Most of us know sage as perennial woody herb and some of us might even have it growing in our gardens. Sage, or if you prefer the scientific name, salvia officinalis, is a sister herb of rosemary. Both sage and rosemary have the organic compound rosmarinic acid that can offer such powerful health benefits.
Our grandmothers, and theirs, and all those thousand years back, knew that sage could be used as medicine. In fact, sage was used to treat snakebites, to ward off evil, and even to boost fertility in females. But currently researchers have been re-investigating the potential uses of this herb.
Here are some of the benefits of this slightly peppery flavored herb.
1 Sage can be a cognitive boost
What the scientist have found were that even a small amounts of this herb could boost people’s ability to recall and increase their memory retention. More so, there was an increased concentration and focus in the respondent’s brain activities. All of this, if the herb was consumed or just smelled.
This brain booster could benefit school pupils to people with intellectually demanding careers.
2 Sage could be used to treat inflammation
To release the healing benefit of sage it was found that people should chew on the leaves. Although the taste might be a bit much for some, still it is the most effective manner of releasing the organic compounds to treat inflammatory issues. More so, the compounds, namely flavonoids and phenolic, were found to be an excellent anti-inflammatory remedy to treat gout, arthritis, cardiovascular problems associated with inflammation that could lead to high blood pressure.
3 Sage could offer an antioxidant impact
Out of the many health benefits of sage, some of the most important include its ability to improve brain function, lower inflammation throughout the body, prevent chronic diseases, boost the strength of the immune system, regulate proper digestion, alleviate skin conditions, increase the health and strength of bones, slow the onset of cognitive disorders, and prevent the onset of diabetes.
4 The antioxidant impact of sage could offer benefits
If you face some of debilitating and harmful illnesses, such as those from degenerative diseases and chronic conditions, could be delayed or avoided with proper care. This is since many of these type of diseases are triggered by free radicals, the hazardous by products of cellular metabolism that attack healthy cells, producing mutation or apoptosis. Within sage are antioxidant compounds, like rosmarinic acid, luteolin, and apigenin. All of these could work to defuse free radicals and avert them from creating oxidative stress in the heart, organ systems, joints, skin, muscles, and the brain.
5 Sage could help with cognitive disorders
As, sage can stimulate brain function to enhance concentration and memory; but it could also prevent cognitive disorders that could occur such as dementia and Alzheimer’s. More so, the neural pathways stimulated by the extracts and essential oils of sage can retain the mind fresh and youthful well into your older ages.
6 Sage can help to strengthen your immune system
Sage has some antimicrobial properties, but since the herb is normally consumed in small amounts, the actual effect is not really felt. But used as topical application it is effect to prevent bacterial and viral infections that attack the body through the skin. This is important, since the skin can be compromised and be used as a gateway for foreign agents. A topical cream or antibacterial routine that contains sage could be an additional line of protection in contradiction of that sort of illness vector.
7 Sage can help to make your bones strong
The herb sage is actually packed with vitamin K. This vitamin helps our bodies to develop strong bone density. In fact, if you have early signs of osteoporosis, but also if your diet is poor in key nutrients, have a sedentary lifestyle, and then your bone health is likely low. If you add leaves to your diet can rise your vitamin K levels meaningfully, as a single service has 27% of your daily-recommended intake.
8 You can use sage to treat skin conditions
A topical ointment made of sage leaves has been shown to be effective against some skin conditions, such as acne, eczema, and psoriasis. These unsightly blemishes can be speedily soothed and their appearance can be reduced progressively if you regularly apply sage extracts and salves to the inflamed or affected area.
9 Sage can aid in diabetes management
Sage contains certain extracts and chemicals that copycat the drugs characteristically prescribed for treating diabetes. This herb seems to appear to regulate and prevent the release of stored glucose in the liver, avoiding most important fluctuations of blood sugar, which can aid to thwart the onset of Type 2 diabetes, or manage the disorder if it has already established.
10 Sage helps with digestion
The compound, rosmarinic acid, which is found in sage performances as an anti-inflammatory agent in numerous parts of the body. But it also preforms like that in the stomach. Therefore, sage can prevent gastric spasms, but also expressively lower the manifestation of diarrhea and gastritis for patients suffering from these type of conditions. As such, by adding sage to your meals can get your entire digestive process back on track and decrease inflammation throughout the stomach.
Concluding remarks
Sage, which is part of the mint family, offers many health benefits. More so sage is not considered a typically allergenic herb. But if you have allergic reactions to either sage, or the mint family then you should still check a doctor before adding this herb to your dietary or supplementation routine.
