Tulsi, also known as holy basil,l is a plant which is known to grow in India, Australia, West Africa, and some Middle Eastern countries. It is commonly used in a number of home remedies thanks to its large number of health benefits. Holy basil contains a number of chemicals which work to reduce pain and inflammation, manage your blood sugar and tackle stress amongst many other things. Keep reading to learn more about tulsi health benefits.

Tulsi (Holy Basil) Health Benefits

1. Reduce Anxiety

Studies have suggested that taking a daily extract of holy basil after your meal could help to reduce anxiety, stress, and depression in people with an anxiety disorder.

 

2. Reduces Dental Plaque

Research has also shown that using a mouthwash that contains shows that using a mouthwash containing 4% holy basil extract twice a day can help reduce plaque buildup which helps to reduce your risk of gingivitis, and advanced form of gum disease.

 

3. Diabetes

Some early research has also suggested that taking holy basil leaf extract once a day can help to manage your blood sugar, which means a great health benefit of tulsi is that can help manage type two diabetes.

 

4. Protect Open Wounds Against Infection

Certain extracts taken from tulsi leaves are thought to help speed up wound healing and protect your wounds from infection. This is because they have antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties. They also help to reduce inflammation and pain.

5. Lower Your Cholesterol

Since holy basil helps to target metabolic stress, which makes it great for tackling weight loss and high cholesterol levels. In fact, studies have found that eating fresh holy basil leaves significantly helps to lower the level of bad cholesterol in your blood.

 

6. Ease Joint Pain

Drinking a tea infused with tulsi leaves can significantly help to reduce inflammation in your joints. This helps make movement easier and reduces joint pain. It’s especially useful for people who suffer from arthritis.

 

7. Protect Your Stomach

Holy basil is known to help ease stomach pain and protect your stomach from a number of conditions, including stress-induced stomach ulcers. Consuming holy basil leaves helps to protect your stomach health by decreasing excess stomach acid, improving mucous production and secretion.  

 

8. Anti-Inflammatory Effects

The oil that can be extracted from tulsi leaves has strong anti-inflammatory effects. This helps to protect your body from a number of different diseases and conditions, including coronary heart disease.  The oil is so effective that it’s been found to work as well as a 10-microM concentration of ibuprofen.

9. Improves Cognitive Function

Animal studies have shown that tulsi promotes memory and attention by increasing the levels of neurotransmitters like acetylcholine in your brain. As a result, it is thought that holy basil may help to reduce the risk of age-related brain conditions such as Alzheimer’s.

 

10. Improved Heart Health

The alcohol that can be extracted from tulsi leaves has been known to reduce inflammation in the tissues of the human heart. This helps to keep your heart healthy and reduces the risk of heart attacks. It is thought that this is as a result of the high phenol content in the leaves.

It also helps to prevent oxidation which could otherwise result in the buildup or plaque around your heart and in the surrounding blood vessels. Consuming the oil from tulsi leaves has also been shown to help lower the bad cholesterol in your blood, which will further protect your heart.

11. Protects Your Liver

Consuming the alcohol extracted from holy basil leaves can actually help to protect your liver from toxins, helping it to stay healthy and function properly.

 

12. Antioxidant Properties

The strong antioxidant capacity in the essential oil extracted from holy basil leaves helps to protect your cells from oxidative damage. This helps to keep your cells healthy and reduce the risk of a number of different health conditions, making its antioxidant properties one of the biggest health benefits of holy basil.

13. Reduces Pain

Animal studies have shown that the extract of holy basil leaves can work as a pain reliever.  This is likely to help with pain, no matter what is the cause of it.

 

14. Increases Immune Function

Daily consumption of a 300 mg capsule of tulsi leaf extract can significantly help to boost your immune system by increasing the activity of the killer T-cells. Consume the extract each day for a four-week period and you should find that your immune function improves.

 

15. Reduces the Risk of Anti-Cancer

A review study of tulsi’s anti-cancer properties showed that its antioxidant properties can help to reduce the risk of skin, lung and breast cancer. It’s also thought to be effective for protecting against liver and stomach cancer.

 

16. Protects Against Radiation

Tulsi contains two types of antioxidant which are well known to protect your cells from radiation damage.

