Sage is an amazing herb you need to look to include in your diet. The sage benefits are numerous and it’s not only healthy but a great way to bring extra flavor to your cooking.
Top chefs call herbs their “tool chest” as they can elevate any dish from bland to amazing. Sage is right there at the top of the list and it’s a very versatile herb with many health benefits you may not have known of. Let’s look at 6 sage benefits, and uses, that will inspire you to bring this herb into your life.
There are so many combinations that are not only just great in the flavor they add but provide some terrific health benefits. It’s hard to think of Italian food without oregano and basil or how rosemary can add unique aromas to bread and many other dishes.
What Is Sage?
We also know Sage as Salvia officinalis and it’s a perennial evergreen shrub. It has woody stems with grayish leaves and flowers that range from blue to purple. It’s technically considered part of the mint family and even though it’s native to the Mediterranean region they have grown it in many parts of the world.
Sage has a savory and light peppery flavor to it making it great for cooking. It’s a big part of European cuisine used in British, Italian, Balkan and Middle Eastern cooking. It works great as a stuffing with sage and onion stuffing a big part of Thanksgiving meals and always goes well with turkey and chicken.
So besides being delicious what are some sage benefits that can improve your health?
1. Sage Is A Great Antioxidant
When you look at the antioxidant content of food, herbs are some of the best choices. We measure antioxidants on the ORAC scale which is the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity. These units show the antioxidant content and top foods will include things like Goji berries, blueberries, dark chocolate, and different nuts and seeds.
Herbs and spices are also some top things you can consume to combat free radical damage in the body. Along with sage, some high-scoring herbs and spices also include oregano, cloves, cinnamon, turmeric, thyme, and peppermint.
2. Sage May Ease Menopause Symptoms
When menopause happens estrogen levels take a sharp decline in the body leading to many unpleasant symptoms. We see Sage have estrogen-like qualities to it and help to control things like hot flashes and excessive sweating.
3. Sage May Help Reduce Blood Sugar Levels
If you a prediabetic, or have type 2 diabetes, you need to keep your sugar levels under control. This is a good tip for anyone if you’re looking to avoid blood sugar crashes and control cravings. Sage has been used in the past to help control diabetes and there may be some scientific reasons this is so.
Sage leaf extract has been seen in humans to lower blood sugar and insulin sensitivity. Insulin sensitivity is your body’s improved ability to handle glucose and sage may help in strengthening this.
4. Sage May Help Combat Alzheimer’s
Sage might help fight against chemical imbalances in the brain that cause symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. Furthermore, sage can be used as a fresh or dried herb as an extract and also as a capsule. In this case, capsules showed sage’s benefits to enhance memory and mental function. These are still early trials but amazing to see the cognitive benefits that can come from sage.
5. Sage May Lower Cholesterol
We’re looking at the “bad” LDL cholesterol here and in this case, a sage tea was used. It was found that consuming sage tea twice daily lowered the bad LDL cholesterol while at the same time raised “good” HDL cholesterol. They also saw this when subjects used a sage extract.
6. Sage Is Antimicrobial
This means sage benefits include oral health as its antimicrobial effects can neutralize microbes that can promote dental plaque. People have used sage-based mouthwash as a way to kill bacteria and germs that cause plaque and cavities. The essential oil from sage can also kill and halt the spread of Candida albicans which also cause cavities.
Final Thoughts On Sage Benefits
This is a pretty amazing herb that is so versatile in its uses. You can use it fresh or dried, as an essential oil, extract or capsule. It can be made into a tea and even as a mouthwash as referenced above. It’s one of those great combinations of something that actuallytastes good, can improve dishes, and is also very beneficial to your health.
So at the least, start using sage to cook with as it’s so easy to incorporate. Use sage in any sauces or spreads and it mixes well to make sage butter. You can sprinkle chopped sage onto soups and eggs and is a standout herb during the holidays.
Do you have any other ways you use sage? Share down below any of your tips and tricks to include it into your diet.
References:
- http://www.orac-info-portal.de/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
- https://clinicaltrials.gov/
