Many people are used to seeing sage in their spice cabinet or using it in cooking, but few are aware of the fact that it’s actually a woody, evergreen shrub that boasts purplish-blue flowers in a towering cascade. In fact, the plant is so lovely, it’s popular in gardens and flowerbeds purely as an ornamental – aside from its well known culinary applications. But, even beyond aesthetics and tasty seasoning applications, sage is also an incredibly important plant that has been used medicinally for hundreds of years. Though early, folkloric uses of sage such as keeping evil at bay and treating snakebites are largely unheard of today, many of the benefits of sage tea for health are still relevant and applicable all these years later. These are attributed to various chemical compounds found in the plant that include borneol, thujone, cineole, oleic acid, tannins, carnosic acid, carnosol, ursolic acid and more.
Sage tea is best prepared with the fresh herb, but using the dried version if fresh isn’t available is acceptable as well, although the quantity changes depending on type used. When using fresh herb in a sage tea recipe, one tablespoon is appropriate. Of the dried form, one teaspoon is the correct amount. Regardless, the herb can be added to one cup of boiled water and then left to steep for about five minutes. Like many other herbal tea recipes, a brewed sage beverage is nicely complemented by lemon or honey and is also quite delicious when served cold. It may not keep evil spirits away as it was once thought to do hundreds of years ago, but the benefits of sage tea can be profound, and ten of them follow!
1. Alzheimer’s Disease
one of the most exciting revelations recently regarding the study of the medicinal effects of sage has found that over periods of time, the herbal remedy may have helped promote easier learning in people with the disease. With more research, it’s possible to one day prove that the benefits of sage tea include improved learning ability in people with even moderate forms of the condition.
2. Mental Benefits
Sage doesn’t just seem to improve mental aptitude in people with Alzheimer’s disease. Studies have found that the herb also can help boost alertness and memory if used in otherwise healthy adults.
3. High Cholesterol
Specifically with regards “bad” (LDL) cholesterol and triglycerides, the benefits of sage tea may include a reduced risk of cardiovascular illness. These same studies also found the herb useful in helping raise levels of “good” (HDL) cholesterol as well, and this combination of effects is thought to have a more substantial impact on heart health than other agents that only reduce bad cholesterol exclusively.
4. Menopause
The benefits of sage tea for health may include combating some of the bothersome symptoms associated with menopause. These are thought to include hot flashes and night sweats, although there may be even more practical purpose for sage with regards women’s health pending further investigation.
5. Lung Cancer
This controversial claim has little scientific support to back it up, however it has been suggested in persons who consume sage regularly that the incidence of lung cancer in these people is less than half of those who don’t. Lung cancer prevention is one of the more curious purported benefits of sage tea that may bring exciting possibilities with more study and research.
6. Pain
It’s been scientifically proven that sage is less effective at treating pain than pain medicine. This is probably not a big surprise to anyone. However, the herbal remedy has been associated with pain relief and people use it because it doesn’t promote side effects like many prescription pain relievers can. Sometimes the herb is used alongside over the counter pain relievers for an enhanced effect.
7. Tummy Troubles
In some parts of Europe, sage has been approved as a safe and effective treatment for various gastrointestinal problems. These include indigestion, bloating, gas, diarrhea and more. These benefits may be related to the herb’s anti inflammatory characteristics.
8. Infections
Sage was an important part of traditional Chinese medicine and one reason for that may have been the plant’s natural astringent properties. When combined with anti inflammatory effects, the benefits of sage tea may include both symptom and pain relief for various sources of infection. Most notably, these historically have included dental infections (abscesses) and ulcers in the mouth, although infections elsewhere in the body may also be positively affected.
9. Increased Sweating
There seems to be little evidence to support the use of sage for reducing excessive sweating, however it remains one of the most well known uses for the herb anyways. Many other benefits of sage tea are substantiated by studies and research, whereas this particular purpose still seems largely rooted in folklore, although that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s ineffective.
10. Antifungal
Sage is thought to have antibacterial properties but it’s also possibly useful in fighting a very common fungus known as Candida albicans. The essential oils found in the plant have been proven in lab settings to counter the prolific yeast, and this action can have multiple positive health benefits in some people.
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