Tulsi Leaf Tea - Holy Basil Tea

Tulsi Leaf Tea - Holy Basil Tea
Tulsi leaf tea, also known as holy basil tea, is a caffeine-free herbal tea made from the leaves of the Ocimum sanctum plant.
Tulsi is one of many names for the plant Ocimum sanctum, which is also called holy basil. An herbal tea made out of the tulsi leaf and also often pieces of stem and flower has been used for generations in Ayurveda, the traditional medicine of India. Although in India, tulsi is primarily used for medicinal properties, the leaves of the same plant are used in the cuisine of other countries. In Thailand, this plant is called kha phrao.

Tulsi is not well-known in western countries:

Although tulsi tea has historically not been well known in the United States and other western countries, or widely consumed either for food or medicinal use in these areas, it is becoming better known. Herbalists are hailing holy basil as an adaptogen, meaning an herb that is safe to consume in the long-term and has a normalizing effect on the body.

Traditional use of Tulsi / Holy Basil:

Tulsi is traditionally used for a variety of purposes, including helping the body to adapt to stress, and treating diabetes, among other things. The herb is also thought to aid mental function in a number of ways.

Chemical composition of tulsi leaf:

The leaf and other parts of the holy basil plant contain a number of bioactive compounds, including eugenol, which is the principal component of the essential oil of clove. Eugenol has been studied scientifically, and is known to have potent analgesic or pain killing properties. However, tulsi also contains a number of other chemicals, which is of critical importance, because eugenol alone can be harmful to the liver. But there is evidence that the total blend of chemicals in tulsi actually has a protective effect on the liver, for reasons that are not fully understood. Because the different chemicals in the Ocimum sanctum plant interact in complex ways, the plant is usually studied as a whole, rather than isolating the individual chemical components of the essential oil.

Scientific Study of Tulsi or Ocimum sanctum

There have been a number of scientific studies conducted on Ocimum sanctum and tulsi leaf tea. Although most of the studies have been limited to laboratory experiments, in vitro, and in lab animals, there have been some controlled clinical trials in humans for certain uses. One controlled trial in humans demonstrated that the extract of the holy basil plant was effective for treating depression and anxiety, which is significant as the plant does not have the same problems with strong side-effects that plague many prescription antidepressants. Outside of these results, tulsi is also known to have antimicrobial effects. Its traditional use to treat diabetes has been validated to some degree by animal studies, which found that it actually does lower blood sugar.

What does tulsi leaf tea taste like?

Tulsi leaf tea has a pleasing spicy aroma and smooth flavor. In some ways it resembles the familiar sweet basil plant, but it has stronger tones of clove and spice in the aroma. Some people describe tulsi as having an overall flavor profile similar to masala chai or spiced tea. Appropriately, some tea companies actually blend tulsi with black tea, much in the same way black tea is blended with spices to make masala chai.