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Ocimum tenuiflorum (Tulsi, Holy Basil, Ocimum sanctum)

Ocimum tenuiflorum Therapeutic Uses (Tulsi, Holy Basil, Ocimum sanctum)

Ocimum tenuiflorum (Tulsi, Holy Basil, Ocimum sanctum) may help you manage stress and help you sharpen memory.


Ocimum tenuiflorum Therapeutic Uses

By now, you probably know we’re passionate about helping you optimize your health. We hope that the information we’re providing is building a base of knowledge that will enable you to make informed life decisions. Our goal is to apply our research to bring you the best of the best in herbal teas and extracts.

In the next few posts, we’ll put a spotlight on the herbs we sell to give you a more detailed look at why we feel the small selection of curated teas and extracts we sell are so amazing.

Today, we want to introduce you to the Queen of Herbs: Ocimum tenuiflorum (also known as Holy Basil, Ocimum sanctum, and Tulsi).

What Is Ocimum tenuiflorum?

The Latin name Ocimum sanctum translates to Sacred Basil or Holy Basil. In Hindi, the name for this plant is Tulsi, which translates to “the incomparable one.” In Ayurvedic tradition, it is known as the Queen of Herbs. Native to tropical Asia, it is grown throughout India. Botanically, it is part of the mint family. At Linden Botanicals, we prefer the Krishna Tulsi variety. We source our Holy Basil from a very specific region of northern India.

Key Characteristics

An aromatic plant, Ocimum tenuiflorum grows like a many-branched shrub, with tender and fragrant oval leaves. Holy Basil can grow up to 30 inches in height. The plant’s flowers bare a purple shade, and its fruits look like yellowish/reddish seeds. The leaves of Holy Basil have an astringent/peppery taste and can be used for seasoning purposes. (However, cooking is generally done with its culinary cousin Ocimum basilicum.)

Traditional Uses

Ocimum tenuiflorum is thought to be a gift from the divine healer Dhanvantari. In the Vedic traditional texts (the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest scriptures of Hinduism), a passage describes a contest between good and evil for the source of immortality. When good eventually triumphs, Dhanvantari cries tears of joy. Tulsi springs up where his first tear lands.

The ancient Ayurvedic texts consider Tulsi helpful in relieving almost all ailments, including common colds, digestive problems, breathing problems, anxiety, stress, blood sugar, heart problems, fever, and even ulcers.

Therapeutic Uses

Because of its long use in traditional medicine, there has been considerable modern interest in the potential of Ocimum tenuiflorum. The medicinal properties of Holy Basil have been researched and analyzed in hundreds of scientific papers, including in vitro, animal and human studies.

In particular, Holy Basil has been used to boost energy, sharpen the memory, and calm the nerves. It has also been used to relieve many conditions, including anxiety, bad breath, breathing problems, the sore throat of common cold, cough, eye problems, fever, gum disease, headaches, heart problems, high cholesterol, itching from insect bites, kidney stones, mouth ulcers, respiratory problems, skin infections, sore throat, and stress.

Smoothies to Improve Gut Health

The Linden Botanicals team developed a simple and healthy gut smoothie recipe to help you improve digestion and heal your gut. Gut health smoothies are blended drinks of fresh fruits, dark leafy greens, supplements, and Holy Basil that will help you improve your gut health while also energizing you and transforming your body from the inside out. Best of all — they taste great!

Ocimum tenuiflorum – The Queen of Herbs

By now, you may think “the Queen of Herbs” is a name well earned. We do. But to be clear, we sell Holy Basil, not because it may relieve any specific condition, but because we like that it supports the function of various body systems in a way that can help you optimize your health.

We sell Ocimum in a 100 gram size (50 servings) as AHHH! Stress Relief Support. We also sell it in larger sizes (250 grams to 1,000 grams). To learn more, a good place to start is with the Tulsi FAQ. The FAQ  provides a more comprehensive list of benefits. It contains lots of science-based information about this amazing herb and the equally amazing tea you can make from it.

Read the FAQ  Buy Tulsi Buy AHHH!

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