Herb of the Month: Sage

Sage has such an amazing and powerful scent. It is one of my favorite smelling herbs from the garden and a necessity when I brine my Thanksgiving turkey. But this mysterious herb has an interesting history.

Going back to prehistoric times, Sage has been used to ward off evil and for spiritual cleansing through a practice called “Smudging.” Smudging is the burning of Sage (or other herbs) to create a cleansing smoke used to purify people, objects, and homes of negative effects caused by evil or negative energy.

Have I ever done this before? YES! It is a long story on how I came to “smudge” my home, but if you would like to hear more about this, please comment below. It may seem like a strange practice, but you do feel better afterwards. Call it peace of mind. Call it a spiritual cleansing. Call it voodoo magic if that’s how you feel, but you do feel a weight lifted and the feeling of having done something good.

Health Benefits

Sage is high in nutrients, specifically Vitamin K and loaded with antioxidants. Sage supports oral health, brain health and memory, reduces blood sugar levels, and lowers cholesterol. Check out Healthline for more details on these and more health benefits.

Although there are no real side effects of Sage, if you use it in a tea, limit your consumption. Sage does contain thujone, which in large quantities can be toxic. It is said that Spanish Sage does not contain thujone; however, it does contain very small amounts.

Uses

As you probably guessed, Sage can be used in culinary dishes and drinks, which is my favorite way to enjoy Sage. When making turkey, I do like to make an herb butter to put under the skin of the turkey. Just a little bundle of Sage, Rosemary and Thyme mix thoroughly into butter, and there you go! A savory butter that will do wonders for your turkey.

One other use that I have experimented with was making essential oils. I made a Sage and Lemongrass oil. The scent was not as potent as I thought it would get, but it was still a nice light scent. Two of my favorite smells.

Did you know…

Sage is part of the mint family and there are more than 900 species of Sage. Now that is A LOT of Sage!