October Issue 108
Kathryn Hartwell
Yes, indeed I am a Sage
and my name is Sergio (of course). After reading my story, you will not just
think about me at Christmas or Thanksgiving anymore; you will be using me a lot
more and I know that for sure. I have one of the longest histories of use of
any culinary or medicinal herb. As a matter of fact, the ancient Egyptians used
me as a fertility drug and in the first century, C.E. Greek physician Pedanius Dioscorides
reported that the aqueous decoction of sage stopped bleeding of wounds and
cleaned ulcers and sores. He also recommended sage juice in warm water for
hoarseness and coughs. I was used by herbalists internally, and externally to treat
sprains, swelling, ulcers and bleeding. I can strengthen your nervous system,
improve your memory, and sharpen the senses. I am one little miracle after
another.
I have been used to treat fevers, as a calming tea to
help people get to sleep,
for colds, and the list goes on and on. I have a very long history of treating
ailments such as memory loss
and Alzheimer’s disease. In 2003, researchers at Northumbria University in the
U.K. found that healthy adults who had taken Spanish sage oil had a higher word
recall than the other participants.
In-vitro studies have shown that I kill bacteria such as
E. coli and stave off fungal infections and I soothe indigestion as an
herbal tea. I’m also famous for being a part of the Four Thieves Vinegar - a
mix of herbs that was made to prevent the plague. My name means "salvere," or "to be
saved" – just imagine that!
My oil has been used
medicinally for muscle aches, rheumatism, and aromatherapy and I also contain
ketones, including A- and B-thujone, which enhance mental clarity and upgrade
memory. This knowledge has been extremely useful in treating cognitive decline
and patients suffering from Alzheimer's. You are not going to believe this but
I have been prized for that purpose for over 1,000 years. In fact, sage, made
into a drink from the leaves, has been called the "thinker's tea" and
even helps ease depression.
A gram of me has vitamin
K, with 43% of the daily recommended serving, an excellent source of fibre,
vitamin A, folate, calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, and B vitamins such as
folic acid, thiamin, pyridoxine, and riboflavin in much higher doses than the
recommended daily requirements, plus healthy amounts of vitamin C, vitamin E,
thiamin, and copper. Wow–all in my little beautiful green leaves.
I am native to
countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea and have been consumed in these
regions for thousands of years. In medicinal lore, I have one of the longest
histories of use of any medicinal herb. The Greeks and Romans highly prized my
many healing properties, both civilizations used me as a preservative for meat,
a tradition that continued until the beginning of refrigeration. What they knew
from experience was that I could help to reduce spoilage and science has
confirmed it because I am full of numerous terpene antioxidants.
I am so legendary
that Arab physicians in the 10th century believed that I promoted immortality.
Sage tea may even help
protect against some forms of cancer, according to a study published in the
June 2010 issue of the "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry."
Sage extract also promoted prompt repair of DNA. The best news of all is that
in a study published in a 2009 issue of the journal "Nutrition and
Cancer" found that rosmarinic acid, one of the main active constituents in
sage tea, promotes early cell death and inhibits growth and reproduction of
colon cancer cells. I am even good for your liver function, according to an
animal study published in the February 2005 issue of the "Journal of
Ethnopharmacology" - I protect lipids in the liver against damage from a
liver toxin.
Sage tea may help
reduce anxiety and improve your mood, according to a study published in the April
2006 issue of the journal Neuropsychopharmacology; now that is a mouth full!
Just a precaution
though, sage tea may cause uterine contractions, and you should not use it if
you are pregnant. Large doses of sage may cause seizures and dizziness or rapid
heartbeat. It also lowers blood sugar levels. Use it only under the supervision
of your doctor if you are diabetic.
O.K. only one last
bit of information and this is important—in 2001, the International Herb
Association awarded little old me the title of "Herb of the Year." Listen,
I am so easy to grow and I love being inside your home or out in your garden. Add
me to your soups, salads, stews and sip on me in your favourite tea cup and
have the satisfaction that you are becoming healthier every day with my help.
