Sage:
a herb of great value
Our
latest excerpt from MARGARET ROBERTS' book, 'Edible & Medicinal
Flowers', looks at the curative value of sage.
THE
genus name Salvia is derived from the Latin salvare, meaning "to
cure", and sage's medicinal properties have been respected for
centuries. It is native to the Mediterranean area and the Romans
considered it to be a sacred herb, gathering it with great reverence
and ceremony. The Chinese held sage in just such reverence and
valued it so greatly that Dutch merchants in the 17th Century
recorded that the Chinese would trade three chests of China tea
for one chest of sage leaves.
Medicinal
uses: An ancient remedy for a sore throat was a gargle made
from sage leaves and flowers, and sage was mixed with honey and
lemon juice as a remedy for coughs and chest ailments.
To make this remedy, chop one tablespoon of fresh sage leaves
and a few flowers very fine. Mix in one tablespoon of runny honey
and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.
For a runny nose, grate in two teaspoons of fresh ginger
root. Mix well. Take one teaspoon at a time frequently during
the day.
Sage has been found to contain oestrogen, and as such is used
to treat irregular menstruation and the symptoms of menopause,
including hot flushes and lowered oestrogen levels.
Sage also has some antibiotic properties, which is probably why
it is so effective in clearing a sore throat and excess mucous
from the nose, throat and chest. It was traditionally used as
an asthma remedy, and with its excellent digestive and calming
action, it immediately soothes the spasm and anxiety.
It is a nerve tonic, and with its natural astringency it helps
diarrhoea, abdominal cramps and colic. For all these ailments
it should be taken as a tea. The standard brew is a quarter cup
fresh flowers and leaves in one cup of boiling water, allowed
to stand for five minutes, then strained. Add a touch of honey
to sweeten, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. The usual dose
during infections is a quarter cup three times a day. As a general
tonic take one cup daily, but give it a break of four to five
days every 10 days.
Caution: Avoid during pregnancy and if epileptic.
Cultivation:
It takes fairly easily from mature cuttings but does not like
wet feet, so once your cuttings have rooted in moist sand, plant
them out in individual pots in a well-drained mixture of compost
and sand to strengthen. Plant them out 50 centimetres apart in
the garden in a well-drained position in full sun. Water only
once a week, as sage will not thrive during long periods of rain
or under a watering system. Replace the plants every three to
four years.
'Edible
& Medicinal Flowers', published by David Phillips, is distributed
by Random House Struik. Recipes for Sage and Pumpkin Soup and
Sage Flower Eggnog appear,repectively, on pages 103 and 144.
