Everything You Never Knew About Oregano

Often added to spaghetti bolognese or pizza sauce, oregano is a pungent, flavoursome herb – but there’s so much more to it than Italian cooking.

Oregano has in fact been used in herbal medicine for centuries, as it’s believed to have multiple health benefits, thanks to its natural antioxidant properties.

What Are the Health Benefits of Oregano?

Oregano is native to the Mediterranean, and can also be found growing throughout western Asia and Mexico. It favours a temperate climate, with the temperature it’s grown in thought to affect its pungency.

The antioxidant nature of oregano means that it may be able to help with fighting free radicals that could otherwise cause oxidative stress.

Free radicals can be derived from metabolic processes in the body, as well as external sources, such as pollution, X-rays and cigarette smoke. It’s therefore important to limit your exposure to these and to eat a diet rich in antioxidants to try to combat their effects and prevent oxidative stress.

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Meanwhile, carvacrol, one of the plant compounds found in oregano, is known for its anti-inflammatory qualities. Along with the compound thymol, which is also naturally present in oregano, it is also believed to have some anti-bacterial properties.

In herbal medicine, oregano has traditionally been used to treat the symptoms of the common cold. Oregano has also been used for aiding digestion, meaning it could help to support gut health too.

Oregano Oil

Oregano oil is extracted from dried oregano using steam distillation. At Garden of Life, our Organics Herbal Oil of Oregano Drops are 100% organic and vegan-friendly – we pride ourselves on the fact that we can trace every single ingredient right back to the seed or the soil.

We recommend taking six drops of our organic oregano oil diluted in water each day, taking them in between meals for the best results. Each bottle contains approximately 200 servings and comes with an easy-to-use dropper.

Organics Herbal Oil of Oregano Drops contain both carvacrol and thymol, and are designed to provide you with seasonal support.

Oregano Recipe Inspiration

Oregano has an aromatic yet earthy, slightly bitter taste and is a common ingredient in Italian, Greek and Mexican recipes. Its distinctive flavour means it works well in a number of dishes, including this delicious, vibrant salad and incredibly flavoursome vegan pesto, which are packed with flavour and goodness.

Roasted Butternut Pumpkin and Quinoa Salad

Ingredients:

1 medium butternut pumpkin
2 cups cooked tri-colour quinoa
1 bunch kale with stems removed and chopped
½ cup dried or fresh cranberries
¼ cup pumpkin seeds
1 can (15oz) chickpeas rinsed and drained
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp coconut oil
2 garlic cloves – finely chopped
Zest of 1 orange
2 Tablespoons orange juice
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp black pepper
½ cup chopped parsley for garnish and reduced balsamic vinegar (optional)

Method:

Preheat oven to 220°C (425° Fahrenheit).
Halve the butternut pumpkin, remove seeds and place on a baking tray.
Sprinkle each piece with salt and pepper then drizzle with olive oil and cook for 45 minutes. While squash is cooking, make the quinoa salad.
Heat coconut oil in a pan on medium heat then add kale and cook for about 5 minutes.
Reduce heat to low and add in garlic, oregano, orange zest, quinoa, orange juice, cranberries, chickpeas, salt and pepper.
Remove from heat.
Once squash is done cooking and has cooled, remove the flesh, leaving a ½ inch thick border around the sides and bottom.
Scoop salad into each piece and top with parsley and reduced balsamic vinegar.

Vegan Pesto

Ingredients:

60g fresh oregano
60g fresh basil
30g nutritional yeast
30g nuts or seeds (pecans, sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds would all work well)
1tbsp olive oil
½ tsp lemon zest
Splash of balsamic vinegar
Pinch of sea salt

Method:

Place all of the ingredients into a food processor, blending until smooth – you may be left with some small pieces of nuts, but these will add to the overall texture of your pesto
Enjoy as a dip, serve with pasta or mix into a salad dressing for a wonderfully fresh accompaniment

Turmeric is another store cupboard ingredient that’s packed with antioxidant properties. Learn more about its health benefits here: