Each can of TranquiliTea contains 66mg of Holy Basil.
This herb holds a special place in Indian traditional medicine.
Holy basil, known as Tulasi in Sanskrit or Tulsi in Hindi, is thought to work by helping your body cope with various stressors—like emotional stress, an infection, or other medical conditions. It is highly revered for its medicinal uses within the Ayurvedic and Siddha medical systems and has been used for thousands of years in Ayurveda for its diverse healing properties.
Holy basil is a perennial flowering plant from the mint family called Lamiaceae. Though this plant is native to the Indian subcontinent, it grows throughout Southeast Asia.
Holy basil is an adaptogen and contains several nutrients, including vitamins A and C, calcium, iron, and zinc.
The way in which holy basil works isn’t exactly clear. Though more research is necessary, some of holy basil’s effects may involve the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) pathways that naturally exist in your body.
Like many herbs, people may use holy basil for various reasons. But there are several clinical trials assessing holy basil for the following potential uses. Read on for more information.
Improves Metabolic Conditions
In a systematic review, several small short-term studies suggested holy basil improved metabolic conditions including:
- Blood glucose (sugar) in diabetes
- Cholesterol in hyperlipidemia
- Blood pressure in hypertension
- Body mass index (BMI)
Metabolic conditions raise the risk of heart-related problems. More research is needed to understand how holy basil may be improving symptoms of these health conditions.
BMI is a dated, flawed measure. It does not take into account factors such as body composition, ethnicity, sex, race, and age. Even though it is a biased measure, BMI is still widely used in the medical community because it’s an inexpensive and quick way to analyze a person’s potential health status and outcomes.
Reduces Inflammation and Improves Immunity
A systematic review linked holy basil to better lung function and relief from asthma symptoms in a small short-term study—suggesting that holy basil may have reduced inflammation (swelling) in the airways.
The small short-term clinical trials suggested holy basil had some effect on the immune system (the body’s defence system)—especially against viral infections.
Given the studies were small and short-term, additional research with more participants is needed to confirm the effects holy basil has on inflammation and immunity.
Improves Stress and Brain Health
In small, short-term studies (two weeks), holy basil did better than a placebo (a substance with no medication) in improving attention and memory.
Larger, long-term studies are needed to understand how holy basil impacts symptoms related to brain health and stress.
Improves Sleep
An eight-week study including 100 participants found taking holy basil extract may improve subjective measures of sleep quality. However, sleep quality was measured using a wrist-worn sleep tracker. The study authors noted that further research using gold-standard objective sleep measures will be required to substantiate the sleep-related findings.
What Are the Side Effects of Holy Basil?
Similar to many medications, side effects are possible when taking holy basil.
Holy basil seems to be safe for most people but can have side effects, such as nausea or diarrhoea. Holy basil might also worsen hypothyroidism by decreasing levels of the thyroid hormone thyroxine. It might also increase the risk of bleeding by slowing down blood clotting.
Several clinical trials suggest that holy basil doesn’t cause serious side effects.
Research Links:
1) The Clinical Efficacy and Safety of Tulsi in Humans: A Systematic Review of the Literature - PMC