Today, I've got an aromatic and revitalizing tea recipe to share with you.

You can whip it up in minutes, and all the ingredients are readily available at most grocery stores.

The star of this herbal tea is holy basil.

In Ayurvedic medicine, holy basil is classified as a Rasayana, or an herb that promotes overall health and boosts longevity. This is perhaps why she earned the title, Queen of Herbs. For three thousand years, tea from this herb has been prepared daily and is believed to help balance the chakras, or energy centers in the body.

Now, as it turns out, holy basil is easy to plant and will grow like a weed in the late spring and summer months across the northern hemisphere… What can I say, medicinal herbs are front and center on my mind right now :)

Known as tulsi in India, holy basil is referred to as the “elixir of life” and can be found growing around the most revered Hindu shrines and temples. Energizing and delicious, this fix-all has found its way into many surrounding cultures, including those of Southeast Asia and the Middle East.

The herb has withstood the scrutiny of science as well. Holy basil is rich in antioxidants, is extremely detoxifying and regulates the adrenal system making it an effective anti-stress tonic. It also possesses unusually high levels of the essential fatty acid, alpha-linolenic acid, which is a proven anti-inflammatory.

An adaptogenic herb, tulsi expands our nervous system's capacity to handle stress and at the same time is absolutely wonderful for digestion because it soothes the lining of the gut, increases nutrient absorption, and has calming effects on the entire body. This activates our ability to rest, digest, heal and receive all the nutrients from our food. 

Long story short, holy basil is restorative for every system of the body!

Holy Basil Tea Recipe

Ingredients:

- 1 cup water
- ¼ tsp fennel seeds
- ¼ tsp cumin
- ½ tsp cloves
- ⅓ tsp green cardamom, crushed
- 1-2 tsp of tulsi (holy basil)
- Wild honey to taste

Preparation

- Put all ingredients (except for the honey) in a small pot and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Strain into a mug, add honey and enjoy.

This tea can be enjoyed hot or iced, so you can harness the healing power of holy basil all year round!

A little secret: in our house, we love adding a little oat milk or almond milk to this brew, after the tea has steeped. It's so good!

Stay curious,

Nick Polizzi
Host of Healing Kitchen: Let Food Be Thy Medicine
& Founder of The Sacred Science

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