Basil, Thai basil, or sweet basil, is a common name for the culinary herb Ocimum basilicum. Basil is originally native to India, having been cultivated there for more than 5,000 years, but was thoroughly familiar to Theophrastus 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, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and the cuisine of Taiwan. Depending on the species and cultivar, the leaves may taste somewhat like anise, with a strong, pungent, often sweet smell.
There are many varieties of Ocimum basilicum, as well as several related species or species hybrids also called basil. The type used in Italian food is typically called sweet basil, as opposed to Thai basil (O. basilicum var. thyrsiflora), lemon basil (O. X citriodorum) and holy basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum), which are used in Asia. While most common varieties of basil are treated as annuals, some are perennial in warm, tropical climates, including holy basil and a cultivar known as 'African Blue'.
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.
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 that makes anise smell like licorice, and in fact is sometimes called "anise basil."
Basil oil is a very beneficial oil and can be helpful not only for headaches and migraines, but also has an uplifting effect on depression.
It is effective in digestive disorders, ranging from nausea to hiccups, and for infections in the respiratory tract. It is useful for wasp and insect bites, particularly that of mosquitoes.
Burners and vaporizers
In vapor therapy, basil oil can be used for migraines, headaches and to help increase concentration and clear the mind.
Blended in the bath
When adding basil oil to a warm bath, it can help relieve gout and arthritis, as well as muscular and menstrual pains.
Basil oil blends well with
Although essential oils blend well with each other, Basil oil goes particularly well with oils such as: Bergamot, Black Pepper, Cedarwood, Fennel, Ginger, Geranium, Grapefruit, Lavender, Lemon, Marjoram, Neroli and Verbena. |