Tulasi has been used for thousands of years in Ayurveda, for its diverse healing properties. It is mentioned in the Charaka Samhita, an ancient Ayurvedic text. Tulasi is considered to be an adaptogen, balancing different processes in the body, and helpful for adapting to stress. Marked by its strong aroma and astringent taste, it is regarded in Ayurveda as a kind of “elixir of life” and believed to promote longevity.