The Wonderful Oregano
BY: Rodolfo Desuasido • Jul 28, 2019
If you are planning to put up a herb garden in your backyard, on your rooftop, or maybe lanai or terrace of your condominium, make sure that one of the herbs that you plant is “oregano” (also means “mountain joy” in Greek). This common herb is one of the easiest garden plants to propagate and does not need a lot of sunshine. Just stick a mature stem on reasonably rich soil, and you just watch it grow and bear green healthy leaves in just a few weeks.
Oregano in your kitchen
Oregano belongs to the mint family and is a popular cooking ingredient in many countries. During World War II, it became popular among American soldiers as a topping on pizzas. Indeed, it may be healthier to use oregano with tomato sauce as a topping for your spaghetti, instead of the usual cheese and meatballs. Being essentially a vegetable, oregano blends well with starch (spaghetti). Both require an alkaline condition in the stomach to be digested. In contrast, cheese and meatballs require an acid condition (high amount of hydrochloric acid) in the stomach, so when these two combine with starch, they are not likely to be digested. We also know that when the food is not digested, it putrefies in the intestine, and produces a lot of toxins that eventually bring serious illness.
Oregano for your health
To have oregano in your herb garden is very practical because it always comes in handy as your emergency medicine when somebody in the house unexpectedly catches a cold or flu. Its oil is a great expectorant, a potent antibiotic, and a good booster of the immune system. To boost your immune system, add 3 to 4 drops of oregano oil to a glass of water and drink it 2 to 3 times a day.
Oregano oil is simple to prepare. Just mix one cup of threshed dried oregano leaves with one cup of olive oil and let it ferment for a week. Make sure to expose it to sunlight during the day. Another method of making oregano oil is to distill dried oregano leaves. Or you can take the simple household method of extracting its juice, which contains the oil. Pour boiling water into a cup of grated fresh oregano leaves. Let it stand for some minutes until the leaves become tender. Drain the water and put the tender leaves on a clean, porous cloth. Wrap the leaves tight in the cloth and squeeze out the juice into a clean bowl or cup.
As a cough syrup or a lung decongestant, you can drink the juice extract directly. Or you can add the juice to a glass of warm water, along with some lemon juice, or apple cider vinegar and honey for a potent tea drink.
Oregano in your tea and salads
If you mix fresh oregano leaves in your salad and eat them regularly, pretty soon they will drain your lungs of mucus and you can have very clear, healthy, and strong lungs. There is also the possibility that you can say goodbye to your cough, asthma, and other respiratory ailments for good. If you are the kind who dislikes the taste of raw oregano leaves, you can choose to take it regularly as a tea. To make oregano tea, boil 2 to 3 cups of water in a small pot. When the water boils, turn off the heat, then put 4 to 6 tablespoonfuls of dried oregano leaves in the pot. Let it steep for 3 to 5 minutes. Strain the leaves and put a tablespoon of lemon juice and honey to taste. Drink warm throughout the day. They say that drinking 2 to 3 cups of oregano tea a day will cleanse your intestines and improve your digestive system.
Oregano and its medical properties
Indeed, oregano has wonderfully rich medical properties, according to a number of health blogs and websites. Probably the most common is that it is a great natural remedy for lung congestion. Oregano is a rich source of fiber to control your cholesterol. It is rich in vitamins A, B6, C, E, and K (thus, good for the heart and for proper blood clotting). It is also rich in such minerals as foliate, iron, manganese, magnesium, potassium, and calcium. As a potent antibiotic, it is a healthier alternative to traditional antibiotics, which kill friendly and beneficial organisms inside the body. Traditional antibiotics, if misused, allows bacteria to develop resistant strains. This kind of health risk is non-existent in oregano.
One can never emphasize the numerous wonderful beneficial uses of oregano in promoting body health. As an anti-oxidant, it is a sweeper of free radicals. Thus, it slows down the process of aging. It is anti-inflammatory, thus, it helps heal illnesses caused by inflammation such as sore throat, tonsillitis, and pharyngitis. It is said to have anti-cancer properties. It can relieve menstrual pains and remedy irregular menstruation.
When you are in a hurry and have no time to gargle with your usual mouthwash, munching on a few leaves of fresh oregano leaves can effectively produce that clean, fresh breath. Oregano controls bad breath without the unwanted effects of some chemicals.
There seems to be no end to the beneficial uses of oregano. This humble herb has been with us and has been helping mankind for centuries, yet it seems we are just beginning to get acquainted with its wonderful medical properties and many great uses around the house.