Medicinal Uses: inflammation of mouth and throat, indigestion, menopausal symptoms, boost memory, and improve mood.
Yesterday, I promised to begin a series of the medicinal uses for herbs found in a historically accurate 1860's herb garden and see what research shows today that might either verify it as an essential herb for today's herb garden, or shows that it should be eliminated.
Sage is one of the most common herbs found in culinary herb gardens. I love its swede like texture, the greenish gray leaves. And while I must admit, turkey always comes to mind when I think about this herb, it actually has a varied and diverse history. In fact, sage wasn't even used for food flavoring until the 17th century.
This herb is a member of the mint family and is best used as a fresh herb when its aromatic flavors are heightened. Its flavor has been described as a combination of rosemary, pine and mint. When dried, its flavor is more camphoric.
Historically, sage was used as fertility treatments in Egypt and in ancient Greece, a solution was made using sage and water to clean sores and ulcers and to stop bleeding. It was also thought to extend life.
Today, sage is often used for mouth and throat inflammation, indigestion and sweating. It is also thought to alleviate menopausal symptoms in some women. There also is a small study that validates the use of sage to improve mood and boost memory, especially in healthy young people. It also has shown positive results in another clinical study where it showed enhanced thinking and learning abilities in older adults with mild to moderate Alzheimer's.
This plant is used in the following forms: dried leaves, liquid extracts, and essential oils.
Women who are pregnant or breast feeding should not take this for medicinal purposes.
For more information on sage and others herbs, the government website at the National Institutes for Health is a great resource.
Click here for more information on sage.
Preservation: Sage can be stored fresh in the refrigerator in ziplock bags for two weeks, frozen for two months, or dried whole and crushed just before using.
Medicinal Herb Series
