Sage leaves are usually grayish green lance-shaped and pleasant-smelling flowers that are generally white, pink, purple, or blue. However, apart from its unique pleasant aroma, the herb is used as a fragrance in producing of cosmetics and soaps. It is available in a variety of forms; fresh, powdered, and dried.
Let’s discuss the health benefits of sage leaves.
Supports Hair Health
Sage leaf extracts have shown to be supportive of healthy hair in a number of ways. Some of the benefits of the sage leaf for hair include:
Reverses Hair Loss
For many years, sage leaves have been used to fight off baldness and hair loss. As a matter of fact, the herb contains beta-sitosterol, a compound that is very effective in treating pattern baldness in men.
Aids Hair Glow
Sage leaf tea can be very effective as a hair rinse if you want your make your hair shine. The herb tea wards off dandruff as well.
Stimulates Hair Growth
When combined with rosemary, the sage leaf is excellent for stronger and thicker. In fact, the herb is unique for its ability to stimulate new hair growth by improving blood circulation to the scalp and sending more nutrition to the hair follicles. The hair rinse can be made by simply boiling the two herbs in water. This rinse can be effective in revitalizing thinning and dry hair. Since it is an astringent, sage leaves inhibit clogged hair follicles and reduce dandruff too.
Darkens Hair
Sage can be effective in darkening and strengthening hair color. You only need to use the extract to rinse your hair after shampooing. People with gray hair can make use of fresh sage leaves in darkening their hair, deepen the color and make it shine.
Keeps the Skin Healthy
The sage leaf can help maintain skin health as it contains chemical compounds, vitamins, and essential oils.
Treats Skin Infections
The herb has antibacterial properties that help to reduce the chances of skin infections. Additionally, it has anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties, which help treat eczema as well as psoriasis and acne.
Good for Oily Skin
Sage leaves oil extract is an excellent toner by controlling the production of sebum in oily skin. You can actually prepare your home-made toner by boiling some sage in water. After cooling, dab it on your face.
Acts as Anti-aging Agent
The antioxidant properties in the sage leaf can reverse aging signs such as fine lines, age spots, and wrinkles. These antioxidants help protect the body from free radicals that destroy skin cells, resulting in premature aging. This herb is very rich vitamin A and calcium, which protect the skin against the harm caused by free radicals, support cell regeneration, and reduce delay facial wrinkles.
Treats Excessive Sweating
Some studies have shown that taking either an infusion or dry leaf extract can reduce sweating significantly. It is a great deodorizer that keeps body odor away.
Alleviates Indigestion
Sage leaves can be used in the treatment of dyspepsia and mild gastrointestinal problems. The herb stimulates the stomach and tackles indigestion. For instance, sage tea is particularly effective in its carminative properties that eliminate the symptoms of indigestion. It stimulates bile flow, pancreatic function, digestive secretions, and intestinal mobility.
Has Anti-inflammatory Properties
According to some studies, sage leaves have incredible anti-inflammatory properties. Sage tea is commonly used as a rinse for relieving inflammations. The herb’s extracts, essential oil, and tincture can be gotten from drugstores. In any of the forms, it helps to treat throat and mouth inflammation.
Supports Dental Health
The sage leaf plays a vital role in dental health as it is effective as a mouthwash in the treatment of gum disease and throat infections. If you suffer from dental issues, you only need to gargle sage tea to soothe the pain.
Treats Sore Throat
Sage leaf tea has been shown to be effective in treating inflammation in the tonsils and throat. To take care of sore throats, boil a pinch of dried sage leaves in water, drain the extract and add some honey. To get relief, use this as a gargle two times daily.
Prevents Diabetes
Sage leaf extract contains anti-hyperglycemic properties that help in lowering blood glucose levels by stopping the release of already stored glucose from the liver. What this means is that the herb can effectively reduce the level of triglyceride and cholesterol in type 2 diabetes. But of course, more research is required to ascertain this claim.
Treats Asthma
The anti-spasmodic properties of sage leaves help to lower tension in muscles and are effective for steam inhalation to avert asthma attacks. To remove mucous congestion in the airways and prevent infections, try out the sage leaf.
Supports Women Health
The herb contains astringent tannins that have estrogenic effects that are excellent for nursing mothers who desire to dry up their supply of breast milk and menopausal women who need relief for hot flushes. However, there isn’t any clinical data to verify this claim.
Aids Neurological Health
A consistent intake of sage leaves can enhance information processing and memory in people suffering from Alzheimer’s. This may be due to the fact that the essential oil from the herb has been proven to increase acetylcholinesterase (Ach) levels in the brain. This enzyme betters concentration and helps in the treatment of Alzheimer’s which causes memory loss.
Other Benefits of Sage Leaves
Sage leaf tea often contains Thujone and Serotonin (5-HT3) which help to improve attention span and treat depression. Sage oil contains essential oils such as cineol, camphene, borneol and bornyl acetate, which are used externally to alleviate conditions like rheumatism, muscle stiffness, and similar conditions. Additionally, the herb is used in aromatherapy to treat stress, anxiety, nervousness, kidney problems, tiredness, fatigue, measles, headaches, typhoid fever, and liver issues.
The Bottom Line
For many people, the aroma of sage leaves brings back memories of holiday meals but this herb possesses far more than its unique flavor. For centuries, sage leaves have been one of the most popular ingredients for preparing herbal medicines all over the world. As a matter of fact, the health benefits of sage leaves are numerous —from improving memory to shedding extra pounds and regulating cholesterol.
