Sage (Salvia officinalis) is a medicinal herb used in the treatment of pain, diarrhea, colds, digestion, and mental problems.
It can lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels. The abundant antioxidant compounds found in the plant are beneficial for brain health and are especially protective against Alzheimer’s.
It is an anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial herb; It is beneficial for oral, dental and upper respiratory health.
Sage extracts contain immune-boosting polyphenols and protect against some types of cancer. Vitamin K in sage provides bone health.
Its leaves are used in drug making. It can be added to dishes as a spice and can be consumed as a tea.
What is Sage?
Sage, scientifically known as Salvia officinalis, is a perennial, evergreen shrub with grayish-green leaves and a woody stem.
This medicinal herb (with thyme, lavender, peppermint, rosemary) family is native to the Middle East and Mediterranean regions.
In late spring or early summer, sage plants bloom from lavender and white to pink and purple. Sage leaves are covered with small, hair-like structures called trichome. It is used as a perfume in soap and cosmetic products.
Nutritional Facts
It contains vitamins K, B6, C, E, A, B3, B9. There are also potassium, calcium, iron, manganese, zinc, magnesium and copper minerals. It contains a small amount of calories, protein, fat, and fiber. The benefits of sage are due to compounds contains.
It contains over 160 polyphenols. Some of these and the effective ones are rosmarinic acid, caffeic acid, chlorogenic, ellagic acid. There are also flavonoids such as apigenin, luteolin, and diosmetin.
Types Of Sage
There are more than 5600 different sage varieties worldwide. It is not possible to distinguish the difference between sage varieties except for botanists or biologists who are experts in their subject matter. About 565 different varieties of the plant called ‘Sage’ grow in Anatolia.
Medical sage (Salvia officinalis) is a variety of sage most commonly used in the treatment of health problems and the pharmaceutical industry. Also, some of the sage oils for aromatherapy purposes are produced from this type.
Anatolian Sage (Salvia Triloba): It grows widely in our country. It has many benefits to health, such as medicinal sage, and is consumed more as tea.
It can also be dried and used as incense. The oil of this species is known as bitter apple oil.
Spanish Sage (Salvia lavandulifolia): It is native to Spain and southern France. It has memory-enhancing effects in adults.
What Are The Benefits Of Sage?
Reduces Menopause Symptoms
Hormonal imbalances that occur during menopause are caused by estrogen deficiency. Since the compounds in sage have estrogen-like properties, they especially help prevent hot flashes, excessive sweating, and irritability in menopause.
Sage leaves and supplements can cope with problems such as menstrual irregularities, dysmenorrhea (painful menstrual periods), amenorrhea.
It is Beneficial to Digestive System
Sage leaves and extract are used as a degassing herb to soothe bowel movements and reduce symptoms of indigestion. Rosmarinic acid in sage can prevent stomach and intestinal spasms and prevent diarrhea and gastritis.
The leaves are useful in the treatment of inflammation, infection, and abdominal colic (pain caused by muscle spasms in the internal organs) that may occur in the intestines.
It is Good for Bad Cholesterol and Diabetes
Long-term (2-3 weeks) and regular use of sage (2 times a day) prevents bad cholesterol from forming and increases good cholesterol levels.
Its leaves are hyperlipidemic (a disease characterized by an increase in the amount of fat in the blood) in patients with type 2 diabetes, it has anti-hyperglycemic (the effect of lowering the high sugar level in the blood) and a healing effect in total cholesterol.
The chemicals found in sage leaves regulate glucose secretion stored in the liver, preventing blood sugar fluctuations and prevent the formation of type 2 diabetes. It can increase insulin sensitivity by helping to clear excess of free fatty acids in the blood.
Fights Cancer
Studies have shown that drinking sage can suppress the initial stages of colon cancer. Strong antioxidants such as carcinoma, quercetin and rosmarinic acid in sage extracts suppress the growth of cancer cells and can be effective against oral cancer, liver cancer, cervical cancer, breast cancer, kidney cancer, and skin cancer.
