Oregano

Oregano: The healing ¨jewel¨ of the mountains

(Origanum vulgare)

The word "oregano" comes from the Greek "oros" and "ganos" meaning bright, so, oregano means bright mountain. It is the most popular herb of the Mediterranean and a beloved spice in Greek cuisine. For years it has been recognized as a "functional food" for its antioxidant properties and the prevention of many diseases.

A little history

The Greeks knew for thousands of years the healing value of oregano and used it internally (by drinking its decoction) for spasms, poisoning, colic and externally to relieve painful swellings. Over time, botanists and doctors found out that oregano with its spicy taste has many more and more useful properties.

The plant

Oregano is native to Europe and has acclimatized to the Middle East. It is an aromatic herbaceous, perennial and bushy plant that thrives in limestone soils near the sea. About 75% of oregano species are found in the eastern Mediterranean region and only a few in the western one. In Greece it grows in the most arid and windswept mountains and islands of our country, from Crete to Peloponnese to Macedonia, as well as on most of our islands.

What it contains

Oregano is a good source of fiber. Contains volatile oils, sterols and flavonoids. It is rich in vitamin C, E, K, A, manganese, magnesium, calcium, zinc, potassium, niacin, phosphorus and iron as well as beta-carotene. It also contains lutein, zeaxanthin, cryptoxanthin, pinene, limonene, ocimene, caryophyllene and ursolic and rosmarinic acids. Dry oregano contains 3 to 5% essential oil and in some areas it can reach and exceed 7% and this only happens in areas of Greece, specifically in Crete, Amorgos, Gythio and the Athos Peninsula.

The benefits

• It has a sedative and antispasmodic effect in muscle pain and lung diseases
• It works against gas, flatulence, intestinal disorders and abdominal pain.
• It has an analgesic effect on acute or chronic rheumatism and toothaches
• It has an expectorant effect as it liquefies phlegm and is particularly useful in chronic bronchitis and whooping cough.
• It has an antiseptic effect on the pulmonary passages, pulmonary tuberculosis and asthma.
• Contains numerous phytonutrients, including thymol and rosmarinic acid, which act as powerful antioxidants preventing oxidative stress in cellular structures throughout the body.
• It has forty-two times more antioxidant activity than apples, thirty times more than potatoes, twelve times more than oranges and four times more than blueberries.