Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2017 November 1

= November 1 =

Where Can I get Tulsi (holy basil) in USA
[SPAM REMOVED] MER-C 02:22, 2 November 2017 (UTC)


 * The first part of your question is easy. Amazon.
 * Searching for "Tulsi" gives you the Herbal Tea, and some very dubious-looking health products.
 * Searching for "Thai Holy Basil" will give you the more culinary preparations, and also seed packets.
 * The Wikipedia article Tulsi does not go into depth, but it's a good overview.
 * We don't give medical advice here, but it looks like most of the traditional medical uses of this plant seem to be based in ayurvedic medicine, which is not really a science-based system of medicine, but see this summary of moderately evidenced potential medical uses.
 * ApLundell (talk) 16:48, 1 November 2017 (UTC)


 * Most Indian grocers will have tea made from it. I buy it here in Bristol (UK) quite easily. My usual brand is "Organic India" in a pale green cardboard box, and they label that as "USDA Organic", so I presume they export to the US too.
 * It's also [sic] used in Thai cookery, where the leaves will be available in bulk from a Thai or South East Asian grocers (sometimes frozen).  I use these too - it's quite a different flavour from European basil, with a strong aniseed-like taste.  Although some people claim that Tulsi basil isn't the same thing as Thai basil. Andy Dingley (talk) 17:16, 1 November 2017 (UTC)
 * The article for Tulsi specifically says that "it is not to be confused with Thai basil, which is a variety of Ocimum basilicum.".
 * Our articles make it clear that they are not the same species. ApLundell (talk) 18:02, 1 November 2017 (UTC)
 * There are two basils in Thailand, both are used for cookery, both are available in bulk in the West. One (which is not generally called "holy basil" in Thailand, although WP claims this, it's called kaphrao) is the same species as Indian tulsi holy basil. However some people claim that it's a different cultivar within this species. There are also a great many distinct cultivars within the O. basilicum "profane basil", including Italian, Thai and the West African basils. Andy Dingley (talk) 21:19, 1 November 2017 (UTC)
 * Probably more than 2. If you read the Thai basil or Ocimum tenuiflorum it mentions 3, since there is also Lemon basil. Our article suggests, with limited refs, but I've also seen it widely discussed elsewhere that the Ocimum tenuiflorum cultivar/s are probably the most commonly used in Thailand (including for things like basil chicken) although the Ocimum basilicum cultivar/s is what tends to be called Thai basil in the West and what tends to be used in Thai cookery there too. As you say, there is some dispute over whether the Ocimum tenuiflorum cultivars used in Thailand are actually precisely he same as those in India. I would be cautious with this since last time I looked, I found a bunch of those who believed in the sacred/holy aspects not being entirely happy that probably the same thing was widely used in Thailand for ordinary cooking. (Although as mentioned, it is used for medicinal purposes in India.) OTOH, the fact that the areas are slightly separated geographically means I wouldn't be completely surprised if the Thai cultivars are somewhat different from the Indian ones. I can say when I was looking for what I consider proper Thai basil here in NZ, I found the best way to get Ocimum tenuiflorum cultivars was to look for Tulsi from Indian shops (or online). Nil Einne (talk) 13:44, 2 November 2017 (UTC)

Rebound Hunger After Breakfast
Why does eating breakfast (such as cold cereal, oatmeal, etc.) in the morning make me hungrier during the day than not eating breakfast?--WaltCip (talk) 18:33, 1 November 2017 (UTC)
 * If this is a question about you specifically, it is not appropriate here. Questions about your own diet and such should be directed to a your doctor or dietician. Sorry. ApLundell (talk) 19:07, 1 November 2017 (UTC)
 * Ap, this is less disruptive than what Legacypac did, but it's still sort of tiresome. I understand that you don't agree with how the refdesks function, but they neither break your leg nor pick your pocket, so it's unclear what advantage there is to this sort of response.  The question is potentially addressable with references, not of course referring to Walt specifically, but to the more general question that can be inferred. --Trovatore (talk) 19:54, 1 November 2017 (UTC)
 * It's long be standard procedure to attach that sort of note to potential medical questions. (I think a template was made specifically for that purpose, but I was too lazy to dig it out.) In fact for years it was generally considered the only acceptable reason for closing a question. I don't mean to be a wiki-cop here if convention has changed and I'm not aware. I thought I was doing what is normally done. ApLundell (talk) 21:13, 1 November 2017 (UTC)
 * No worries. It didn't trip my "medical" alert but different umps have different strike zones.  The "medical advice" thing is always fraught; there's never been a really good definition.  I'm inclined to interpret it narrowly &mdash; if someone says "I have this symptom, what should I do?" we can't answer that, but I don't really think of hunger as usually what I would call a "symptom". --Trovatore (talk) 00:02, 2 November 2017 (UTC)
 * We might reframe the question as "Does there exist a phenomenon where humans ...insert OP's question here..." Let's us not be so literal about the word "me" in there. 91.155.192.188 (talk) 19:40, 1 November 2017 (UTC)
 * It's not just me.--WaltCip (talk) 19:48, 1 November 2017 (UTC)
 * I've experienced that also, and I always assumed it was because those items just don't have enough substance - they "don't last very long", at least for those individuals with a relatively "fast" metabolism. As compared with high-protein stuff like the astronauts' favorite, steak and eggs. So you get hungry again around mid-morning, and hit the vending machines to tide you over until lunch, where you might have a more filling meal. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 20:16, 1 November 2017 (UTC)
 * Googling the subject "cold cereal not enough for breakfast" yields many items, of which this is one. It confirms what I had always figured. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 20:19, 1 November 2017 (UTC)


 * Eating a meal high in carbohydrates can cause a sugar spike with an attendant spike in insulin level. The increased insulin can then have a paradoxical rebound effect of raising one's hunger after the original sugar has been metabolized.  Having lost 40% of my body weight by addressing sugar and insulin issues, I'd suggest you consult a nutritionist and/or an endocrinologist if this is of medical concern. μηδείς (talk) 20:28, 1 November 2017 (UTC)
 * This is especially noticeable if there's a lot of sugar in the breakfast. One of the worst offenders is hotcakes and syrup, where you can practically "crash" mid-morning, which is why I don't eat that kind of thing anymore - unless also eating eggs and meat (such as sausage) with it, to help mitigate the inevitable sugar-low. And I totally agree that if the OP feels he's suffering ill health from his approach to breakfast, he should see his physician and/or another professional. There's some general info at Blood sugar level. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 20:44, 1 November 2017 (UTC)
 * The relevant Wikipedia article seems to be Reactive hypoglycemia. Alansplodge (talk) 11:09, 2 November 2017 (UTC)
 * Ugh, that article should subsume sugar crash, but I am not interested in the tar baby of such mechanics. μηδείς (talk) 19:10, 2 November 2017 (UTC)
 * I've added the appropriate tags. Feel free to contribute to the discussion at Talk:Reactive hypoglycemia. Tevildo (talk) 07:26, 4 November 2017 (UTC)