The Calming Benefits of Sage
This herb is a popular one this time of year as it gets used to make stuffing, but most of us don’t use sage very often. Sage, or Salvia officinalis, is derived from the Latin word, salvere, which means “to be saved”. The name gives away how powerful and useful this herbs is!
All About Sage
It has very volatile oils and a bitter taste, which means it really wakes up our digestive system. This is especially true for helping us digest fat better! Sage is very astringent. If you think of using astringent on your face it can help you picture what is does in our body – it dries up and tightens or tones tissue. It can help with sore throats, excessive sweating, diarrhea, and heavy menstrual periods. Fresh sage made into an iced tea is a great remedy to keep on hand for hot flashes! Sage is very easy to grow so you can always have it handy, as it isn’t always the easiest to find it fresh in the grocery store. I find it makes a nicer tea if you use fresh rather than dried.
Sage really wakes up our digestive system, especially when it comes to help us digest fat better!
Health Benefits of Sage
Interestingly, those volatile oils also work to calm the nervous system. This can help us when we are stressed, and is thought to enhance memory and concentration. Sage is also a great source of vitamin K. This is an important vitamin needed for blood clotting, bone and heart health, and it isn’t always easy to get enough in your diet. We often don’t realize how much adding herbs into our diet really increases the nutrients we get!
We can use sage in so many dishes, but if you need ideas here are 45 ways to use sage. One use I just heard about is to fry sage leaves and use it as a condiment. Can’t wait to try it!
If you’re ready to give sage a try, start with this simple recipe to roast nuts with sage. I love this, as store bought roasted nuts are often rancid – meaning the flavour is off and the damaged fats are actually harmful. I recommend buying nuts raw, make sure you store them in the fridge, and try roasting them with different flavours. For the Nest, I used this recipe.
Brown Butter, Sage, and Rosemary Roasted Almonds
Here’s What You’ll Need:
Brown Butter, Sage, and Rosemary Roasted Almonds, a savory snack that can be given as a holiday gift or served at a party.
2 tablespoons Butter
1 tablespoon Freshly Chopped Rosemary
1 tablespoon Freshly Chopped Sage
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 cup Raw Almonds (and/or other nuts)
Here’s How to Make It:
1. Heat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium low heat. Let the butter come to a bubble, string frequently as the butter becomes golden brown.
3. Remove the butter from the heat, and stir in the rosemary, sage, salt, and almonds.
4. Spread the almonds out on a baking sheet lined with parchment.
5. Roast the almonds in the oven for 12-15 minutes, until fragrant. Then remove from the oven and let cool.
More From Lee’s Kitchen Spice Series
These were so yummy and they disappeared very quickly! As with the other spices, I would love to hear how you use sage.
