12 of the Best Ways to Use Oregano

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use oregano

12 of The Best Ways to Use Oregano

Oregano is a wonderful, aromatic herb that is native to the Mediterranean.  It is thought to have originated in the mountainous regions of Greece, Turkey, and Italy.  It was named by the Ancient Greeks “Mountain Joy.” Oregano is one of the most powerful healing herbs and natural antibiotics ever studied.  Discover 12 ways to use oregano to improve your health in this article.

Oregano has a warming and aromatic flavor to it.  It can be very hot and bitter at times when it is picked fresh.  The bite usually wanes as it is dried.  Oregano became a staple of Italian-American foods.

American soldiers who were stationed in Europe during World War II brought oregano back as the “pizza herb.”  It was soon used in more popularity in pastas, grilled/roasted veggies, meat & fish.  It is also popularly used in meat marinates and salad dressings.

Powerful Antibiotic Properties

Oregano Oil is an extraordinarily powerful natural antibiotic.  Oregano has been found in studies to be significantly better than all of the 18 currently used antibiotics in the treatment of MRSA staph infections and challenging microbial biofilms (1).  The strong phenol antioxidants destroy pathogenic bacteria, viruses, and yeasts (2, 3, 4).

Many people will use fresh and dried oregano as well as oregano essential oil to overcome conditions such as small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) and Candida.  I personally grow oregano and eat fresh oregano almost every day and also use oregano (dried) in my foods.

Incredible Anti-Oxidant Capacity

This super herb is very rich in anti-oxidant phytochemical flavonoids and phenolic acids.  It is the third highest herb in oxygen radical absorbancy capacity (ORAC) with an impressive score of 175,295 (5).  Oregano is one of the world’s greatest sources of the powerful phenol component thymol.  Thymol is great for improving digestive function as well as destroying harmful microbes.

The USDA ranks oregano’s antioxidant capacity anywhere from 3 to 20 times higher than any other herb.  Oregano has four times the antioxidant power of blueberries, 12 times that of oranges, and 42 times greater than apples (6).  That is another great reason to use oregano daily!

Oregano is an Anti-Microbial:

Oregano oil has been classically used as a disinfectant, an aid for ear, nose, & throat/respiratory infections, candida, and any sort of bacterial or viral conditions. Additionally, it works to suppress inflammatory mediators and cancer cell production (7, 8). Oregano oil is more potent than the dried herb; however, the dried version still contains many powerful health benefits.

Studies have shown that carvacrol, a phenol antioxidant within oregano has powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial activity when applied to food or taken in supplement form (9).  Oregano also contains rosmarinic acid which has very strong cancer fighting properties (10).  I recommend my clients with dysbiosis or chronic disease use oregano daily.

oregano

Oregano Essential Oil

Essential oils are often referred to as the “life blood” of plants and trees. They are the concentrated oils of herbs, plants, and trees.

For example, it takes approximately 3,000 lemons to make one kilo of lemon essential oil, while one 15mL bottom of lemon essential oil takes about 75 lemons! To go deeper, there are nearly 300 drops in a 15mL bottle, so 1 drop of lemon essential oil is made by using ¼ of a whole lemon!

Likewise, 150 pounds of lavender is necessary for just one pound of pure lavender essential oil, while one 15mL bottle of lavender oil requires 27 square feet of lavender plants. With approximately 300 drops of lavender oil in a 15mL bottle, one drop equals nearly .09 square feet of lavender plants.

The Bottom Line: There’s a whole lot of beneficial plant life in essential oils.  Oregano essential oil is the most powerful form of the oregano plant!

use oregano

Organic Forms of Oregano are Best

It’s no secret that in conventionally grown foods and herbs, farmers often use a variety of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides synthetic fertilizers, and many other “processing agents” which often remain in and on the food or herbs. Even washing these foods or herbs can’t get many of these off the produce.

Why? Because nearly 20 percent of the 17,000 (or more) pesticides in use today are known as systemic pesticides—those that reside inside the plant via its root system and have permeated the plant. That’s means they’re everywhere within the plants themselves and can’t be washed off.

To try to avoid these chemicals in and on our food, many people choose to go organic. That reason alone is enough to make going organic is all the rage these days.

But another important benefit of organic food and herbs is that, because they’re grown organically, these plants are often able to produce their own natural defenses against pests.

