Since it's prime crop season in New Jersey – and that, of course, formed the basis of the whole Mayernik Kitchen conception – Matt and I decided to begin crowning an "herb of the month" from our garden. This year, we began growing Holy Basil – an herb most popular in India. We have started with some seeds and have successfully sprouted about five of these plants; they took quite nicely as new members of our garden. Since they are historically awesome and fitting into our home as comfortably as old friends, we decided we would share some info and ideas on the world of Holy Basil.
Thousands of years ago, ancient medics in India discovered holy basil – also called tulsi – and found that it offers a ton of value in the medical world. Known for its assistance with preventing and curing infections, oral care, fevers, respiratory issues, and more, tulsi plants have remained highly regarded in the medicinal world. It has an intense ability to kill germs and keep people healthy. Many claim that even being in the presence of a tulsi plant can keep infection and illness away (though, of course, we don't know this for sure). It is, however, incredibly aromatic and has said to possess its highest effects in the world of stress relief and relaxation. I don't know about you, but sometimes I feel like all we ever do is run, run, run, and I know I could definitely use all the relaxation help I could get sometimes!
Tulsi is also a natural diuretic, so it can help with digestive issues, kidney stones, and detoxifying the body. It's been known to assist in healing most cancers, diabetes, intestinal pains, and even labor pains. Most people would turn holy basil into a tea or tincture to consume in a liquid form though it is closely related to its more (American) popular sweet basil and can be used in cooking. Since the herb has taken well to our garden, and it offers a wealth of antioxidant, antifungal, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties, we hope to be able to harvest enough in the coming weeks to share this magical gem with all of you.