Why should Tulsi not be chewed with teeth?

Tulsi also known as Basil plant, is known to be the sacred plant as per Hindu religion. This is also called the Holy basil, which is considered queen of herbs. I’ve borrowed a couple of beautiful lines from Wikipedia that define Tulsi & it’s importance in Hindu Culture.

The Tulasi herb is a centre of household religious devotion particularly among women and is referred to as the “women’s deity” and “a symbol of wifehood and motherhood”, it is also called “the central sectarian symbol of Hinduism” and Vaishnavas consider it as “the manifestation of god in the plant kingdom”.

As per Hindu culture, this plant is considered to be symbol of purity and its leaves are used to prepare the holy water in temples called Theertham. Where the leaves are soaked in the water that’s used for Abhisheka of the idol. and later distributed to devotees in the form of Prasadam.(holy food)

Science Behind Using Tulsi Leaves

While I believe scientific reason may not be the only reason to use Tulsi leaves, but to mention, Tulsi offers many medicinal benefits.

Basil is an herb. The parts of the plant that grow above the ground are used to make medicine. Basil is commonly used for stomach problems such as spasms, loss of appetite, intestinal gas, diarrhea, constipation, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses. source

By including it in our devotional practices like Theertham, which still in many Hindu houses, prepares it every day while offering prayers and takes it at the end of the Pooja as Prasadam. This way, we keep providing the medicinal properties of the plant to our body in a routine, which is also part of culture.

So, what’s the reason – why not to chew Tulsi leaves?

Since Tulsi is very popular in Hindu religion & we offer prayers to the plant, it is considered chewing as a disrespect by some people & some believe Tulsi is the wife of Lord Vishnu which again goes back to the same consideration of chewing Tulsi leaves as disrespecting it.

However, the modern medical research, found that Tulsi plant has mercury & it’s not advised to chew it as it will damage your teeth enamel. Which will actually damage your teeth more in long term and might even leave strains on your teeth. Instead, they suggest it to be gulped if we are considering consuming it for medicinal purposes and benefits.

However, this advice from scientific community also aligns with Hindu religion, where Tulsi leaves are suggested to be swallowed but not chewed.