Basil

Nicholas Culpeper noted of basil that it was "an herb of Mars and under the Scorpion, and therefore called Basilicon",[9] relating it to basilisk.

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Nomenclature and taxonomy Most commercially available basils are cultivars of sweet basil. There are over 160 named cultivars available, with new ones appearing every year. There are also a number of species sold. Here are some basils commonly sold in the US. For a more complete list, see List of basil cultivars:

Basil B

asil, Thai basil, or sweet basil, is a common name for the culinary herb Ocimum basilicum of the family Lamiaceae (mints), sometimes known as Saint Joseph's Wort in some English speaking countries.

Basil is possibly native to India,[3] and has been cultivated there for more than 5,000 years.[4] It was thoroughly familiar to the Greek

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authors Theophrastus[5] and Dioscorides. It is a half-hardy annual plant, best known as a culinary herb prominently featured in Italian cuisine, and also plays a major role in Southeast Asian cuisines of Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Taiwan. Depending on the species and cultivar, the leaves may taste somewhat like anise, with a strong, pungent, often sweet smell.

Etymology The word basil comes from the Greek βασιλεύς (basileus), meaning "king",[6] as it has come to be associated with the Feast of the Cross commemorating the finding of the True Cross by St. Helena, mother of the emperor Constantine I.[7] The herbalist John Gerard noted that those stung by scorpions would feel no pain if they ate of basil,[8] and

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African blue basil (Ocimum basilicum X O. kilimandscharicum)

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Anise basil or Persian basil (Licorice basil || O. basilicum 'Licorice'||)

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Camphor basil, African basil (O. kilimandscharicum)

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Cinnamon basil (Ocimum basilicum 'Cinnamon')

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Dark opal basil (Ocimum basilicum 'Dark Opal')

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Globe basil, dwarf basil, French basil (Ocimum basilicum 'Minimum'[11])

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Hoary basil (Ocimum americanum formerly known as O. canum)

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Holy basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum, formerly known a O. sanctum)

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Spice basil (a cultivar of Ocimum americanum, which is sometimes sold as holy basil)

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Lemon basil (Ocimum americanum)

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Lettuce leaf basil (Ocimum basilicum 'Crispum')

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Purple basil (Ocimum basilicum 'Purpurescens')

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Queen of Siam basil (Ocimum basilicum citriodorum)

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Rubin basil (Ocimum basilicum 'Rubin')

Culinary use Basil is most commonly used fresh in cooked recipes. In general, it is added at the last moment, as cooking quickly destroys the flavor.

The fresh herb can be kept for a short time in plastic bags in the

refrigerator, or for a longer period in the freezer, after being blanched quickly in boiling water. The dried herb also loses most of its flavor, and what little flavor remains tastes very different, with a weak coumarin flavor, like hay.

Basil is one of the main ingredients in pesto—a green Italian oil-andherb sauce.

The most commonly used Mediterranean basil cultivars are "Genovese", "Purple Ruffles", "Mammoth", "Cinnamon", "Lemon", "Globe", and "African Blue". The Chinese also use fresh or dried basils in soups and other foods. In Taiwan, people add fresh basil leaves to thick soups (Chinese: 羹湯; pinyin: gēngtāng). They also eat fried chicken with deep-fried basil leaves.

Basil (most commonly Thai basil) is commonly steeped in cream or milk to create an interesting flavor in ice cream or chocolates (such as truffles). The leaves are not the only part of basil used in culinary applications, the flower buds have a more subtle flavor and they are edible.

Thai basil is also a condiment in the Vietnamese noodle soup, phở.

Seeds When soaked in water, the seeds of several basil varieties become gelatinous, and are used in Asian drinks and desserts such as faluda, sherbet or hột é.

Folk use Basil is used for its medicinal properties in Ayurveda, the traditional medicinal system of India and Siddha medicine, a traditional Tamil system of medicine. They are also used as a drinks in Southeast Asia.

Other cultivars Several other basils, including some other Ocimum species, are grown in many regions of Asia. Most of the Asian basils have a clove-like flavor that is, in general, stronger than the Mediterranean basils. The most notable is the holy basil or tulsi, a revered home-grown plant in India and Nepal. In China, the local cultivar is called (Chinese: ; pinyin: jiǔ céng tǎ; literally: "ninelevel pagoda"), while the imported varieties are called (Chinese: pinyin: luó lè) or (Chinese: ; pinyin: bā xī lǐ), although often refers to a different plant—parsley.

