Sabja seeds or sweet basil seeds drink – how to use sabja seeds. Sabja seeds also called as tukumaria or sweet basil seeds are commonly used for Falooda, sherbet and in other Asian drinks. It is believed in India that they help to beat the summer heat, keeping the body cool.

Due to the gelatinous nature when soaked, they help in cleaning the walls of the stomach, help to regulate the bowel movements and flush the toxins from the stomach.
Some folks get dehydrated fast in summer and get constipated especially kids, for them a drink made of these seeds is very beneficial.
Sweet basil seeds can be used in sherbets and drinks made with any fruit like watermelon juice, lemonade, and cucumber juice or even with tender coconut water.
Use rock sugar, also called as kalkanda in telugu as it is considered to be a better sweetener for summer. I do not know the exact reason why rock sugar is favored in Ayurveda especially during summer.
In our families we consider rock sugar to have a cooling effect on the body and best to use in summer.
Though I prefer to eat my fruits as is, sometimes a fruit in the form of juice definitely makes sense on a hot day. It keeps us refreshed and hydrated.
You may like to check fruit juice recipes,
Wheatgrass juice
Orange juice
Pomegrante juice
Apple juice
Learn how to use sabja seeds in drinks and sherbet
Pick and clean debris and stones from the seeds.

Wash the seeds multiple times and drain them in a coffee filter.
Soak them in just enough water. This is how they look after soaked.

Blend the cardamom powder, water melon or any other juicy fruit like pineapple or pear to smooth.
Add lemon juice, soaked sabja seeds ,mix and serve.

Sabja seeds or sweet basil seeds drink | How to use sabja seeds
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )
to soak
- 1 tsp sabja seeds / Basil seeds
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup water
to make a drink or sherbet
- Fruit cubes as needed (water melon or any juicy fruit or tender coconut water)
- Rock sugar as needed (I did not use any sweetener)
- lemon juice , Few drops
- 1 Pinch green cardamom powder (optional)
Instructions
- clean and pick stones and mud from the seeds.
- Add them to a coffee filter and wash under running water, to finish off pour a cup of drinking water to rinse them
- Soak them in 1/4 to 1/2 cup water for about 2 hours. Add them to any fruit juice, barley water or ice cream or kheer.
Notes
Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.
For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
© Swasthi’s Recipes
If you are looking for more healthy and natural summer drinks, you can check
dry dates juice
barley water
aloe vera juice
Diana says
Can you add soaked basil seeds in hot coffee?
Thinking to add it to my coffee in the morning.
swasthi says
Hi Diana,
The seeds can be soaked in warm water but not in hot water. I guess the medicinal values will be lost by putting them in hot water.
Umesh says
How long Soaked sabja seeds can be used .
Eg: I soaked sabja seeds on Sunday,weather it could be use up to next Sunday.
swasthi says
May be you can refrigerate and use.
Shanthi says
Hi swasthi,
For how many days we should continue taking these sabja seeds for weigth loss?
Thanks
swasthi says
Hi Shanthi
These will work well to reduce weight only if there are toxins accumulated in the stomach. They can be taken for about 3 months continuously.
Seshadri says
Sabja seeds how many times we can have it in a day and what will be the quantity.
swasthi says
You can have it 2 times a day. You can begin with 1 tbsp a day. They will absorb water and become a lot. Best time is to consume them is around 11 am and 2 to 3 pm.
Sonali says
How long can we use the soaked sabja seeds? Can we keep it in refrigerator and use it next day?
swasthi says
Yes sonali they keep good for 2 days in fridge
Anu says
Hi swasthi
I hv one doubt in the preparation……do v need to drain the water after soaking basil seeds for 2hrs to add it to fruit juice or add it along with water
Its a super recipe as basil nit just helps in reducing body heat but also has high iron content and also helos to reduce cravings
U r simply super
swasthi says
Hi Anu,
How are you all doing? After soaking sabja in water you will not be able to seperate the water as everything becomes thick. You will have to just add it to the juice along with water.
Didn’t know it helps to reduce cravings. Thank you.
:smile:.
nagaraj says
I did not get the idea whether sabz seed juice or sherbat to be used in day time or morning or evenings. can anyone clarify.
swasthi says
You can use it any time
jagannadh says
nice information and worth trying. big thanks
Deepa says
Nourishing drink…Basil seeds add extra look for the drink.
sunil says
If i am suffering from acidity and gasious stomach in ayurveda called as vayoo formation
basil seeds are better or what ?
pls confirm
sunil
swasthi says
Hi Sunil,
There are so many kinds of vayu, all stomach gas and acidity are not same. Basil seeds work great if your vayu is due to wrong eating habits. Toxins build up in the stomach due to bad combinations of foods (eg milk and egg together or milk and fruit together or curd and protein). This leads to gas and acidity. Basil seeds help to clear up the toxins from the walls of the intestine, so helps to expel gas and provide relief. But you also need to find the cause of vayu for complete remedy.
Eating in the late hours
eating wrong combinations
sleeping immediately after food are some reasons for vayu. Try to find what is causing, that will fix your problem. You can use soaked basil seeds in plain water for 1 week and check.
Hope this helps
Ruxana Gafoor says
refreshing drink..I love adding basil seeds in any drink..
divya says
Yum yum, seriously wat a tempting drink, salivating here.
Amrita Vishal says
Looks perfect to beat the heat
Saranya Balaji says
Healthy and refreshing drink…
Kamalika C says
Sounds Interesting…
Sireesha Puppala says
U r one kitchen queen thanks for this swasthi
Kalpana Sareesh says
love it..
Nabanita Das says
Healthy Drink…
Meena Selvakumaran says
Refreshing drink,<br />
Hari Chandana P says
Very healthy and refreshing drink.. perfect for this hot summer!
Shailaja Reddy says
Healthy drink with heat beating seeds.
Tamilarasi Sasikumar says
Comforting drink to beat summer…
Namrata Surana says
Sabja seed is really amazing and it is very very good for health cooling, as I got more than 30 boils and after having so many medicine since 3 months no effect in boils but after having sabja seeds in water with rock sugar for 20 days it got perfectly fine. Must try…….
swasthi says
Hi Namrata,
That’s such a amazing thing to know.I am sure other readers are going to benefit from your comment.Thanks a lot for sharing your experience.