Anxious all the time? Turn to tulsi tea for its mental health benefits

Holy basil or tulsi is such an integral part of Indian culture. It has been in use since time immemorial as a primary ingredient in several Ayurvedic concoctions. And let’s not forget the power of a tulsi and adrak chai to keep us warm during the wintry chill. Oh, and this cuppa also recharges you instantly. Is there a reason? There sure is!

Before we tell you more about that, let’s first understand the nutritional profile of tulsi. It’s called the ‘Queen of Herbs’ and for good reason; after all, it is packed with vitamin A and C, calcium, zinc, iron, and chlorophyll.

Tulsi: The ‘secret’ anti-anxiety pill

The secret truly lies in all parts of the tulsi plant acting as an adaptogen. What is it? It’s a natural substance that helps your body adapt to stress, and at the same time, provides benefits for your mental health.

We are subjected to various stressors in our daily lives; they could be anything from chemical, physical, infectious, and emotional. A study titled The Clinical Efficacy and Safety of Tulsi in Humans: A Systematic Review of the Literature revealed that holy basil helps to increase endurance when exposed to environment-induced stress scenarios. Both humans and animals showed reduced stress, sexual health issues, sleep problems, and forgetfulness.

That’s not all — according to the Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine, tulsi has both antidepressant and anti-anxiety properties. According to one study, it was found that those people who took at least 500 mg of holy basil extract every single day experienced reduced anxiety, and depression.

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According to a 2017 study published in the peer-reviewed journal, Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, tulsi shows neuro-cognitive effects upon consumption, which includes an improved mood and better cognition.

Moreover, since tulsi tea is caffeine-free, it can be consumed daily. Some studies also show that sipping on this tea is as calming as yoga, and relaxes your mind and body.

Better sleep, better mood

Now that you already know the wonders of tulsi for your mental health, you must embrace its awesomeness to get better sleep. Yes, all the stress that you endure during the day can wrongly stimulate your mind and body, and keep you up all night.

Cortisol also has another purpose – its levels spike from 6-8 am every morning, so that you can wake up naturally. But when you are heavily stressed, your body experiences these spikes much earlier. Tulsi moderates the levels of cortisol in your body, so that you don’t end up being an owl all night.

Well, we are completely sold! It’s time for our tulsi tea fix. BRB!