A yummy cup of tea with 3 big health benefits

 

I recently came across an interesting recent study done with a plant I love, Holy Basil or Tulsi (also known as Ocimum sanctum).

If you’ve ever been to my home or office, you know I have Tulsi leaf tea stashed everywhere ready to offer to you.  This research just confirmed for me why I love sharing this herb so much.

In my earlier days, I’ve heard about Tulsi from several people and even tried it a few times.  And I remember the exact time I started to appreciate this plant and everything it has to offer.

Several years back I signed up for an herbal apprenticeship in Western Massachusetts at the Goldthread Apothecary & Herb Farm with a clinical herbalist William Siff.Every morning before our work and studies would begin, we were invited to try a hot cup of herbal tea with lemon and honey.

Tulsi quickly became my favorite. The aroma, the taste, and the pleasant feeling lingered for quite some time each day.

I remember being taught that a daily cup of Tulsi/Ginger tea is your recipe to healthy transition seasons (those are spring and fall when you are more likely to catch colds and get sick in general).

Native to India, this plant is revered for its health and protective effects and actually thought of as the “Queen of Herbs”.  Traditionally, most Indian families have a pot with Tulsi bush growing in each home or garden.

In the US, herbal farmers learned to grow the plant as well in a different climate, although typically it has to be planted every year.

Tulsi is a member of Mint family, and looks similar to peppermint or spearmint you might be used to.  Like other mints, Tulsi has a lot of volatile oils that fill your room with a lovely scent and make drinking your tea a wonderful experience.

Aside all the sensory experiences drinking Tulsi, it has 3 great reasons why you should consider giving it a try.

1. Adaptogen

Tulsi is known as a mild adaptogen.  Plants that support your adrenal glands, help you to fight fatigue and resist the stress of daily living are called adaptogens.

Many of them are quite expensive – various types of ginsengs are examples of this category.  Tulsi grows quickly like a typical mint and, as a result, can be purchased at a more reasonable price.

2. Cerebral circulatory agent and neuroprotective

The research I mentioned earlier looked at ways of helping people to think more clearly and react quickly.

One of my herbal teachers, David Winston, writes about Tulsi’s ability to enhance memory, decrease cloudy thinking and even help with recovery from head trauma injuries.

3. Immunomodulator

This is another reason why I think Tulsi should become your friend.  As other mints, Tulsi has antiviral and antibacterial properties and works well with other plants, like ginger, to keep your body healthy.

It’s considered to enhance your immune function and immunologic response.

Tulsi is very safe.  The entire herbal community is in love with this herb. And I’ve never really heard of any safety issues.

When I decided to write about Tulsi, however, I checked my resources to make sure that’s true.  In animal studies Tulsi has been shown to have some anti-fertility effects.

As a result, this isn’t a good herb to use during pregnancy.  Another possible precaution (like with other mints), is thyroid gland dysfunction.

If you are becoming as excited about Tulsi as I am, a good place to start is the tea section of your supermarket.  A company called Organic India creates tea bags of Tulsi blends.

Sweet Rose is my favorite, but you can find many other flavors or other brands.

[tweet]Tulsi has 3 great reasons why you should consider giving it a try.[/tweet]

Questions: Which of the Tulsi’s three indications resonate the most with you? Do you have a favorite herbal tea?

Image courtesy of Goldthread Apothecary & Herb Farm/ My friend Angie harvesting Tulsi