Today I stumbled upon oregano tea and it perked my curiosity. I knew oregano is fantastic on pizza and I often use it on my salads and add it to dressings, but it never crossed my mind that it could be turned into a homemade herbal tea! So here I am going to share what I managed to find out about this herb, its awesome health benefits, and a recipe that came up for you to try.
What is Oregano?
This came as a surprise to me, oregano apparently is a flowering member of the mint family, so after learning that, it’s not surprising that it has some health benefits! It grows mainly in the Mediterranean region (so no wonder it’s so famous in Italian, Greek, and Turkish cuisine), however, it is also found in general Europe and Asia. It is a perennial herb that grows up to 80cm and has tiny purple flowers. Sometimes it is also called wild marjoram and is a close relative to sweet marjoram.
Oregano can be also beneficial as an essential oil that is composed primarily of monoterpenoids and monoterpenes, with the relative concentration of each compound varying widely across geographic origin and other factors. Over 60 different compounds have been identified, with the primary ones being carvacrol and thymol (which is usually extracted from thyme) ranging to over 80%.
Health Benefits
Packed with antioxidants and several healing properties, it can do wonders for the overall well-being of our body. Some of which are the following:
- Reduce wrinkles, age spots, blemishing, and scars
- Loosen phlegm and soothe the bronchial spasm that causes coughing and asthma
- Folk remedies say oregano is also good for bloating, urinary conditions, painful menstruation, rheumatoid arthritis, and swollen glands
- disinfectant for sore and damaged teeth
- Useful against fungus (and even mold)
- Stimulates the metabolism thus also helping with weight loss
- Reduces cholesterol levels (contains Omega 3 fatty acids)
- Boosts the immunity system
- Can help against colon cancer
Side Effects
As with most herbs, it’s always recommended to use in moderation. Here are some side effects this herb may cause:
- Nausea
- Stimulate menstruation (can be very dangerous for pregnancy)
- Dizziness
Making the Tea
Making teas or infusions is really easy. One principle applies to all, if you are using fresh leaves, bruise slightly to release the flavors and active ingredients, if not, simply place the dried leaves in the teacup. Either way, pour hot water (not boiling hot) over your dried leaves and leave for 5 to 10 minutes depending on the strength you wish to achieve. Add honey as usual for sweetness. Lately, I have tried adding kinds of milk to my herbal infusions, with some of them for me it worked. I generally do not like milk with my tea, so of course, this is totally relative to what you like but something you may want to try.