Effective Against Alzheimer’s
Research has revealed that sage extract can be effective in relieving symptoms of mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease. It does this by stopping the breakdown of ACH levels, which work as a chemical messenger in memory, and helps improve learning, memory, and information processing capabilities.
It is Good for Depression
It contains antioxidants such as diosmetine, apigenin, and luteolin, which are anxiety-relieving and calming properties, and helps combat depression and stress. Drinking a glass of sage tea a day helps combat the negativity caused by depression.
Improves Bone Health
It contains vitamin K, which is insufficient in many foods. This vitamin is essential for bone density and for maintaining bone integrity due to age.
When you add this leaves to your nutrition routine, you can contribute to maintaining your bone health by taking 27% of the amount sufficient to prevent thinning and fractures in the bones.
It is Good for Skin Health
Topical creams (ointment made with sage leaves) with sage form a line of defense against diseases such as eczema, psoriasis, and acne with antibacterial effect.
Regular application of sage extract to spots and inflamed areas on the skin can gradually eliminate ugly looks and prevent skin redness caused by UV rays. It can also help remove signs of aging in the skin.
It is Good for Mouth and Gum Diseases
Which has the feature of whitening teeth, can provide a faster recovery of throat infections, dental abscesses, infected gums and mouth ulcers with its antimicrobial effects.
Gargling with sage brewed instead of synthetic mouthwashes 5 times a day is good for sore throat and inflammation (pharyngitis), bleeding gums and stomatitis (inflammation of the mouth).
Benefits Of Sage Oil
There are more than 120 compounds in the essential oil prepared from the antenna parts of sage. Sage oil (cineol) is obtained from the leaves and flowers of the plant by steam heating. The most oil is obtained from salvia officinalis variety, but salvia triloba is grown in Anatolia and is known as bitter apple oil.
This oil improves forward-looking memory performance in people of all ages. It is being investigated for the development of therapeutics in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease.
Compounds found in essential oil may be recommended as a support treatment in the fight against dermatitis and skin fungi. It is better to think with a carrier oil before applying to skin.
It nourishes the scalp, prevents dandruff and cleanses the hair. Apply sage oil to hair bottoms by thinning. 15 min. after waiting, wash your hair with shampoo you always use.
It is good for oral and dental health. It is used in a 100 milliliter Bowl by mixing 1-2 drops of sage oil with mint or clove oil. It should be mixed with water. Mouthwash can be done 3 times a week and should not be swallowed.
It is good for menstrual pain. The oil can be diluted and massaged on the abdomen and arms.
It eliminates the problems caused by menopause. The oil is by diluting and feet are massaged. It can be added to bathwater.
It can be used for bronchitis and asthma. 3-5 drops of essential oil are added to the bathwater.
It is good for cuts, minor injuries. Sage leaves are crushed into a mash and a compress is applied on the wound.
It gives you energy, removes fatigue.
It can be used as a massage oil.
It resolves insomnia.
It has an aphrodisiac effect. It can be beneficial for both men and women by adding 2-3 drops to the bathwater or as a massage oil.
In aromatherapy, 2-3 drops of sage oil are used together with water and other essential oils.
Side Effects
It should not be used during pregnancy.
Breastfeeding women should not use it because of reduces the secretion of breast milk.
It should not be given to children under 6 years of age.
It should not be drunk more than 3 cups a day. Sometimes you can increase blood pressure when consumed in excess.
People with hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) should consume sage carefully.
If there is a problem of high and low blood pressure, it should not be drunk more than 1 cup a day.
Some types of this herb contain Thujone, if it is consumed in high amounts, it will damage the liver and nervous system.
Spanish sage should not be used if there is a hormone-sensitive condition such as breast cancer, uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, endometriosis or uterine fibroids.
It should not be used before and after surgery.
It should not be used together with diabetes, sedatives, anti-seizure, and Alzheimer’s drugs.
