The remarkable Wild Greek Oregano
Oregano (Origanum vulgare) is a species of flowering plant in the mint family Lamiaceae native of the Mediterranean.
Used since the middle 18th century, the Spanish word orégano is derived from the Latin orīganum and ultimately from the Classical Greek ὀρίγανον (orī́ganon).[3] This is a compound Greek term that consists of ὄρος (óros) meaning "mountain", and γάνος (gános) meaning "joy", "beauty", "brightness", thus, "beauty of the mountain".[3]
Historically
Legend has it that goddess Aphrodite cultivated oregano in her garden on the top of Olympus as a symbol of joy and happiness. Inspired by that, oregano was being used for the wreaths of the newlyweds.
Oregano was used in herbal medicine since the ancient years. Hippocrates was initially using it as an antiseptic before he discovered the rest of its benefits.
USES
It has been used for conditions related to the respiratory tract, digestive tract, urinary, menstrual pain, skin issues, toothaches and more.
We can benefit by adding oregano in our food, in a fresh or dry form, use it as a herb to drink or in a more concentrated form as an essential oil.
Culinary
If you are using it is a dry herb, you can add it in your salads along with olive oil, like for example the Greek Salad. You can also season your hot food like grilled veggies, pulses, meats. In those cases we add the dry oregano at the end of the cooking process because besides from loosing nutrients it also tends to turn a bit bitter.
Herbal Tea
As a herbal tea, oregano treats spasms, poisoning, colon pains, external inflammation, and reliefs from cold sore throat.
Essential Oil
For the boosting of our immune system, colds, flu, pharyngitis, cholesterol, diabetes, prostate, psoriasis, colitis, ulcer, we can use the essential oil in the following two ways:
We pour 1-2 drops of Oregano essential oil in a soup spoon of Olive oil and we drink it once a day (on a full or empty stomach) for 20 days. We take a week's break and then we restart for another 20 days. We take another week's break and restart for another 20 days. We can do that throughout the winter months or when we are recovering or feeling weak.
For children, 1 drop in their food once in 10 days is enough.
The above way is proffered for digestive-intestinal issues and the below for respiratory ones.
We pour 1-2 drops of essential oil in half a glass of water or into our tea (once it is cold enough to be drunk) and drink it right away avoiding to put the oil on our lips because it is very potent and we may feel a burn. We can do that for 10-20 days in row followed by a week's break and continue.
To break the mucus after a cold, we can gargle with the essential oil in luke warm water.
For children, we can dilute one drop of oregano oil in their bath and bathe them in it (without soap) or body oil and and spread it on their body with a light massage.
For external fungus
It can be applied directly on the skin.
For gum disease
You can add a drop on your toothbrush in combination with your toothpaste and brush 2-3 times a day
Attention:
For people with low iron, remember to ingest the oregano oil or herb 2 hours before or after eating. This will allow your body to absorb all the iron from your food.
Nutritional content:
Rich in Vitamin C, K, E, Magnesium, Manganese, Calcium, Iron, Antioxidants and Fibre.
1. Rich in Antioxidants
Oregano is rich in antioxidants, which are compounds that help fight damage from harmful free radicals in the body.
The buildup of free radicals has been linked to chronic diseases like cancer and heart disease
Several test-tube studies have found that oregano and oregano oil are high in antioxidants. Α gram of oregano has 42 times more antioxidant properties than apples since it is rich in vitamin A and C.
Oregano essential oil is especially high in carvacrol and thymol, two antioxidants that can help prevent damage to cells caused by free radicals
2. Helps Fight Bacteria
Oregano contains certain compounds that have potent antibacterial properties.
One test-tube study showed that oregano essential oil helped block the growth of Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, two strains of bacteria that can cause infection.
Another test-tube study found that oregano was effective against 23 species of bacteria .
Furthermore, a test-tube study compared the antimicrobial activity of oregano, sage and thyme essential oils. Oregano was one of the most efficient essential oils against bacteria, second to thyme.
3. Could Have Anti-Cancer Properties
Oregano is high in antioxidants. These compounds can not only neutralize free radical damage, but they may also aid in cancer prevention.
Some test-tube studies have shown that oregano and its components may help kill cancer cells.
One test-tube study treated human colon cancer cells with oregano extract and found that it stopped the growth of cancer cells and helped kill them off.
Another test-tube study showed that carvacrol, one of the components in oregano, also helped suppress the growth and spread of colon cancer cells.
4. Helps Reduce Viral Infection
In addition to fighting off bacteria, some test-tube studies have found that oregano and its components may also protect against some viruses.
In particular, carvacrol and thymol are two compounds in oregano that have been associated with antiviral properties.
In one test-tube study, carvacrol inactivated norovirus, a viral infection that causes diarrhea, nausea and stomach pain, within one hour of treatment.
Another test-tube study found that thymol and carvacrol inactivated 90% of the herpes simplex virus within just one hour.
5. Decreases Inflammation
Inflammation is a normal immune response that occurs as a result of illness or injury.
However, chronic inflammation is believed to contribute to the development of diseases like heart disease, diabetes and autoimmune conditions (14 Trusted Source).
Oregano is rich in antioxidants, which can help neutralize free radicals and reduce inflammation (15 Trusted Source).
It also contains compounds like carvacrol that have been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties. In one animal study, carvacrol reduced swelling in the paws of mice by up to 57% (16 Trusted Source).
Another animal study showed that a mixture of thyme and oregano essential oils reduced the number of inflammatory markers in mice with colitis, or an inflamed colon (17 Trusted Source).