Sage is one of the most preferred staple herbs used in a wide range of cuisines worldwide. It has several names in different parts of the world such as salvia officinal is, garden sage, and common sage. It is a part of the mint family, along with several other herbs such as thyme, basil, rosemary, and oregano.
Sage has an earthy flavor and intense aroma which is why it is generally used only in small quantities. Even so, it is rich in a diverse range of essential compounds and nutrients. Also, sage is a potent natural cleanser, a powerful pesticide, as well as a popular widely-used ritual entity in spiritual sage smudging and burning.
This powerful green herb is available in oil, dry, and fresh form – and is known to offer a wide range of health benefits.
As such, sage(1) consists of more than 160 different polyphenol that is a plant-based chemical compound and acts as an antioxidant in your body. Also, during the Middle Age, Sage got its nickname as “Sage the Savior” for its wide range of extremely treasured properties. Also, for its superior nerve tonic and cleansing(2) properties, the Lakota Indians called it the “master herb”.
Sage Essential Oil: An Overview
Sage is one of the most powerful and the oldest herbs. When used in its essential oil form, sage provides an array of health benefits. Typically, the process of manufacturing the sage oil needs proper distillation of sage leaves. When enough quantity of this oil gets concentrated, people can take advantage of it to boost their overall health and wellness.
Sage essential oil’s benefits can be accredited to its properties as an antioxidant, antiseptic, antifungal, antimicrobial, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, cicatrizant, depurative, cholagogic and choleretic, emmenagogue, expectorant, digestive, disinfectant, laxative, febrifuge, and a potent stimulating substance.
[Read: Essential Oils for Sunburn]
What is Sage Essential Oil Composed of?
Due to its strong terpene composition, sage essential oil holds antibacterial, antiseptic, antifungal, and antimicrobial properties. Sage essential oil is composed of anti-inflammatories, antispasmodics, and antioxidants that help prevent damage caused by free radicals, reduce inflammation, and improve the symptoms of muscle twitches or spasms. Also, a significant component of sage(3) essential oil is thujone (around 22% to 61%).
Typically, the biochemical compounds that create sage consist of but are not limited to, myrcene, Limonene, 1, 8-cineole, a-pinene, camphene, b-pinene, camphor, linalool, A-thujone, B-thujone, borneol, and bornyl acetate.
This rare and diverse collection of phenolic acids, terpenes, volatile oils, and flavonoids offer sage with its various therapeutic and healing properties.
What Does Science Say about Sage Essential Oil?
Sage essential oil has been scientifically proven to offer advantages more than one. In recent research, a sage-based mouthwash showed effectiveness in destroying the Streptococcus mutans bacteria that is infamous for causing a wide range of dental cavities.
In another study, the extracts of sage proved effective in reducing blood glucose level in rats having type 1 diabetes by leading to the activation of a specific receptor. Once the receptor was activated, it aided in clearing excess of unwanted fatty acids present in the blood, thereby improving insulin sensitivity.
In another test-tube study, essential(4) oil based on sage proved effective in killing and further preventing the progression of Candida albicans, a threatening fungus that can lead to a wide range of cavities.
In a research report made available by the Brazilian Journal of Microbiology, the essential oils of sage were found to exhibit great antimicrobial properties against Vancomycin-resistant E. coli and Enterococci strains.
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Sage Essential Oil Benefits & Uses
The excellent sage oil benefits are well-established, and people around the world utilize the sage essential oil for improving the symptoms of fatigue, stress, digestive issues, skin conditions, fungal infections, bacterial infections, menstrual pain, and respiratory problems.
Also, the sage essential oil is widely used topically in its diluted form with a suitable carrier oil or is inhaled as aromatherapy using a simple diffuser. Sage essential oil is also used to boost memory and cognitive functions as well as for improving the symptoms of stiffness and muscle tension.
15 Health Benefits of Sage Essential Oil over your Health
1. Antifungal
The presence of camphene and camphor in sage essential oil provides it an efficient antifungal property that helps treat several health conditions such as dermatitis, skin diseases, dysentery, and athlete’s foot.
[Read: Essential Oils for Bruises]
2. Antimicrobial
Antimicrobial properties of sage essential oil help safeguard small cuts and wounds against potentially harmful infections.
3. Antibacterial
Sage essential oil helps to heal various harmful bacterial infections in the wounds, intestines, colon, urethra, genitals, eyes, throat, nose, and ears.
4. Antioxidant
The antioxidants in sage essential oils make it an excellent ingredient for a wide range of skin treatment and anti-aging products. Antioxidants help fight free radicals and oxidants in the body that are the primary reason behind aging.
