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| holy basil water - July, 1999 |
Ocimum spp. - O. tenuiflorum / O. sanctum / O. gratissimum – Holy Basil
Family: Lamiaceae
The lovely aromatic Ocimum species, often referred to as tulsi, as well as holy basil, is considered native to India where it has been cultivated and engaged for spiritual and medicinal value for centuries, and where it is honored as an elixir of life. It grows throughout western and southeast Asia, Central and South America, as well as Puerto Rico where, in its native range, it’s a perennial. It can easily be grown in my realm of the world - southern "New England" - as a garden annual, which sometimes reseeds itself.
Botanically it’s referred to as an erect, many-branched herbaceous subshrub that grows to about two feet tall with furry stems and spiraling leaves. The deliciously fragrant leaves are small (about 2”) and ovate green (Lakshmi) or purple (Krishna) and slightly toothed. The purplish flowers cluster in close whorls of elongated racemes. Holy basil prefers rich, moist soil, full sun to partial shade.
It’s been a common medicinal for thousands of years in Ayurveda tradition, as well as a highly valued herb in the spiritual practice if Hinduism. The common name tulsi is Sanskrit for “the incomparable one,” or “beyond compare,” often relating to goddess Lakshmi.
Harvest: Aerial parts – typically before bloom, or at bud, but (ideally) before full flowering. Harvest the leaves any time from spring to killing frost, the plant appreciates trimming and offers more branches and leaves in gratitude.
Taste: Sweet and bitter, and pungent, astringent.
Humors/ Energetics: Drying, warming and cooling, stimulating and relaxing. I call its nature deliciously nuanced; like us.
Actions: Adaptogenic, alterative, analgesic, anthelminthic, anticancer, (mild) anticoagulant, antidepressant, antimicrobial, antioxidant, anxiolytic, astringent, cardiovascular tonic, demulcent, (aromatic) digestive, expectorant, hepaprotective, immunomodulant, (relaxing) nervine, neuroprotective, radioprotective, (all around) tonic.
Chakra Association: Root and Heart and Crown - for its centering, grounding and uplifting qualities. You’re mileage may vary.
Constituents: Flavonoids, mucilage, tannins, triterpenes, ursolic acid, volatile oils, and more. Vitamins A and C, and more.
Contraindications: It’s suggested that it be avoided during Pregnancy, as well as by couples striving to conceive, as there’s anti-fertility potential. Those talking ℞ blood thinners may want to temper their intake due to mild anticoagulant actions, or work with a practitioner to adjust their ℞ dosage. Likewise, those talking ℞ insulin may need to temper their intake and adjust their ℞ dosage.
Ways we engage this botanical:
When I first sat down to document my experience with this herb—which I had been engaging and growing for decades—I felt challenged when I realized I had pretty much been engaging it mostly as tea and in tea blends. I had made the occasional vinegar infusion and subsequent oxymels and shrubs, which were clearly enjoyed. At the time of the first draft of this document, there wasn’t a bottle of any variation to be found in my little hut, or on any apothecary shelf. I’d used it fresh, in summertime food and beverages, in fermenting, but mostly to dry for tea. I thought, surely I must have a tincture, for it’s my habit to make and experience herbals in their many manifestations. Alas, no such bottle on the apothecary shelves. So, at that time I realized that my experience with this botanical, while frequent, was limited. Since then, I’ve done my best to expand my relationship with this sacred botanical. ::nods::
From my first sip, at a long-ago Northeast Women’s Herbal Conference, I loved the flavor as a hot water infusion (tisane/tea) and heard the voices of my Rooted Ancestors tell me, “Just drink it, it’s Good for you.” And, well, I usually heed the messages from those voices, and in this case I did so without challenging them. I learned that I had a lot to learn about this chummy ally that I barely knew (from a left-brain perspective), and here’s what I’ve learned about this sweet, powerful and sacred herb over the years and in my research that has shined a light on the expansion of my experience, and thereby some wisdom and knowledge.
Here goes:
With respect to the mind, it enhances concentration, to which I can attest by my afternoon cravings for it when I’m on a time-sensitive mission (or just desire a gentle pick-me-up). As I consider this, I reflect on the years of my menopausal journey, which sometimes included (extreme moments of) brain fog… and I realize the timeframe of my discovery of and delight in holy basil fit perfectly with this particular life journey. Fascinating. Serendipitous. Anyway…
Matt Wood also ties it to being supportive with dull or diminished mental function, as well as memory lapse and loss. Todd Caldecott says it stimulates the mind and the senses, and counters the symptoms of dementia. My sense is that it plays a role in nurturing a harmonized mental state, and based on my experience may be helpful in treating a range of mental challenges. Matt Wood makes mention of holy basil in helping with depression, addiction (be it alcohol, drugs, food and the like), grief, and PTSD, as well as head injuries, concussion, stroke and when cerebral circulation is impaired. Holy basil’s capacity to center and ground while calming the heart and mind seem so fitting for many disharmonies of the mind.
David Winston says, “Has long been used in Ayurvedic medicine for the mind and nervous system. It lifts the spirits while increasing clarity of thought and dispelling depression. Traditionally it is used for cloudy thinking caused by drug use. It is also antiviral, a carminative, an adaptogen, and a galactogogue.”
Holy basil has a history of playing a role in balancing and stabilizing blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. There’s conventional research that validates this, as does Matt Wood when he mentions it in regulating spiking blood sugar levels with hypoglycemia and diabetes mellitus.
