Organic basil

Sweet basil (botanically: Ocimum basilicum) is familiar to everyone as a Mediterranean culinary herb. Fresh or dried, it is added to sauces and soups, tops pizzas and salads, pairs well with fish and meat, is processed into pesto, and is essential in tomato sauce and ratatouille. It is also processed into basil leaf extract, a fine brownish-yellow powder. The extract contains a broad spectrum of different compounds. It is used in the food and cosmetics industries. During its flowering season, this member of the mint family attracts many insects in the garden, especially bumblebees, bees, and butterflies. Like many herbs, basil is also associated with superstition and mystical significance. This tip is fairly harmless and worth trying: Keeping a pot of basil indoors is said to keep flies away.

How is basil leaf extract made?

There are many different varieties of sweet basil—including fine-leaved and red-leaved basil, Thai basil, lemon basil, anise basil and cinnamon basil, Neapolitan basil, and numerous other varieties. Tulsi, or holy basil, does not belong to the sweet basil genus; it is a separate species (Ocimum tenuiflorum) with different active compounds. In India, tulsi is considered “holy basil” and is used as a remedy in Ayurvedic medicine. For BERTRAND meal drinks, we use sweet basil.

1. CULTIVATION

   In our regions, basil grows as an annual herbaceous plant reaching a height of 20 to 60 centimeters. It is sown between March and April, and its flowering period is from June to September. Basil requires a sunny, warm location sheltered from the wind. The soil should be well-drained and rich in nutrients, while ideally never drying out completely. This means that basil crops require a considerable amount of water during the summer months. Waterlogging must be avoided, as it can otherwise lead to root rot or fungal infections. Overall, basil is therefore a relatively high-maintenance herb.

   SUNNY AND SHELTERED FROM THE WIND

2. HARVEST

   Basil can be harvested at any time, and several times a year, once it has reached a certain size. This is generally the case from May onward and can continue into late autumn. The herb has its most intense aroma shortly before flowering. Special machines are used for harvesting; they cut the herb and transport it via conveyor belts into crates or sacks.

   FRESH SEVERAL TIMES A YEAR

3. EXTRACTION

   For our BERTRAND drinking meals, we need an extract from basil leaves. The term extract means “a drawing out” (from the Latin extrahere = to draw out). The process used for this is called extraction. In our specific case, we are producing a dry extract, because our products require a powdered preparation. During production, a solvent such as water is used, which is then evaporated. A solid residue remains.

   PLEASE DRY

4. DRYING AND GRINDING

   After extraction, the remaining mass of the original product—in this case, the basil leaves—is subjected to another drying process. Here, it is important that the basil used is highly aromatic, because some of its aroma and flavor compounds are lost during drying.

   WE WANT THE FLOUR

Why basil?

For our BERTRAND drinking meals, we use organic basil leaf extract primarily because of its high content of B-group vitamins. Basil contains all known B vitamins. Our goal is to incorporate all vitamins, minerals, and trace elements into our drinking meals in quantities that reliably meet or even slightly exceed the recommended daily minimum amounts. Basil makes a valuable contribution overall, especially with regard to the B vitamins.
The so-called vitamin B complex comprises eight B vitamins: vitamin B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B5 (pantothenic acid), B6 (pyridoxine), B7 (biotin), B9 (folic acid/folate), and B12 (cobalamin). All B vitamins are water-soluble, meaning they are barely stored by the body. They therefore need to be obtained regularly, preferably daily, through food. All B vitamins are involved in numerous metabolic processes. Energy production and storage; protein, fat, and amino acid metabolism; the effects of certain hormones; the formation of neurotransmitters; nerve metabolism and signal transmission; blood formation; cell division; the transmission of genetic information; and support for the immune system—all these are areas in which the various B vitamins play an important, sometimes central, role. Just as their functions are diverse, the symptoms of a deficiency in one B vitamin or another can also vary widely. People who engage in strenuous muscle-building sports, as well as pregnant and breastfeeding women, have an increased need for vitamin B.
In addition to vitamin B, basil leaf extract contains vitamins A, C, D, and E, as well as considerable amounts of the minerals magnesium, potassium, and calcium. Secondary plant compounds also play an important role: basil is rich in essential oils. Eugenol, a fragrance compound with an intense clove-like aroma, is particularly noteworthy. Eugenol is well known in dentistry, where it is valued for its pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory properties. The terpene alcohol linalool, also contained in basil’s essential oil, is an intermediate product in the synthesis of vitamin E. Overall, the constituents of the herb positively influence and reinforce one another, which is referred to as a “synergy effect.”
Basil is a very delicate herb, and its constituents are quickly lost during cooking. Our organic basil leaf extract preserves the valuable nutrients and even concentrates them. This means that the nutrient density of the extract is increased.

Problems caused by basil?

The popular culinary herb is not entirely harmless in large quantities. The essential oil eugenol is present in high concentrations, and it not only combats free radicals but can also produce them itself during metabolism. This property is referred to as “pro-oxidative.” Under certain circumstances, this can damage skin and mucous membrane cells. Pure eugenol is even considered a cellular toxin. Of course, we use basil leaf extract only in such small quantities as an ingredient in our products that the secondary plant compound it contains cannot pose any danger.