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not pushed under the upper lip of the corolla, but lie over the inferior lip. After entomophilous pollination, the corolla falls off and four round achenes develop inside the bilabiate calyx.

decrease the occurrence of platelet aggregation and experimental thrombus in mice.[33] It is traditionally used for supplementary treatment of stress, asthma and diabetes mellitus in India.[34]

Although basil grows best outdoors, it can be grown indoors in a pot and, like most herbs, will do best on an equator-facing windowsill. It should be kept away from extremely cold drafts, and grows best in strong sunlight, therefore a greenhouse or row cover is ideal if available. It can, however, be grown even in a basement, under fluorescent lights.

Cultural aspects

Companion planting In double-blind taste tests, basil has been found not to significantly affect the taste of tomatoes when planted adjacent to them.

Chemical components

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linalyl acetate

3. methyl cinnamate – ether 90%

Diseases

The various basils have such different scents because the herb has a number of different essential oils that come together in different proportions for various breeds. The strong clove scent of sweet basil is derived from eugenol, the same chemical as actual cloves.[14] The citrus scent of lemon basil and lime basil reflects their higher portion of citral, which causes this effect in several plants including lemon mint, and of limonene, which gives actual lemon peel its scent. African blue basil has a strong camphor smell because it contains camphor and camphene in higher proportions.

Licorice basil contains anethole, the same chemical.

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fenchyl acetate

4. eugenol

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trans-ocimene

Aroma profiles

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1,8-cineole

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camphor octanane[dubious – discuss]

Basil suffers from several plant pathogens that can ruin the crop and reduce yield. Fusarium wilt is a soil-borne fungal disease that will quickly kill younger basil plants.

Seedlings may also be killed by Pythium damping off.

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methyl eugenol

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methyl chavicol[15]

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eugenol[15]

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beta-caryophyllene

Other chemicals that help to produce the distinctive scents of many basils, depending on their proportion in each specific breed, include: •

Based on chemical content, basils can be divided into four groups: 1. French; Ocimum basilicum, contains lower amounts of phenols 2. exotic; contains methyl chavicol (40–80%)

citronellol (scented geraniums, roses, and citronella)[15]

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linalool[16] (a flowery scent also in coriander)

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myrcene (bay leaf, myrcia)[17]

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pinene (which is, as the name implies, the chemical that gives pine oil its scent)

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ocimene[17]

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terpineol

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Basil Coconut Chia Pudding

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1,8-cineole[18][19]

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Bergamotene[20]

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Eugenol[18][20]

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Linalool[18][20]

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Methyl chavicol[19][20]

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Methyl cinnamate[20][21]

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Methyl eugenol[18][22]

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Phenylpropanoids[18]

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trans-β-Ocimene Cultivation Most culinary and ornamental basils are cultivars of the species Ocimum basilicum, but other species are also grown and there are many hybrids between species.

Traditionally a green plant, some varieties, such as 'Purple Delight' have leaves that appear purple.[23]

Basil grows between 30–130 cm (12–51 in) tall, with opposite, light green, silky leaves 3–11 cm (1.2–4.3 in) long and 1–6 cm (0.39–2.36 in) broad. The flowers are small, white in color and arranged in a terminal spike. Unusual among Lamiaceae, the four stamens and the pistil are

A common foliar disease of basil is gray mold caused by Botrytis cinerea; it can also cause infections post-harvest and is capable of killing the entire plant. Black spot can also be seen on basil foliage and is caused by the fungi genus Colletotrichum.

There are many rituals and beliefs associated with basil. The French sometimes call basil "l'herbe royale" ("royal herb"),[36] while in Welsh it has the synonymous name "brenhinllys".[37][38] Jewish folklore suggests it adds strength while fasting.[39] In Portugal, dwarf bush basil is traditionally presented in a pot, together with a poem and a pom-pom, to a sweetheart, on the religious holidays of Saint John and Saint Anthony.

However, basil represented hatred in ancient Greece, and European lore sometimes claims that basil is a symbol of Satan.

Toxicity studies A study of the essential oil showed antifungal and insect-repelling properties.[46] A similar study reported in 2009 has confirmed that extracts from the plant are very toxic to mosquitos.[47] However, the plant is not toxic to rats.[12] Little information is available about any potential toxicity in humans.

More recently, downy mildew of basil caused by Peronospora belbahrii has been a huge problem for both commercial producers and home growers. The disease was first reported in Italy in 2004,[26] and was also reported in the U.S. in 2007 and 2008[27][28] and has been steadily increasing in prevalence, distribution, and economic importance since then.

Potential health effects Recently, there has been much research into the health benefits conferred by the essential oils found in basil. Scientific studies in vitro have established that compounds in basil oil have potent antioxidant, antiviral, and antimicrobial properties, and potential for use in treating cancer.[29][30][31][32] In addition, basil has been shown to

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