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Oregano (Origanum vulgare) is a strong herb with a pungent aroma and many health benefits, including anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. It is available dry, fresh, or extracted as oil. It is commonly known for its use in Italian and Greek art. With a bold, earthy flavor, oregano is a versatile ingredient in the kitchen.
Read on to learn more about the health benefits of oregano, including who should avoid it, nutrition facts, and more.
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How Is Oregano Used?
Oregano is a delicious, aromatic herb used dried or fresh in a variety of cuisines. Most famous for its use in tomato-based sauces, oregano is also used in olive oil dishes containing legumes (foods such as peas, lentils, and beans), pasta, grains, poultry, salads, meat , fish and many more. .
It can be described as sweet to spicy tasting. Some chefs describe oregano as having a peppery bite and a minty aroma.
In addition to its fresh and dried forms, oregano oils can be extracted and used as an aromatic oil and in supplements.
Oregano Oil vs Oregano Essential Oil
Oregano oil extract and oregano essential oil are not the same. They are processed differently; oregano essential oil is not meant to be used on the skin without diluting it with a carrier oil. At the same time, oregano essential oil is not meant to be ingested.
5 Health Benefits of Oregano
Herbs are thought to have some of the highest amounts of known antioxidants by weight compared to other foods. Oregano has antioxidants, including caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, rosmarinic acid, caffeoyl derivatives, carvacrol, and flavonoids (apigenin, eriodictyol, dihydroquercetin, dihydrokaempferol, thymol).
In addition, oregano contains ample amounts of vitamin K (1 teaspoon provides 14% of your daily needs).
Eating a variety of nutrient-dense foods and herbs like oregano can contribute to an overall healthy eating plan, but no single food will provide miracle effects. Factors that may affect the potential health benefits of oregano include:
- A type of oregano
- How much do you eat
- Stage of plant growth when harvested
- Environmental conditions when grown
- Methods of preparation
- How it is absorbed into your body
- How your body responds to it
Much of the research related to oregano has focused on oregano oil extract. Research has been done mainly in the laboratory (in vitro) or on animals (in vivo) rather than on humans, too. Therefore, not much is known about the appropriate dosages and long-term effects of supplementing with oregano oil.
But, using oregano in cooking can add flavor and nutrition without adding fat and sodium. It is usually uncommon to eat fresh oregano because people find the taste too pungent. But fresh, chopped oregano can be added to salads or in the final stages of cooking dishes.
Consider oregano another plant you can add to your eating regimen. Eating a variety of plants is associated with improved health outcomes, including reduced risk of infection, better blood sugars, reduced risk of cancer, heart disease and more.
Antibacterial and Antimicrobial Properties
Antibacterials can prevent the growth or spread of bacteria. Oregano oil – which is extracted from the leaves and is a concentrated source – contains the compounds carvacrol and thymol which may help reduce or prevent the growth or spread of bacteria, fungi, parasites and some viruses.
In an in vitro study, the researchers used oregano oil against antibiotic-resistant pathogens (germs that develop the ability to overcome the drugs intended to kill them) such as methicillin-resistant. Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and it was found that oregano oil presented the best antibacterial effect. However, this result is far from conclusive since researchers were testing the effects in test tubes and not in humans. Therefore, more research is needed.
Oregano oil is often used to protect plants from insects and can be used as a natural insecticide, deterring bugs such as the cabbage moth and cucumber beetle. Oregano oil may also be used to repel certain types of bugs. In a laboratory experiment, researchers found that oregano essential oil was able to deter bed bugs.
Oregano oil contains carvacrol, thymol, and alpha-terpinene, which may act as a mosquito repellent and a source of relief for insect bites. Remember to dilute oregano essential oil, as it can cause skin irritation and burning when applied directly to the skin.
Anti-inflammatory properties
Oregano contains a wide range of plant-based antioxidants. The two most studied are carvacrol and thymol. But oregano also contains limonene, terpinene, ocimene, and caryophyllene, other plant-based compounds with antioxidant properties.
