Tulsi Basil

Thank you to everyone who came to the tea lecture and tasting last Sunday! We did not have enough time to discuss herbals and I promised to share more information about the benefits of Tulsi Basil(Ocimum tenuiflorum). In my opinion, tulsi is one of the most beneficial herbals that we know of (plus, it makes delicious tea)! Tulsi has been used for over a thousand years in Ayurveda- most often for balancing the body effects. Tulsi is used for stomach problems, headaches, inflammation, poisoning, heart disease and the common cold. It has anti-bacterial properties and recent studies suggest that tulsi may be a COX-2 inhibitor (pain reliever) as well as being a possible treatment for diabetes by reducing blood glucose levels. Tulsi is commonly used in South Asia as a medicinal plant. Just be sure you don't confuse tulsi basil with Thai basil- the latter is used for cooking only.