Oregano: good reasons to include it in your diet

Oregano, also known as wild marjoram or oregano, is an aromatic herb that has been used in cooking for thousands of years. Who has never surrendered, for example, to a pizza with cheese, ham, tomato and oregano?!

“I think that oregano always gives a different flavor to food… I love to season kale salad with it, for example. But, of course, the truth is that it goes with everything: pizza, pasta in general, etc.”, comments Patrícia Medeiro, 27 years old, teacher.

Maria Leme, 58, a housewife, also loves oregano and says she uses the herb to prepare most foods. “When I’m going to make a cheese and vegetable pie, for example, I add a little oregano… I can’t miss the pasta sauce either… Anyway, oregano makes any recipe tastier”, she says.

What few people know is that the herb, in addition to its important role in providing more flavor to food in cooking, also offers a number of health benefits.

“Oregano has several nutritional properties that can help our body function”, comments nutritionist and personal dieter Sabrina Lopes.

Below you can find this and other information about this herb that is already part of the diet of most people.

Health benefits of oregano

Sabrina Lopes talks about the benefits of oregano for the body:

• It has antioxidant property (antioxidants help protect cells against the effects of free radicals).
• It’s anti-inflammatory.
• It’s antibacterial. “The antibacterial action of oregano helps fight the bacteria Helicobacter pylori – the main responsible for gastric and duodenal ulcers. It also promotes the balance of the intestinal flora, which also helps our immune system and the absorption of important substances for the body”, explains nutritionist Sabrina Lopes.
• It works on the digestive system. “It acts on the digestive system by stimulating the production of digestive enzymes, and also through substances such as tannin, cervacol, cymene and linalool – which guarantee the digestive properties by reducing the formation of gases and preventing colic in the intestine”, highlights Sabrina Lopes.
• It has diuretic action. “Oregano has a slight diuretic action, which helps in blood circulation and also prevents swelling, extreme weight variations and leg pain”, explains nutritionist Sabrina.
• It has expectorant action. “When oregano is used in the form of tea, it has an expectorant action, relieving coughs”, highlights Sabrina Lopes.
• It has antifungal action. “Thus fighting fungi such as Candida, through the active substance in oregano, carvacrol – which has the property of inhibiting the growth of this fungus”, explains the professional.
• It stimulates the immune system due to the presence of thymol.

oregano x cancer

Some international studies have also shown oregano as an important ally in the fight against cancer.

In 2012, for example, research carried out at the University of Long Island, in the United States, pointed out that the herb could be used to fight prostate cancer. That’s because, according to the researchers, a substance called carvacrol, present in oregano, induces cancer cells to self-destruct.

Recently, biologists from the United Arab Emirates University also reported that oregano can help slow or stop the progression of cancer in women with breast cancer.

However, it is important to note that further studies should be carried out to confirm these possible benefits of oregano in the fight against cancer.

How to use oregano in food

On the market, highlights Sabrina Lopes, it is possible to find oregano in the form of essential oil, fresh leaves and, more commonly, dried oregano leaves.

Sabrina Lopes explains that oregano is commonly used in typical Italian dishes, such as tomato sauces, eggplant parmigiana and in pizzas. “But it can also be used on a daily basis in the kitchen as a seasoning in vegetable broths, meat, fish and poultry”, she says.

Many people still have the habit of dressing the salad with a little oregano. Another option is to use oregano in the preparation of herbal salt (green salt) and use it in place of common salt in your recipes. See how easy it is to prepare it:

“It is also possible to make tea with the herb and add it to the cabbage juice”, adds nutritionist Sabrina.

The nutritionist points out that oregano should be inserted at the end of the recipe, as well as other seasonings. “Avoid putting it on beforehand because high temperatures can cause loss of nutritional properties,” she explains.

How to store oregano at home?

The ideal is to store dried oregano in a dry, dark place, away from heat, to preserve the herb’s properties, as Sabrina Lopes explains. “Avoid high temperatures, so avoid open shelves on or near the stove or other heat-producing appliance,” she says.

Fresh oregano can be frozen to keep its properties longer. “Do not use if there are changes in the color or odor of the herb”, adds nutritionist Sabrina.

How to grow oregano at home?

As with other herbs, oregano is easy to plant: either in the garden or indoors, from small plants or from seeds.

“You can grow oregano in your garden. This oregano can be stored fresh, frozen, and even you can do the drying process of this oregano. People who use this method guarantee that the flavor and aroma of the herb grown at home are special”, concludes nutritionist Sabrina.

Check out in the video below how to create your own mini vegetable garden at home to grow your favorite spices:

In the following step-by-step guide, you will learn how to dehydrate aromatic herbs to keep them much longer:

Now you have a few more good reasons to consume oregano! In addition to adding flavor to food, weed can offer different health benefits!

The information contained on this page is for informational purposes only. They do not replace the advice and follow-up of doctors, nutritionists, psychologists, physical education professionals and other specialists.