Antioxidants are known to scavenge free radicals (reactive and unstable molecules produced in cells through metabolism) and to help lower inflammation.
One study examined the effects of concentrated sources of oregano essential oil on inflamed skin cells. Researchers harvested human skin cells and stimulated them with sources of inflammation such as interleukin-1-beta, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interferon-y, basic fibroblast growth factor, epidermal growth factor, and platelet-derived growth factor.
Next, they subjected the cells to different concentrations of oregano essential oil and examined the levels of several inflammatory biomarkers, which decreased after exposure to the oil.
Researchers think this information holds promise for the use of oregano essential oil in skin care products, specifically for wound healing and reducing inflammation. But more human research is needed.
Cancer Protection
The antioxidants found in oregano may help protect cells from damage. For example, carvacrol and thymol may help induce cancer cell death, slow tumor growth, and prevent the spread of cancer, but the research has been done in test tubes and animals rather than humans.
Therefore, more research is needed to determine the dose and duration of use as well as the safety and efficacy of long-term use.
There is also Oregano quercetinanother plant-based antioxidant that can protect cells from damage.
Diabetes Management
Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder that requires daily self-management. People with diabetes need to think about their diet, exercise, stress, sleep, medications, self-monitoring of blood sugar, and more.
Eating a diet rich in plants provides many vitamins, fiber, vitamins and minerals. Including fresh and dried oregano in your eating plan will boost vitamin K and other plant compounds that may help regulate blood sugar. and reduce inflammation.
However, it is not clear whether oregano oil is safe to supplement, especially if you take blood glucose lowering medications. Discuss it with your healthcare provider first.
Help With Depression
Simply eating or supplementing with oregano will not cure or treat depression. Studies have been done in animals that evaluate oregano or oregano essential oil on brain health.
One animal study found that rats exposed to chronic, unpredictable stress for 24 days and given essential oil of oregano showed less depressive behavior than a control group. They had less immobility in the forced swim test.
These data may be promising, but the experiment has not been replicated in humans. More research is needed in longer-lived people to determine the effects of oregano on brain health.
Other Potential Health Benefits
The use of oregano and oregano oil extract may also help with gut health by treating bacteria such as Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), which is linked to peptic ulcers and stomach cancer.
Chemicals in oregano may have potential effects in:
- Reduce cough
- Aid in digestion
- Wound healing
- Bacterial, viral or parasitic infections
- Candida
With little scientific literature on humans, more research is needed. If you want to supplement with oregano oil, contact your medical provider.
Oregano Nutrition
According to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) nutrition database, 1 teaspoon of oregano provides:
- Calories:5
- Fat: 0 grams (g)
- Sodium: 0.45 milligrams (mg)
- Carbohydrates: 1 g
- Fiber: 0.8 g
- Sugar: 0 g
- Protein: 0.2 g
- Vitamin K: 11.2 micrograms (mcg)
- Potassium: 22.7 mg
- Calcium: 29 mg
Who Should Avoid Oregano?
Large doses of oregano can increase bleeding. If you are having surgery, you should stop using oregano supplements two weeks before. The absorption of zinc and iron may be inhibited, but it is not clear by how much.
Because oregano contains vitamin K, people taking blood-thinning medications should monitor their intake. If you take medication for diabetes, oregano can increase the risk of low blood sugar. Consult with your health care provider before supplementing with oregano oil.
Summary
Oregano is a flavorful and versatile ingredient that can be used in cooking. Eating fresh or dried oregano is a great way to add plant-based antioxidants. Using herbs to flavor food naturally reduces sodium, fat and sugar intake.
The verdict on the health benefits and safety of oregano oil is still out. Research investigating its health benefits mainly involves high-dose formulations used in test tubes and animal studies. More human randomized controlled clinical trials are needed to evaluate potential therapeutic effects in humans.
Before supplementing with oregano oil, talk to your healthcare provider.
