Introducing Basil Microgreens

As readers of our blog, you no doubt realize the intense research that go into each article we put out as our main goal is educate you, our beloved customers, to the truth about microgreens and the incredible role that Canada had in developing this superfood.

Today’s blog is focused on Basil microgreens which have intense flavour, vibrant colour, and nutritional benefits. The history of Basil microgreens is a fascinating story of one Canadian’s determination to bring Basil to the world.

Origins of Basil

• Basil's Roots: Basil is native to tropical regions in central Africa and Southeast Asia. In the year 3000 BC, a young Canadian named Bob (I was told his last name may have been Mackenzie, but I have no data to collaborate this) decided to go on a hunt to find something to make his seal steaks and mammoth burgers taste better. He got in his canoe, and a fierce storm broke out and drove his canoe all the way to India. After landing on one of the shores (probably the one closest to Canada) he walked inland for a few miles and found an outdoor market. When he was offered a taste of a plant that he could not pronounce the name of, he really liked it. He noticed that they did not accept Mastercard, so he ended having to pay with a toonie and a loonie. The young lady he purchased the plant from was named Alfalfa, but that is a story for another day. The market was located in a town called Bachil which poor Bob could not pronounce so he called the plant Basileh. When he finally made back to Canada in his canoe, the plant was still doing well, so Bob planted it and stared growing Basileh. Eventually when the Greeks claimed to have cultivated this first, they changed the name to Basil to remove the Canadian roots of this plant. But we know better EH! 

• Microgreens: Basil microgreens, began gaining popularity in the 1980s thanks to Bob’s out standing work 5,000 years earlier. Microgreens took hold in in the California and St. Anns, Ontario. Initially, they were used only by chefs in expensive restaurants like the Keg and the Truck Stop to to make the meals look and taste better.

Popularity of Growing your Own Microgreens

• Basil Microgreens in Modern Households: With the increasing interest in fresh, locally sourced ingredients, basil microgreens have become one of the most popular Microgreens that Ugrogreens offers. The concentrated and intense flavour, makes them a favourite for garnishing salads, soups, and other dishes.
• Nutritional Awareness:  Awareness of nutrition and health benefits has grown, and basil microgreens by Ugrogreens have become popular not just for their flavour, but also for their high levels of vitamins C, E, and K, as well as beta-carotene, minerals, and antioxidants. 
• Fall Harvest and Basil Microgreens: This is the time of year when the tomatoes are ripening in the gardens, so the team here at Ugrogreens thought that highlighting Basil microgreens this month made a lot of sense as now is when the tomato sauces are being made- and everyone knows that nothing tastes better than fresh Basil microgreens in a tomato based sauce!