As a result, these plants can have some of the very compounds and natural defenses that we can and often should include in our diet.

use oregano

Best Ways to Use Oregano and Oregano Oil:

I am a HUGE FAN of oregano and use it all the time.  I personally love the smell of fresh or dried herbs and use it very generously in the following ways.

1)  Put 1-3 small drops of oregano essential oil in water – this will help prevent or be a great therapy for sore throats and respiratory infections

2)  For Ear Infections, place 1-3 small drops of oregano essential oil in a hand or cloth and rub around the outer region of a child’s ear.

3)  Use oregano on salads, steamed or sautéed vegetables, and meat dishes.

4)  Use 1/4 cup of fresh oregano leaves in a vegetable juice

5)  Put dried or fresh oregano in soups, stews, and bone broths

6)  Put fresh or dried oregano on grilled or BBQ meat.  When animal protein is cooked at high temperatures it creates highly reactive free radicals.  The oregano will help to buffer the effects of these free radicals and improve the flavor of the meat.

7)  Oil pull with 1-2 drops of oregano essential oil and a half teaspoon of coconut oil in your mouth and swish for 10-15 minutes and then spit in the trash can.  This reduces the microbial load in your oral cavity and improves immune health.  For more on the benefits of oil pulling read this article.

8) Make household cleaning agents using a few drops of oregano essential oil with water, white vinegar or hydrogen peroxide

9) Put a drop of oregano oil with a carrier oil like coconut oil and place it on cuts, burns, and wounds (it will burn) to disinfect the area

10) To eliminate acne and warts – Dip a Q-tip in oregano oil and put on acne or warts – 2-4x daily.  This will kill off bacteria, reduce inflammation in the infected area, and allow it to heal more effectively.

11)  Take 10 drops of oregano oil and combine with 2 tbsps. of coconut oil and rub it into your hands as a natural hand sanitizer

12)  Add a few drops to your laundry wash to sanitize your clothing naturally and to provide a nice fragrance for your clothes.

Remember that oregano essential oil is particularly strong so use it at the tolerance level you can comfortably enjoy!

If you want to work with a functional health coach, I recommend this article with tips on how to find a great coach. On our website, we offer long-distance functional health coaching programs. For further support with your health goals, just reach out—our fantastic coaches are here to support your journey.

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Sources For This Article:

1. Kavanaugh NL, Ribbeck K. Selectedantimicrobial essential oils eradicate Pseudomonas spp. and Staphylococcus aureus biofilms.  Appl Environ Microbiol. 2012 Jun;78(11):4057-61. PMID:22467497
2. Barbour EK, Dankar SK, Shaib HA, Kumosani T, Azhar E, Masaudi S, Iyer A, Harakeh S. Antimicrobial profile of essential oils extracted from wild versus cultivated Origanum ehrenberjii against enteric bacteria.  J Infect Dev Ctries. 2014 Oct 15;8(10):1344-9.   PMID: 25313614
3. Eng W, Norman R. Development of an oregano-based ointment with anti-microbial activity including activity against methicillin-resistant Staphlococcusaureus.J Drugs Dermatol. 2010 Apr;9(4):377-80.  PMID:  20514796
4. Yap PS, Yiap BC, Ping HC, Lim SH. Essential oils, a new horizon in combating bacterial antibiotic resistance.  Open Microbiol J. 2014 Feb 7;8:6-14.  PMID: 24627729
5. https://brainwellness.com/nutrition/memory-preservation-nutrition/useful-food-facts/orac-and-anti-oxidant-values-of-spices-and-herbs-and-chocolate/table-orac-antioxidant-value-of-spices-and-herbs/
6. American Chemical Society. “Researchers Call Herbs Rich Source of Healthy Anti-Oxidants; Oregano Ranks Highest.”    ScienceDaily, Jan 8th, 2002.  Link here
7. Al Dhaheri Y, Attoub S, Arafat K, Abuqamar S, Viallet J, Saleh A, Al Agha H, Eid A, Iratni R. Anti-metastatic and anti-tumor growth effects of Origanum majorana on highly metastatic human breast cancer cells: inhibition of NFκB signaling and reduction of nitric oxide production.  PLoS One. 2013 Jul 10;8(7).  PMID:  23874773
8. Tuncer E, Unver-Saraydin S, Tepe B, Karadayi S, Ozer H, Karadayi K, Inan D, Elagoz S, Polat Z, Duman M, Turan M. Antitumor effects of Origanum acutidens extracts on human breast cancer.  J BUON. 2013 Jan-Mar;18(1):77-85.  PMID:  23613392
9. Suntres ZE, Coccimiglio J, Alipour M. The bioactivity and toxicological actions of carvacrol.  Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2015;55(3):304-18.   PMID:  24915411
10. Furtado RA, Oliveira BR, Silva LR, Cleto SS, Munari CC, Cunha WR, Tavares DC. Chemopreventive effects of rosmarinic acid on rat colon carcinogenesis.  Eur J Cancer Prev. 2015 Mar;24(2):106-12.   PMID:  24977626

