Holy Basil in Ayurveda

We are going to touch on the benefits of the kitchen herb holy basil. It has antifungal, antibacterial, antipyretic, antiseptic and antioxidant properties. So how do we use it in Ayurveda? Read on.

Mouth freshener and oral disinfectant

Chew 4-5 holy basil leaves every day.

Treating fever, cough and cold

Add half a teaspoon of honey and 1 teaspoon of ginger juice into a decoction of holy basil leaves.

Treating sore throat and throat infection

Add a handful of holy basil leaves and half a teaspoon turmeric powder into 2 glasses of boiled water. Gargle with this water.

Treating fever

Extract juice from 5-6 holy basil leaves, then add half a teaspoon of dried ginger and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Drink with a glass hot water.

Preventing stress

Chew 12 holy basil leaves twice a day. This will also help purify blood.

Treating cold and phlegm

Extract juice from 8-10 holy basil leaves, then add 1 teaspoon of honey.

Treating ringworm and other skin diseases

Make a paste from holy basil leaves then apply on affected areas.

Aparna K. BAMS, MD, PhD

Aparna is one of the few specialists worldwide with a PhD in Ayurveda. Born into an Ayurvedic family which operates a traditional Ayurvedic Panchakarma hospital in Kerala, India, she grew up observing her father, the renowned Dr Padmanabhan.