5. Antiseptic
Due to its potent antifungal, antibacterial, and antimicrobial properties, sage essential oil serves as an extremely-effective antiseptic for postnatal injuries, wounds, surgical incisions, ulcers, and sores.
6. Anti-inflammatory
Sage essential oil helps to reduce different types of inflammations in the body such as those caused by fever. Also, it helps prevent the entry of various poisonous material in the bloodstream. Sage essential oil comes handy in relieving inflammations in the excretory tracts, intestines, and stomach.
7. Antispasmodic
This characteristic of sage essential oil is extremely beneficial for treating all problems caused by spasms, including chest and stomach pain, convulsions, cramps, and coughs.
8. Choleretic & Cholagogue
Both these terms refer to the same property, i.e., the ability of a substance to enhance the discharge of bile. It aids in soothing the stomach, enhances metabolism, improve the digestive system, and protects the stomach from inflammation caused by excessive acids. Therefore, sage essential oil comes handy in providing long-term relief from acidosis and acidity.
9. Cicatrisant
This is another property of sage essential oil that makes it a hot favorite amongst the world of cosmetics. Sage essential oil is used in leading cosmetic products to provide them anti-spot and anti-mark properties to eliminate big cracks, scars, and other blemishes.
10. Depurative
Sage essential oil aids in speeding up the removal of toxins from your blood through sweating or excretion and, therefore, purifies the blood by acting as a potent depurative.
11. Digestive
Sage essential oils act as a potent digestive tonic to remove the symptoms of indigestion by enhancing the decomposition of food, secretion of gastric and bile juices, and inhibiting the growth of microbes in the digestive system.
[Also Read: Get Rid of Indigestion with Home Remedies]
12. Disinfectant
Sage essential oils antiseptic, antimicrobial, and antibacterial properties make it an efficient disinfectant since it offers powerful protection from both external and internal infections.
13. Emmenagogue
Sage essential oil helps to regularize menstrual cycles and relieve congested menses. Sage essential oil activates certain specific hormones like estrogen, which assists in bringing about clear menstruations along with providing effective relief from several problems such as fatigue, depression, headache, nausea, weakness, mood swings, and several other issues associated with periods.
14. Expectorant
Sage essential oil provides excellent relief from chest congestion, cold, cough, and infection in respiratory tracts.
15. Febrifuge & Laxative
This oil comes handy in reducing fever by reducing inflammation and fighting infections caused by them. It facilitates excretion and helps relieve constipation by stimulating the intestines and supporting the discharge of certain fluids.
How to Make Your Own Sage Oil Infusion at Home?
Follow the instructions given below to prepare sage essential oil at home:
What You Need:
- Glass Jar
- Fresh sage plant
- Freezer bag
- Colored glass container
- Carrier oil, like olive oil
- Strainer
- Funnel
- Rubber mallet
How to Prepare Sage Essential Oil:
- Keep a cup of sage into a freezer bag. Seal the bag after properly squeezing out the air and pound the pack with a rubber mallet.
- Next, keep the crushed sage in a glass bowl and add 1/2 a cup carrier oil. Then seal it tightly and put the jar at a place where it can remain warm. Leave it for some 48 hours.
- Properly strain the oil and transfer it back to the bowl. Discard the leaves of the sage.
- For creating a more potent concentrate, you can repeat the first three steps.
- Lastly, put the sage oil in a colored glass jar for slowing down its aging process. If kept in a refrigerator, the sage essential oil can stay fresh for a complete year or even more.
How to Use Sage Essential Oil to Reap its Incredible Health Benefits?
From being added to cosmetic and skincare products to being used as a potent treatment for common health conditions such as digestive problems, sage oil has an extensive range of use. Some of the critical uses of the sage essential oil include laxatives, skin moisturizer, fragrance, a stimulant in aromatherapy, and more.
Side Effects of Sage Essential Oil
Sage oil can be potentially dangerous when used in high concentrations. That’s because of its thujone content that is regarded as hazardous when isolated and, therefore, it shouldn’t be used by children or people who’re too sensitive.
Nursing or pregnant women must surely avoid using sage essential oil. Also, individuals who drink alcohol must avoid sage oil since it can exaggerate their intoxication.
Sage is a favorite herb with a wide range of health benefits. Sage essential oil provides numerous benefits to improve your overall health and wellness.
It is high in antioxidants and helps enhance oral health, boost brain function and reduce the cholesterol and blood sugar levels. This exotic green spice is also reasonably easy to add to an array of a savory dish. Typically, the sage essential oil can be consumed in many forms or added to several products such as cosmetic and aromatherapy products.
