Sage

Sage is an herb that belongs to the mint family. It has a distinctive, almost peppery flavour and has various cooking and medicinal uses.

Sage in cooking

Sage is a popular herb for all kinds of cuisines all over the world. For example, the French use sage to flavour soups and to cook with certain meats. In the Middle East it is used as a flavouring for mutton and it is also widely used in Italian cooking where it can be used as a pasta sauce, as a stuffing for pasta or as a garnish/flavouring for meat dishes such as liver. It is commonly added to butter to use as a sage butter sauce.

In the UK we associate sage both as a flavouring for sausages and as an ingredient for stuffings. It is also commonly added to cheeses and to various meats. The herb also lends itself well as an ingredient of flavoured oils and vinegars.

Sage in medicine

The various types of sage have been used for their medicinal properties for centuries. The Chinese, for example, believe that a sage tea has healing effects. The herb is high in antioxidants and calcium and also contains vitamins (C and B) and zinc and magnesium.

Many practitioners of alternative medicines will use sage to help with:

Stomach complaints such as excessive wind, nausea and indigestion
Problems with excessive sweating (including symptoms brought on by the menopause)
Problems with depression, anxiety and stress
Coughs, sore throats and colds
Regulating menstruation
Darkening grey hair
Hair loss
Teeth, gums, mouth and throat problems
Healing cuts
Insect bites
Stopping lactation in women
Skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis