is an AOAC figure — the two
are measured differently and a single percentage would mislead.
How we source and normalise our data →