In 2001, the International Herb Association awarded sage the title of “Herb of the Year.”
Sage is an herb from an evergreen shrub. It is in the mint family. The botanical name comes from the Latin word “salvere,” meaning “to be saved.”
It is best to use fresh sage because it is the most flavorful and fragrant. To store fresh sage leaves, wrap them in a damp paper towel and place inside a loosely closed plastic bag. Store in the refrigerator. Dried sage should be kept in a tightly sealed glass container in a cool, dark and dry place where it will keep fresh for about six months.
If using it for culinary use remember a little goes a long way, especially if you’re using dried leaves, so use sparingly. Use sage with pork, beef, duck, turkey and chicken recipes. It is great with fatty meats. It is also great chopped and mixed with melted butter stirred into pasta.
There are several health benefits for using sage. Sage is known for its natural antiseptic. It is medicinally used for muscle aches, rheumatism, and aromatherapy. There are also studies with it treating cognitive decline and people suffering from Alzheimer’s. If made into a drink from the leaves it may help ease depression. Sage can also soothe indigestion when taken in a herbal tea. And lastly it can be used to help your dental routine. It can be an effective mouthwash to combat gum disease, cankers and throat infections.
While enjoying food with sage, you are receiving advantages like flavonoids, phenolic acids, enzymes, neutralizing harmful free radicals, antioxidants for lowered heart disease risk, inflammation and hot flashes associated with menopausal to name a few.
Do you want better brain function? Use sage in your favorite soups, stews and casseroles recipes. Sage is an outstanding memory enhancer.
There are sage oils you can use in a diffuser. This would be great to have in the work or home environment.
As you can see there are may uses for sage.
