Ginger Tulsi Tea is the perfect tisane to help you keep warm when you have a cold or are under the weather. This drink is an infusion of black peppercorns, cubeb pepper, ginger, and holy basil leaves that helps build your immunity when consumed once a week. It is a delicate brew that is loaded with essential nutrients.
One of my all-time favorite tisanes is Ginger Tulsi Tea. When I feel stressed, tired, or overwhelmed, this tisane picks me up, uplifting my spirit and energizing my body. There is something warm and comforting about this sharp and sweet tisane that immediately makes me feel better.
It could be that tulsi has emotional significance to me. Tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum) or holy basil is a prime vedic herb that has spiritual significance to Hindus. According to Hindu mythology, tulsi is in the pantheon of gods where she is viewed as an avatar of Goddess Lakshmi. In fact, tulsi is so auspicious to Hindus that the end of the monsoon season and the beginning of the traditional marriage season is marked by the Tulsi Vivah festival. Tulsi is used as an offering to gods, to sanctify and purify rooms, soothe tension, and is part of a daily prayer ritual. There can be no understatement of the significance of this sweet-smelling herb to Indians in general, and Hindus in particular.
But beyond the spiritual, tulsi has an amazing and practical array of properties that can help address various types of stress. Research has shown that tulsi protects organs and tissues against external chemical stressors from unhealthy air to heavy metals in water. It helps regulate blood sugar levels and blood pressure as well as lipids (fatty acids). It possesses anxiolytic and anti-depressant properties and even protects against a wide array of microbes.
Ginger is no slouch either when talking about physical and mental health. In India, ginger is a well-known home remedy for its ability to ease nausea, improve digestion, and soothe an upset stomach. I remember that as a child when I suffered from nausea, my mother would make me hold or chew on a small slice of ginger which almost immediately made me feel better. It turns out that ginger is a source of 14 bioactive compounds (phenolic and terpene compounds) and is known to possess antioxidant properties. Research shows that these compounds reduce oxidative stress and improve cognitive functions. As an aside, oxidative stress occurs when there is an imbalance of free radicals and antioxidants in the body.
So, is it any wonder that this fantastic combination of herbs makes me feel better? As the weather turns from auburn autumn to winter white on the mountains, it can affect one’s mood and temperament. Dull daily gray interspersed with the snow or rain can be spirit draining. It is during these times that consuming this fresh, warm, and invigorating tisane can be a game-changing mood lifter, while also serving as a home remedy to occasional colds and sniffles.
Benefits of Ginger Tulsi Tea:
- This drink is chock full of zinc, selenium, vitamin A and C and calcium.
- Besides helping with digestion, Ginger Tulsi Tea cleanses the body of mucus and prevents nausea.
- Ginger provides warmth to the body while tulsi helps with inflammation.
- Helps cope with stress naturally
- Provides relief from arthritis pain
When can this tisane be consumed?
Ideally, this drink can consumed anytime during the day. Allowing an hour or so between meals would prove helpful. However, this is a delicate brew that is darker in color when compared to a light ginger tea. For optimum benefits, it is good to have this drink once or twice a week. Ginger Tulsi Tea is similar to the Fennel and Cumin Tea in that both are meant to be consumed without any milk.
How to make the Ginger Tulsi Tea:
- Gather the ingredients.
2. In a medium pot, boil the water with the chopped ginger and both types of crushed peppercorns for 10 minutes.
3. Add the tulsi leaves and boil for 2 minutes.
4. Turn off the heat and stir in the jaggery. Strain the concoction and enjoy a hot cup of Ginger Tulsi Tea without any milk.
1. Add the tulsi leaves only after boiling the peppercorns and ginger for a few minutes.
2. Ginger powder can be a substitute for fresh or dried ginger. Feel free to use half a teaspoon of ginger powder.
3. Crush the peppercorns coarsely for a stronger tasting tisane.
Substitutions:
- Cubeb pepper can be purchased at any Asian grocery stores. But if you cannot find them, then substitute with black peppercorns.
- Any holy basil leaves are fine. You could use the dried tulsi leaves if fresh ones are hard to find. I have used homegrown African blue basil that was in full bloom. I mostly use the holy basil leaves to make the Ginger Tulsi Tea.
- Powdered jaggery can be purchased at Asian supermarkets. Feel free to use honey instead.
Ginger Tulsi Tea
Equipment
- glass pot or tea infuser pot
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon ginger peeled, chopped
- 1½ tablespoon black peppercorn
- 1½ tablespoon cubeb pepper
- 2½ cup filtered water
- ½ cup tulsi leaves loosely packed
- 1 tablespoon jaggery powdered
Instructions
- Gather the ingredients.
- In a medium pot, boil the water with the chopped ginger and both types of peppercorns for 10 minutes.
- Add the tulsi leaves and boil for 2 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the jaggery. Strain the concoction and enjoy a hot cup of ginger tulsi tea without any milk.
Notes
- You could add honey or brown sugar instead of jaggery.
- If cubeb peppercorns are hard to find, omit them altogether.
Nutrition
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