A favorite herb and spice found in Italian dishes, Thai dishes, and some middle eastern dishes, sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) is one of several varieties of basil known not only for its ability to add flavor, but medicinal aspects as well. In these regions, the basil plant has not only been used in cooking, but also in healing for centuries.
The plant is lush green with smooth rounded-edges and pointed-tip leaves. The leaves resemble peppermint leaves, as the two plants are closely related. Sweet basil is the most common form of garden basil and can be found dried in the spice aisle, fresh in the produce aisle, or still in the dirt of many gardeners fortunate enough to cultivate it.