Giving flavour to pizza, pasta and grilled meats, the oregano herb is one of the most widely used in the world. But its usefulness doesn't just stop at taste and flavour, the plant is also acclaimed for its extract oregano oil, and the many oregano oil health benefits associated with it.
The oregano plant which originally grew wild in the mountains of Greece and Italy, is sometimes confused with the similar marjoram, but has a very different taste. It's a perennial plant and grows up to 80 centimetres tall, its tiny leaves carrying the pungent flavour and aroma. The plant blooms with small pink or purple flowers, which are also edible, although the oregano leaves themselves taste best when harvested before the plant flowers.
But long before it was used to add zip to pizza sauce, it was the health benefits of oregano that people were interested in. The ancient Greek physician Hippocrates was known to use the medicinal properties of oregano to treat a number of ailments, including stomach pain and breathing problems. In the 15th century, the Austrian physician Paracelsus used oregano to treat skin conditions, diarrhea and vomiting.
Today, millions of people around the world use oregano oil for its many and varied health benefits. The oil is made from the tiny leaves of the flowering oregano plant, picked when they are the highest in their concentration of essential oil. The active ingredient in oregano oil is carvacrol, and the best oregano oils are guaranteed to contain anywhere from 75 to 85 per cent carvacrol.
There are many oregano oil health benefits, and here are just a few:
- Often used to fight fungal infections in the skin and blood
- Possesses strong antiseptic and strong anti-inflammatory properties
- Helps ease allergies and sinusitis
- Its antioxidant properties can also help aid the digestive system
- You can rub it on the skin to treat fungal ailments such as athlete's foot
- Used externally, it can be used to soothe bee stings and other insect bites
- Packed with minerals, e.g magnesium, calcium, iron, potassium and zinc
Its most popular use is in the effort to ward off seasonal colds and flu. Just a few drops under your tongue at the first sign of illness, and many people swear that oregano oil helped avert the illness itself. At the very least, it can help mitigate the symptoms by calming sore throat, lung and nasal infections and other common signs of a cold or flu. You can also steam the oil in boiling water and inhale the vapours to help clear viruses from your lungs, sinuses and nasal passages.
Oregano oil is potent stuff, so it's best diluted with a little bit of olive oil. If you are using it internally, it's best to start off with one drop of the oil twice a day, and work your way up to four times daily. You can mix it with honey or maple syrup for a better taste.
Word of caution when considering whether to make use of oregano oil health benefits, whilst safe, it can burn a little going down if it is not diluted. This is probably more of an issue if you make your own oregano oil rather than if you use a commercial brand.
Jason Pitcher enjoys all things to do with cooking, particularly everything to do with making homemade herb and spice blends. Sign up to his free monthly newsletter Flavour At Your Fingertips at http://www.bespokespices.com/spices-and-their-uses.html and receive your free recipe e-book - "Homemade Spice Blends From Around The World".
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