Sage Herb

Other Names: Salvia officinalis, S salvatrix, garden sage, common sage, golden sage, kitchen sage, and broadleaf sage

Useful Parts of the Plant: Leaves, branches, roots, and essential oils

Sage is an aromatic herb with origins in areas surrounding the Mediterranean. Ancient Greeks and Romans held it in very high regard. It was also used by Arabic healers and was popular in China for being an important ingredient for aromatic teas. Today, it is found all over the world. Sage is an evergreen plant and is easily available year round. It has greenish-grey leaves and gives off a pleasant aroma. Uses of sage herb are found both in the kitchen as well as in medicine. It can be bought as fresh leaves or dried sage can be purchased as a powder or as leaves. The sage plant contains many nutrients and oils that are being studied in the modern day to discern its medical use and importance.

Nutritional Information and Properties

The nutritional information of sage indicates that two teaspoons contain 0.3 calories, a healthy amount of dietary fiber, vitamin A, calcium, iron, and potassium. It has no cholesterol and negligible amounts of sodium. Calcium is important for bone health and healthy teeth. Iron is an important mineral that helps the blood carry oxygen throughout the body. Potassium is essential for the proper functioning of our muscles, heart, brain, and kidney. Vitamin A helps to maintain a glowing, healthy skin as well as good eyesight.

Health Benefits and Therapeutic Uses

Sage medicinal properties have been expounded for centuries by traditional healers and continue to be researched using modern methods today. A few of the benefits and uses are listed as under.

Sage contains oils and compounds that give it antiseptic properties. It is commonly used as natural toothpaste to kill bacteria in the mouth. It can also be made as a paste for mouth infections. Some of the sage leaves benefits include its usage as a mouth freshener and a teeth cleanser.
Sage is also used as an astringent for the face, owing to its antioxidant and antiseptic properties.
Sage tea benefits include being able to heal mild cold and cough symptoms. Warm sage tea taken multiple times over the course of the day helps to ease congestion.
It is a well known fact that sage when taken internally acts as an antiperspirant. It also doubles up as a deodorant or body wash. Owing to these properties, it is also used as a remedy for women who break out into cold sweat due to the onset of menopause. In addition, it can also help with the regulation of menstrual flow in women.
Sage leaf benefits include its antioxidant properties that are instrumental healthy cell life by preventing damage. Ongoing research is also being conducted to ascertain how sage supplements can benefit patients with Alzheimer's disease.

Precautions/Side Effects/Warnings

There are many health benefits of sage, but it is also good to know adverse effects if any. It has been widely discussed that sage can dry up breast milk, though this still needs to be proven conclusively. However, it is always best to avoid large quantities of sage tea or any other form of sage when breast-feeding. It may also be a good idea to consult with your doctor. Side effects of sage also include the effect of an ingredient called thujone that has hallucinatory properties and can cause convulsions. Consuming large quantities of sage can possibly interfere with medications as well. If you have diabetes, heart trouble, or any other major illness, please consult the doctor about consuming sage in concentrated quantities.