17. Accelerates Bone Healing

Consuming holy basil extract can significantly reduce the time taken to heal bones after a break of fracture. This is because it helps to increase calcium uptake which improves bone calcification. As a result, your bones are able to repair themselves faster.

 

18. Anti-Bacterial

The oil extracted from holy basil leaves have shown strong antibacterial effects and can help fight against even antibiotic-resistant bacteria. It has been shown to be effective against Staphylococcus, Enterococcus, and Pseudomonas bacteria. In fact, one study suggested that tulsi extract was as effective as penicillin against the bacteria which causes gonorrhea.

 

19. Anti-Viral

As well as being effective against bacteria, holy basil has an added health benefit of anti-viral properties too. It has been found to be effective in tackling the virus responsible for cold sores and Swine Flu.

20. Clears Candida Overgrowth

Another health benefit of holy basil is that it helps to inhibit the growth of Candida albicans. This is because it contains eugenol, which is well known for its ability to fight against candida overgrowth. This should be able to help with both oral and vaginal candida.

 

21. Boosts Testosterone Levels

When taken daily over a thirty-day period tulsi leaves can help to boost testosterone production in men, which could help to improve male fertility. All you need to do is contain two grams of tulsi leaves each day.

22. Improves Histamine Intolerance

The fatty oil contained in tulsi seeds is known to have an antihistamine effect. This helps to block histamine release and so reduces allergic reactions. This can be especially useful for people who suffer from hay fever.

 

23. Reduced Risk of Cataracts

In animal-based studies, holy basil was found to reduce the risk of cataracts. Administering five mg of tulsi extract helped to reduce the occurrence of cataracts by twenty percent, whilst taming ten mg reduce their occurrence by a huge eighty percent! This is because the extract helps to protect your eyes from oxidative damage. It also helps prevent diabetes-related cataracts by inhibiting the production of aldose reductase – the enzyme responsible for diabetic cataracts.

 

24. Protects Against Graying Hair

Consuming holy basil helps to increase your production of an enzyme called catalase. This enzyme helps to break down hydrogen peroxide in your hair follicles and so help to preserve your natural hair pigment. As a result, you should develop fewer grey hairs.  

25. Fights Acne

As we’ve already mentioned, holy basil helps to kill bacteria. Whilst this means it can help to reduce your risk of infection, it also has another health benefit – it helps to reduce acne. The eugenol contained within holy basil helps to combat a number of skin disorders, including acne.

Mix some ground holy basil leaves with a small amount of coconut oil and apply to your skin. Let it sit for ten minutes before rinsing with fresh, warm water.  

 

26. Relieves Fever

Holy basil is often recommended as a natural remedy for a fever and has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for generations. The leaves of the holy basil plant are known to have antibacterial properties which protect your body from infection. As a fever is usually the result of your body fighting infection, it makes sense that holy basil could reduce your fever faster and help your body to recover quicker.

27. Improves Respiratory Disorders

Holy basil leaves contain a number of health-improving compounds. Many of these compounds are known to have a positive effect on respiratory conditions like asthma. Consuming holy basil can, therefore, help to make breathing easier and so is regularly used in Ayurvedic medicines for asthma and other respiratory benefits.

 

28. Prevents Kidney Stones

Because holy basil works as both a detoxifier and a mild diuretic it helps to reduce the uric acid level in the body. As a result, it helps to reduce the risk and frequency of kidney stones, helping to break them down. It can also act as a pain reliever when passing any existing kidney stones.  

 

29. Prevents Premature Aging

Holy basil oil is packed full of vitamins C and A which help to protect your body from nearly all the damages caused by free radicals. This is particularly beneficial for your skin cells, as it helps them stay healthy so that they continue to produce enough collagen. This helps to keep your skin looking fuller and firmer so that wrinkles become less common and less visible.

Will you be more likely to try using tulsi now that you know about its many health benefits? Comment below!

References

https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-1101/holy-basil

https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/basil-benefits#body-benefits

https://www.selfhacked.com/blog/holy-basil-27-amazing-health-benefits-tulsi/

https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/herbs-and-spices/health-benefits-of-holy-basil-tulsi.html