Tulsi tea is the form of holy basil most people meet first, yet we found only 2 human trials of a tea containing it. 1 used 5 herbs, and the other lasted 4 days.
That does not make the tea pointless. It makes it a pleasant, caffeine-free drink with a thin evidence base, and that is how this page treats it.
Quick Answer: What Is Tulsi Tea Good For?
Tulsi tea is an infusion of holy basil leaves, naturally caffeine-free, with a peppery, clove-like taste. The evidence is thin: a 2023 trial gave 44 hospital patients holy basil tea or water for 4 days and found smaller rises in anxiety with the tea. The only other tea trial tested a 5-herb blend.
Key Takeaways
- Pure tulsi tea is brewed from holy basil leaves and contains 0 caffeine.
- Only 1 trial tested tea made from holy basil alone, in 2023.
- That trial brewed 2 g of leaves into each cup for 44 patients.
- It ran for 4 days and compared the tea with plain water.
- A 2010 trial tested a 5-herb tea, so tulsi's share is unknown.
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What Is in the Cup
Tulsi tea is holy basil leaves steeped in hot water. On its own it has no caffeine and a sharp, peppery taste with a clove note, quite unlike the sweetness of kitchen basil. Many commercial tulsi teas are blends, so read the ingredient list before assuming it is pure.
- The plant: Ocimum tenuiflorum, also sold as Ocimum sanctum.
- Caffeine: none in pure tulsi, some in blends with green or black tea.
- Taste: peppery and clove-like, softer with a little honey.
- What we sell: no tea, only the capsule and the tincture.
Check the botanical name on the box, because the holy basil label has been applied to more than 1 species.[1]Species-Specific Phytometabolite Composition of Ocimum (Holy Basil) Inflorescences Underlies Differential Biological Activities — Chemistry and Biodiversity (2026) View source More on the plant behind the tea and why it is not sweet basil.
How to Make It
Tulsi tea needs no special kit. The only amount ever tested in a trial was 2 g of leaves for a 180 mL cup, which is a useful anchor because it is close to what a teaspoon of dried leaf weighs.
- Put about 2 g of dried leaf, roughly 1 teaspoon, in a cup or infuser.
- Pour over 180 to 240 mL of water just off the boil.
- Cover and steep for 5 to 10 minutes; longer makes it stronger.
- Strain, and add honey or lemon if you like.
Fresh leaves work too; use a small handful. Covering the cup keeps the aromatic oils in the tea rather than in the air.
What the Tea Trials Found
Only 2 human trials tested a tea containing holy basil, and only 1 of them used holy basil on its own. Both are real studies, and both are narrow, so it is worth seeing exactly what each one measured.
| Trial | What was tested | What it found |
|---|---|---|
| 2023, 44 hospital patients | 2 g holy basil leaves per cup after each meal, 4 days, vs water | Smaller rise in anxiety scores |
| 2010, 32 then 110 adults over 55 | Tea fortified with 5 herbs, including holy basil | Higher natural killer cell activity |
| What neither measured | Long-term daily drinking | No data |
The 2023 trial compared the tea with distilled water, not with a look-alike placebo tea, so the warmth and ritual of a drink were not controlled for.[2]Benefits of basil tea for patients with differentiated thyroid cancer during radioiodine therapy: A randomized controlled trial — Heliyon (2023) View source
The 2010 tea combined ashwagandha, licorice, ginger, holy basil and cardamom, so no single herb can take the credit.[3]In vivo enhancement of natural killer cell activity through tea fortified with Ayurvedic herbs — Phytotherapy Research (2010) View source Whole leaves were also what the one glucose trial used, back in 1996.
Tea Versus Capsule
Tea and capsules are the same plant in different forms. The practical difference is how much you know about the amount, and whether you want the ritual of making a drink.
| Form | Amount known? | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Tea | Roughly, and it varies with steeping | A daily ritual, and caffeine-free evenings |
| Capsule | Yes, 1,000 mg of whole leaf and stem | A fixed amount with no taste |
| Tincture | Measured by volume | People who prefer liquid to capsules |
If you take diabetes medicine, treat a daily cup as a dose rather than simply a drink, because leaves were what lowered glucose in 1996.
Who Should Skip the Tea
Tea feels gentler than a capsule, and it may be, but the same plant carries the safety cautions. If one of these applies to you, a cup a day is still a reason for a conversation with your clinician first.
- Pregnancy or trying to conceive: rat and rabbit studies found fertility effects.
- Glucose-lowering medicine: the effects could add up.
- Thyroid medication: 1 mouse study found lower thyroxine.
- Surgery soon: stop 2 weeks before, as with most herbs.
A 2002 rat study found sperm counts fell on a leaf extract and recovered after stopping.[4]Reversible anti-fertility effect of benzene extract of Ocimum sanctum leaves on sperm parameters and fructose content in rats — Journal of Basic and Clinical Physiology and Pharmacology (2002) View source It has never been tested in people.
If You Want It Without Brewing
We do not sell a tulsi tea. We sell the same plant as a capsule and as a tincture, which suit people who want holy basil on busy days or while travelling.
- Capsule: 1,000 mg, 60 per bottle, no taste.
- Tincture: 2 fl oz of liquid extract.
- Tea: from a tea shop, checking the botanical name.
- Not all 3: pick 1 form so you know your total.
If a capsule suits you better, the capsule form of the same leaf holds a measured 1,000 mg.
Speak to a Clinician Before Drinking Tulsi Daily If
- You are pregnant, breastfeeding or trying to conceive, where the only data comes from animals
- You take insulin, a sulfonylurea, metformin or any other glucose-lowering medicine
- You have a thyroid condition or take thyroid medication
- You have surgery planned within the next 2 weeks
- You already take a blend that contains holy basil, so you would be doubling it
Frequently Asked Questions
What is holy basil tea good for? +
It is a caffeine-free herbal drink. The only trial of holy basil tea alone, in 2023, found smaller rises in anxiety over 4 days in 44 hospital patients.
Is it safe to drink holy basil tea every day? +
The 2017 review found no significant adverse events across 24 human studies, but none tested daily tea for months. Skip it if pregnant or on glucose-lowering medicine.
What is the best tea to drink for anxiety? +
No tea is proven to treat anxiety. Holy basil tea has 1 small 4-day trial behind it, which is not enough to rank it above other calming teas.
What drink calms down anxiety? +
Any caffeine-free warm drink removes 1 common trigger, caffeine. Tulsi tea fits that description, and whether it adds more is not established.
How do you make holy basil tea? +
Steep about 2 g of dried leaf, roughly 1 teaspoon, in a cup of just-boiled water for 5 to 10 minutes, covered, then strain.
Does tulsi tea have caffeine? +
Pure tulsi tea has 0 caffeine. Blends that add green or black tea do contain it, so check the ingredient list.
How many cups of tulsi tea a day? +
The 2023 trial used 3 cups a day, 1 after each meal, for 4 days. Longer daily use has not been tested in a trial.
Can I drink tulsi tea while pregnant? +
It is best avoided. Rat and rabbit studies found effects on fertility, and 0 human trials have tested it in pregnancy.
Is tulsi tea the same as basil tea? +
Only if the label names Ocimum tenuiflorum or Ocimum sanctum. Sweet basil tea is a different species, and the 2 taste noticeably different.
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