STUNNING SAGE

The very name of the plant "salvia" is translated from Latin as "to be healthy". Hippocrates considered this herb to be sacred.

In the Middle Ages Sage was credited with magical properties. Wizards and witches used it in their rituals and alchemists tried to obtain the philosopher's stone with its help.

Sage, or Salvia officinalis, is a perennial evergreen subshrub that belongs to the Lamiaceae family. It originates from the Mediterranean region but now is naturalized in many parts of the world. The plant usually grows up to 0.6 m in height. The leaves are oblong, about 2.5-6.4 cm long and 1-2.5 cm wide. The upper side of the leaves is greyish green and rugose, while the underside is almost white and pubescent. The flowers can be lavender, purple, white or pink.

Sage chemical composition

The leaves of this plant contain useful acids, vitamins, macro - and microelements, in particular:

• alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, oleanolic, ursolic and linoleic acids;
• vitamins A, E, K, PP, C, beta-carotene;
• calcium, potassium, magnesium, sodium, phosphorus, iron, copper, manganese, selenium, zinc.

Sage Interesting Facts

• People have been using sage as a flavouring for about 2 thousand years. It is often added to meat, cheese, beans, eggs and tomatoes.
• The herb can be used fresh or in the form of tea, decoctions, tinctures, capsules, mouthwashes, etc.
• Ancient Greeks and Romans used sage in order to preserve meat due to its excellent preserve properties.

Sage Tea Recipe

What you need:

• 40-45 sage leaves
• 4 cups of water
• 2 tbsp of sugar
• 3 tbsp of lemon juice
• 1.5 tsp of lemon zest

Add the sage leaves, sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest to the boiling water. Stir the mixture. Infuse it for about 20-30 minutes. Strain the tea. You can serve it hot or cold with ice cubes.

Enjoy this Sage tea!