REMEMBER; As with anything new, make sure you
do your own investigating; sometimes too much of something is not good.
Everything in moderation – I want you all to be safe and healthy.
Brussels Sprouts with Chestnuts and Sage
2 pounds Brussels
sprouts, trimmed and halved 1
tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon
extra-virgin olive oil 3
tablespoons reduced-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup coarsely
chopped chestnuts 2
teaspoons chopped fresh sage
1/2 teaspoon salt Freshly
ground pepper to taste
Bring a large
saucepan of water to a boil. Add Brussels sprouts and cook until bright green
and just tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well. Melt butter with oil and broth in
a large skillet over medium heat. Add Brussels sprouts, chestnuts and sage and
cook, stirring often, until heated through, 2 to 4 minutes. Season with salt
and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.
(From: Eating Well)
Sage and Fettuccine
1 8-ounce package dried egg
fettuccine 4 1/2
tablespoons butter
20 fresh sage leaves, stemmed 2 tbsp
beef broth and 2 1/2 Tbsp. low-salt chicken broth
5 tbsp grated Parmesan
cheese plus additional for serving
Cook pasta in large pot of
boiling salted water until tender, stirring occasionally. Drain, reserving 1/2
cup cooking liquid. Meanwhile, melt butter in heavy large skillet over
medium-low heat. Add sage leaves and cook until edges curl and butter is dark
amber (do not burn), stirring and turning leaves occasionally, about 6 minutes.
Transfer sage to paper towels. Add veal stock to brown butter. Add pasta and 5
tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese to brown butter mixture in skillet; toss to
coat, adding reserved cooking liquid by tablespoonfuls if dry. Season with salt
and pepper. Divide among bowls. Garnish with fried sage leaves and cheese.
(From: epicurious.com)
Sautéed Chicken with Sage Browned Butter
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless
chicken breast halves 1/4
teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper Cooking
spray
1/2 cup all-purpose flour 3
tablespoons butter
2 sage sprigs 1
tablespoon minced shallots
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme 2
tablespoons lemon juice
Fresh sage leaves
Place each breast half between 2 sheets of plastic
wrap; pound to 1/4-inch thickness. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat a large
skillet over medium-high heat; coat with cooking spray. Place flour in a
shallow dish; dredge chicken in flour. Add chicken to pan; sauté for 4 minutes
on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan. Add butter and sage sprigs
to pan; cook over medium heat until butter browns. Discard sage. Add shallots
and thyme; cook for 30 seconds. Add lemon juice; cook for 30 seconds. Serve
with chicken. Garnish with sage leaves.
Cheers – be happy and healthy
Sergio
Special Precautions & Warnings:
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Taking sage during pregnancy is LIKELY UNSAFE because of the
possibility of consuming thujone, a chemical found in some sage. Thujone can
bring on a woman’s menstrual period, and this could cause a miscarriage. Avoid
sage if you are breast-feeding, too. There is some evidence that thujone might
reduce the mother’s milk supply. Diabetes:
Sage might lower blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. Watch for signs of
low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) and monitor your blood sugar carefully if you have
diabetes and use sage. The dose of your diabetes medications may need to be
adjusted by your healthcare provider. Hormone-sensitive
conditions such as breast cancer, uterine cancer, ovarian cancer,
endometriosis, or uterine fibroids: Spanish sage (Salvia lavandulaefolia) might
have the same effects as the female hormone estrogen. If you have any condition
that might be made worse by exposure to estrogen, don’t use Spanish sage.
In some individuals, stomach discomfort, nausea,
vomiting or abdominal discomfort may happen. It's also possible to feel
extraordinarily irritated or dizzy. If
you go over the advised dosage of sage leaf it might cause serious unwanted
side effects like nerve or liver injury.
(Sorry – I am starting to sound just like one
of those television commercial)!
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