Oregano: 10 Natural Health Benefits & Healing Uses
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As part of our fall series on the healing powers of herbs, check out this week’s focus on oregano! (And don’t miss last week’s tips for lavender.)
Oregano
10. Recipes
Oregano means “mountain joy” and is a wonderfully aromatic, flavorful herb popularly used in Spanish and Mediterranean cooking. Oregano also goes by the name marjoram (though it is not to be confused with sweet marjoram). Oregano adds depth and savor to any dish, but goes particularly well with tomatoes, eggplant, and any meat. Sprinkle some in your scrambled eggs or salad dressings, too.
9. Vitamin Boost
Oregano is a rich natural source of vitamin K, an important vitamin that is often overlooked. Learn more about vitamin K.
8. Antibacterial Punch
Did you know that oregano has anti-bacterial properties? You can find oregano oil in many specialty and health food shops for this very reason. Oregano contains thymol and carvacrol, two oils which have remarkable bacteria-fighting power. In fact, researchers recently discovered that oregano is a better treatment for giardia than the prescription drug commonly prescribed to treat the illness.
7. Antioxidants, Too
Thymol and an acid called rosmarinic are potent antioxidants that oregano offers. Ready for a surprise? Research shows that “…On a per gram fresh weight basis, oregano has demonstrated 42 times more antioxidant activity than apples, 30 times more than potatoes, 12 times more than oranges and 4 times more than blueberries.”
6. Minerals
Oregano is high in iron, manganese, and other important minerals for health. It’s one of the healthiest and tastiest herbs you can try, so if you haven’t stopped reading yet to run out and buy some, scoot!
5. Fiber Full
Oregano is rich in fiber (the amount is similar to chicory). Fiber is necessary to provide bulk for better elimination. As Mark always says, fiber is king!
4. Go fresh!
When buying oregano, it’s best to purchase fresh leaves instead of the dried variety. Yes, a little shakity-shake is easier and more convenient, but you also miss out on those beneficial anti-bacterial and anti-oxidant oils. Fresh oregano is pretty inexpensive. In fact, it’s very easy to grow yourself!
3. Omega-3’s
Oregano is a natural source of Omega-3 fatty acids. Does it get any better?
2. Perfume
Oregano makes a lovely scent for your skin similar to patchouli. It is guaranteed to drive the ladies wild, gentlemen. Because it is a commonly used ingredient in pizzas and spaghetti, don’t be surprised if people, especially former carb addicts, bite you. Obviously, Mark’s Daily Apple cannot be responsible for this potential risk. But hey, maybe you like being bitten. No judgment here.
1. The Things We Get Away With Around Here…
#2 was completely made up.
Hey: What are your favorite ways to use oregano? You do use oregano, right?
Further reading:
Edible Flowers (they’re not for slugs anymore!)
Top Ten Fibrous Foods (must be pronounced fibb-russ in order to count)
Tonomura Flickr Photo (CC)
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Posted By: Worker Bee
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Had no idea it was a source for Omega 3. Wow. That’s cool. Did know it had other health benefits, though.
Just use Oregano as a food spice… Italian.. that’s it. Boring, I know.. but….
Yes I also use it as food spice only. I have no idea that it’s also high in iron. Meat would be incomplete if it’s not marinated in spice and oregano yet. I love to top any sauce with oregano, it adds the scent and savory flavor. Regarding number 2# Add rosemary to the perfume mix and you’ll become nation’s hottest man
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Do you receive the same benefits by drinking it as tea?
Oregano tea is a pleasantly bitter tonic for the digestion and for colds and flue. However, some people (as in the individual who commented on this page) may find it disagrees with them, so try a weak infusion first or mix it with other herbs like peppermint or chamomile. Oil of oregano is used for intensive purposes in treating infections and is much, much stronger than oregano as tea. The safest bet is to enjoy ample quantities of it in your cooking. Your taste buds will thank you!
does it have any negative affects? i seem to get a stomach ach when i cook with oregano.
Some people do indeed get mild stomach upsets when they consume oregano. Personally, I find it to be a good treatment for any form of indigestion, but I guess everyone is different!
may i ask if oregano is also a herb for yeast infection
I believe that oil of oregano can be used for the purpose of treating yeast infections, as it is an effective anti-macrobial agent. If you want to experiement with it, I would suggest taking it orally (follow package directions on any commercially available oregano oil product). Because of it’s irritant effect, I would not advise using it topically. Also, if you’re interested in alternative treatments to yeast infections you may wish to try an herb called Taheebo (or Pau D’Arco) as a tea or in capsules.
One interesting thing I’ve found about the herb Oregano is that I still enjoy it immencely in food despite also taking it in medicinal quantities (as a strong tea or as oil of oregano) which render an intensely strong, almost unpleasant taste. The opposite can be said of Ginger, which I’ve come to dislike in food because I use this herb medicinally rather often and the smell or taste of it reminds me of feeling ill. Not the case with Oregano- a truely versatile herb which together with Rosemary, Thyme & Sage compliments nearly all savory foods and serves a multitude of medicinal purposes.
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