Holy basil also gets classified as a cardiovascular herb offering benefits to heart health, in managing heart disease, and in lowering high cholesterol (for those for whom cholesterol levels are a concern). Between its adaptogenic actions (which we’ll get to), gentle blood thinning and circulatory actions, it offers its virtues as a respectable cardiac tonic. But, hey, I feel it opens the heart holistically to a spectrum of healing and wellness (similar to comments on the mind).
Like many aromatic herbs of the Lamiaceae, we engage it to get stagnant or weak digestion moving, stimulate the appetite, relieve bloating and gas, calm nausea, and it’s noted for relieving heartburn as well.
As a relaxing nervine, David Winston describes its action as able to move stuck energy in the energetic nervous system, lifting mood, heart, and allowing one to feel open and connected with others. This may be one reason why it lands in so many of my tea blends. That, and it tastes Good.
Holy basil has a long history in Ayurvedic Medicine for supporting the respiratory system, and is used for treating colds, coughs and asthma. Plus, its immunomodulating actions, along with its antimicrobial actions, can help to prevent as well as treat colds and flu, and an array of other dis-eases.
Rosalee de la Forêt mentions studies that show it to act as a COX 2 inhibitor which suggests holy basil is useful in calming pain and cooling inflammation.
Holy basil has also been sited as beneficial for the prevention and treatment of cancers.
There’s so much more… in Matt Wood’s, The Earthwise Herbal Repertory alone, it’s mentioned for treating allergies that affect the nose and sinus, specifically for animal dander and mold… for helping to pass kidney stones that are accompanied by extreme pain, red urine with brick-dust sediment… for symptoms of PMS, menopause, for treating yeast infections, to support lactation and enhancing libido… for its adaptogenic support to the endocrine system… for drug detox and flushing heavy metals… to treat fevers with little or no sweat… and to soothe insect bites.
The modest holy basil offers mighty potential for holistic wellness. Indeed.
And last, but oh so not least, holy basil is a notorious adaptogen, capable of supporting the body in non-specific ways, managing and harmonizing holistic sources and manifestations of stress with a graceful, well acknowledged, yet (from my perspective) mysterious track record. It helps our physiological bodies adapt to a myriad of stresses… to nurture and maintain holistic homeostasis. Which leads me back to the voices of the Rooted Ancestors, “Just drink it, it’s Good for you.”
Dance with the Ocimum spp. – Holy Basil
This humble little botanical offers so much potential, be it culinary or medicinal. Here’s a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing…
In Soups and Stews
Fresh plant matter added to simmering dishes is a nice way to leverage the Medicine and flavor of this plant. Add some as a garnish to stir in at serving time too.
I’ve used dry plant matter to make an infusion to add to vegetable and meat stocks as well.
In Vegetable and Meat Dishes
Holy basil seems most often to be referred to as kaphrao/ka-prao, and there are countless recipes using it in Thai cuisine, paired with vegetables, eggs, meat and seafood. So, if you cook (and I hope you do), go crazy!
As a Garnish for Sweet and Savory Dishes
Top rice, vegetable and meat (and other) dishes with the fresh plant matter, chopped to your liking. Likewise with fruit salads and other desert offerings.
In Ferments – Sweet and Savory
During my kombucha brewing days, I'd add the holy basil to some of the secondary fermentations, which was delightful. Toward the end of our “growing season” I sometimes harvest many of the tender frost sensitive plants to combine with a brine to ferment until I get back to it. When I do (get back to it) I whirl it in the blender to make a most AWEsome sauce. To this day I include holy basil in at least one version of a fermented (and/or vinegar) harvest sauce.
In Blended Beverages
Aside from the typical cup of tea, add it fresh to summer time blended beverages (spirited and not), and don’t forget to garnish your glass.
Holy Basil Water
Like many of the mint family, I love to add a bit of fresh plant matter, gently massaged, into a pitcher of water to keep in the refrigerator during the summer. The flavor and fragrance are delightful, and the sipping experience is simply centering and grounding.
Herbal Power
Powder your dried leaves to add to your culinary green powders, to add fragrance, flavor and botanical LoVe. I used to add holy basil powder to my dog’s food.
I’ve used the powder to make an “instant tea” often blended with other powdered herbs.
Pest Repellant
Holy basil has been used for centuries to deter pests from infesting stored grains. I haven’t tried this yet with holy basil, as my Go To for this is bay leaf (for grains, sure, and around my dried herbs, in closets, folded in woolens and linens). It’s always Good to have options. And this inspires me to wonder about a spray for mayflies, mosquitoes and (maybe?) ticks.
Last but not least…
This may sound crazy, especially to dedicated coffee drinkers, but sip some holy basil tea in lieu of coffee for caffeine-free pick-me-up. Seriously. I know folks who have used holy basil tea to wean themselves from their coffee addiction.
And some Familiar Dances:
tea / tisane
tincture
syrup
hard candy / infused honey
infused vinegar to use as food
oxymel or shrub
added to homemade fermented beverages, soft and spirited
water infusion for baths, bathing, washes
infused oil
beads, for prayer and adornment
Medicine smoke
spiritual baths and healing ceremonies
resources:
Matthew Wood, The Earthwise Herbal Repertory & The Earthwise Herbal
Todd Caldecott, Food as Medicine
Rosalee de la Foret, herbalremediesadvice.org
David Winston & Steven Maimes, Adaptogens: Herbs for Strength, Stamina and Stress Relief, and this: Holy Moly! Holy Basil!
Wikipedia, for botany bits
Personal notes from multiple sources
Personal experience
🕊
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