SFH #178: Holy Basil

Another green plant for Superfood Sunday 🌱

Holy basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum) is also known as tulsi, which means "the incomparable one." It's a sacred source of well-being in the Hindu religion, so much so that most traditional homes and temples in India have at least one of these plants handy for spiritual purity and healing application. So let's take a closer look at this ayurvedic adaptogenic gift known as the 'queen of herbs.'

I love this lesser-known superfood because it's easy to consume as a tea regularly and offers an array of scientifically backed benefits.

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Tulsi is best ingested in tea form as it's more bitter than the traditional sweet basil we find in our everyday culinary experiences. It can also be applied topically (for skin conditions), ingested in capsule form, or as an essential oil extract in a drink, and we can even find holy basil toothpaste. 😁

Here are a few fantastic advantages tulsi presents.

• Enhance metabolism and aid in digestion

• Heal wounds

• Reduce stress and anxiety

• Reduce inflammation

• Aid in more restful sleep

• Fight infections (antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal)

• Reduce blood sugar and cholesterol

• Balance our hormones (even addressing adrenal fatigue)

Here's Dr. Axe breaking down holy basil like a boss. 😉

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4296439/