Typhoid? Slap some sage on it!
March 1, 2010 3:09 PM Subscribe
Tisane Filter: What are the legitimate health benefits of sage tea?
This is regarding the infusion of fresh sage leaves in hot water, and not any sort of herbal blend or off the shelf dried tea. I've tried googling around, but there's more questionable mystical junk out there than I can shake a smudge stick at. Can you help me find out what I'm actually getting out of the yummy product of sage leaves and hot water, other than tastiness?
Bonus round: other herbal teas like honeybush, rosehip and so-on are billed as having a million different wonderful health benefits, but is there a resource out there that lists proven things and not just "this will cure cancer and revitalize the libido!" in poorly edited language? I'd love to know if I'm getting vitamins and other nutrients and in what amount.
This is regarding the infusion of fresh sage leaves in hot water, and not any sort of herbal blend or off the shelf dried tea. I've tried googling around, but there's more questionable mystical junk out there than I can shake a smudge stick at. Can you help me find out what I'm actually getting out of the yummy product of sage leaves and hot water, other than tastiness?
Bonus round: other herbal teas like honeybush, rosehip and so-on are billed as having a million different wonderful health benefits, but is there a resource out there that lists proven things and not just "this will cure cancer and revitalize the libido!" in poorly edited language? I'd love to know if I'm getting vitamins and other nutrients and in what amount.
Sage tea contains toxic levels of thujone and is not for drinking, period. I have no idea why it is sold.
posted by 517 at 3:15 PM on March 1, 2010
posted by 517 at 3:15 PM on March 1, 2010
Botanical.com seems reasonably comprehensive (note that it is from the early 1900's though).
posted by tellurian at 3:57 PM on March 1, 2010
posted by tellurian at 3:57 PM on March 1, 2010
517, did you actually read that Wikipedia article?
It says, "For example, sage and sage oil (which can be up to 50% thujone) are on the Food and Drug Administration's list of substances generally recognized as safe."
I drink (and gargle with) sage tea for sore throats and other inflamed mouth issues. It really helps push off a cold, too.
posted by Riverine at 6:32 PM on March 1, 2010
It says, "For example, sage and sage oil (which can be up to 50% thujone) are on the Food and Drug Administration's list of substances generally recognized as safe."
I drink (and gargle with) sage tea for sore throats and other inflamed mouth issues. It really helps push off a cold, too.
posted by Riverine at 6:32 PM on March 1, 2010
Sage tea contains toxic levels of thujone and is not for drinking, period. I have no idea why it is sold.
Because people cook with it? A tea made with the equivalent of culinary amounts of sage is unlikely to cause problems. The dried leaf contains about 1-2.5% essential oils, about 50% of which is thujone.
posted by oneirodynia at 6:52 PM on March 1, 2010
Because people cook with it? A tea made with the equivalent of culinary amounts of sage is unlikely to cause problems. The dried leaf contains about 1-2.5% essential oils, about 50% of which is thujone.
posted by oneirodynia at 6:52 PM on March 1, 2010
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http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2769154/
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2650746/
Unfortunately, even Pubmed contains some utter bullshit claims, such as:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1062165/
posted by Inspector.Gadget at 3:14 PM on March 1, 2010