Basil is an herb that is a part of the mint family.
It is considered to be the King of Herbs, and this rightfully so as basil translates to king in Greek.
It closely resembles peppermint in appearance.
It is characterized by silky, green pointed leaves which are accented with white flowers.
Basil can reach heights of 30-130 centimeters.
It grows best in direct sunlight in dry hot conditions and it is extremely sensitive to cold.
It is native to the regions which are currently Indian and Iran and has a history which spans over 5,000 years.
Cultivation has spread the herb to countries in Southern Europe, Australia, Canada and the United States.
It is characterized by its very unique and strong smell and distinct taste that resembles anise or licorice.
There are a number of different basil varieties.
It is estimated that there are nearly 50-150 types of basil.
Basil types are sometimes separated by the regions in which they are cultivated such as Asian and Mediterranean basils.
Asian basils are said to posses a clove flavor.
Popular basil types include holy basil which is cultivated in China and lemon basil which is used most frequently in Indonesia and is characterized by its lemony smell.
       Basil contains a many different properties which make it very useful.
It is an excellent source of vitamins A and C.
It also contains iron, calcium, potassium, manganese, magnesium and fiber.
IT also contains a variety of components which add to its health improving qualities.
There are fifteen components in basil some of which include pinene, linalool, ocimene, terpineol and eiiugenol.
These components play a significant part in the different fragrances essential oils that are produced from the basil family.
For example, lemon basil has a strong lemon smell because of high levels of citral whereas sweet basil smells like cloves because of the occurrence of high levels of eugenol.
Basil is used quite frequently for food.
Basil is heavily used in Italian cuisine and basil is one of the main ingredients in the popular Italian sauce pesto.
It is sometimes used to flavor jams and sauces and it complements berry dishes and products.
Many believe that fresh basil is best when used for cooking and this herb usually applied as a seasoning agent at the end of the cooking process as cooking basil is said to ruin the flavor.
Dried basil is available but doesn't have the same flavor as the fresh variety.
Basil is also used for a number of medical purposes.
It is known to offer a number of health benefits.
It possesses anti-bacterial agents which are effective in treating a number of different ailments.
Some people utilize basil for its anti-inflammatory properties and for some it is used as a natural alternative to anti-inflammatory drugs such as NSAIDS to treat such condition as rheumatoid arthritis.
The high levels of vitamin A, beta-carotene, magnesium and potassium make the consumption of basil excellent for prevent and reducing negative cardiovascular occurrences.
Thus, basil is an herb which has been used for centuries to season foods and fight a number of ailments.