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Comments

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Comments

  1. I couldn’t agree more. I first learned about Oregano from Doug Kaufmann of Know the Cause, when he had Dr. Cass Ingraham on his show. However, I buy mine at my local health food store and have had great success with it. The oil sure has a strong bite to it!
    So glad I found your site!

    Blessings,
    Mellisa McJunkin
    Extreme Health Enthusiast

  2. thank you DR Jockers! Thanks to you i discovered the many benefits of the Oregano oil!
    I travel a lot, and i now take it almost daily, with warm water, and combined with the lemon essential oil! I went through winter just fine!

  3. I’ve been using oregano oil for about 2 years now. I buy mine on Amazon for about $10 a bottle….in oil form….and it comes from Greece. It’s 100% oregano and is extremely strong! In fact, 1 drop burns the tongue! When I feel I need a boost I take 3 drops in a shot glass of orange juice and make sure I chug it down. If the oregano touches my lips or mouth it really stings/burns. It definitely works and is by far the best/strongest herb I found that heals and cures. Amazing.

  4. Dear Doctor David!

    I truly thank God for men like you, my dear brother in Christ Jesus.

    I’ve you known for about 9 years, You’ve stayed true to your calling in God to be a tool in the live’s of many to help bring good health. and to think this is just the beginnig for your Blessed Live in HIS GREAT PLAN IN AND THROUGH YOUR LIVE!
    I truly treasure our relationship In GOD”S GREAT PLAN.
    I LOVE AND APPRECIATE YOU GREATLY.

    And to think your about to enter the next chapter of your live! With your soon to be bride,Beautiful Angel !!
    Praise God! Love and greatly appreciate you David!
    Brother Enoch.

  5. I am greatful for the info provided on oregano doctor. How do we extract oil from it coz I have the herbs at home

  6. This is an informative article. Thank you for sharing. I am fascinated with the healing capacity of oregano essential oil but I am wondering if it’s safe to consume daily seeing that it works like an antibiotic and therefore, it’s important that usage does not exceed 2 weeks? just like any other antibiotic. you have to put a limit to how much you use. Please let me know your thoughts..

  7. i am morning time cough after going to toilet to reliving please tell me best oil to cure chest cough

  8. Great as a general antiseptic, immune support, throat infection eliminator, oral hygiene and dental cavity protection, household cleaning, and much more. We use oregano oil daily, right down to even our laundry and it is quite amazing what oregano has done for me and my family. I was diagnosed of Hepatitis C type II in a rare form but after using oregano, I was shocked when it put the Hep C in remission. Multiple tests were conducted and several examinations and there was not a trace of Hep C virus. Since then I have been free and never been diagnosed of Hepatitis of any form.

  9. It might help to use a Probiotic after consuming a lot of Oregano oil. I would stop the
    Essential oil for a few days and then use a good quality Probiotic.

  10. I would like to know if a person with histamine intolerance can take fermented supplements. There seems to be a lot of supplements that contain fermented ingredients. Thanks for your reply.Blessings Debbie

      1. Thanks dr jockers , i will try this out, should you increase th1 if you have chronic c trachomatis as I have read this is immunity that clears it though I feel I get an autoimmune reaction taking astragalus reishi etc

  11. I have been exposed to mold and been VERY sick, I have all the symptoms! Very near to death! I feel as if I’m coming back from the dead literally! All Thanks to Jehovah God first letting me know what was going on with my body and then seeked helped Naturally, I was advised to take Serrapeptase and Oregano oil on a empty stomach 3xs a day and it’s only been a week and my symptoms are significantly improving! I couldn’t be more happier (Grant that I still feel sick) but I don’t feel like I could die any second anymore! Oregano oil is a blessing from God! If anybody has any additional advised I’m all ears because this has been life altering and I’m still fighting this fight! I may need to due this treatment for a full month to truly get rid of the mold because I had it BAD! 9/28/2018

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