Salvia officinalis

Sage

If you’re going to Scarborough Fair, sage is right there alongside parsley, rosemary, and thyme. In fact, these four herbs are the most popular on your typical spice rack. They have stood the test of time not only because of their flavours, but also due to their anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-cancer properties. If you’re looking for some sage advice: Grow and consume this herb! Sage is one of the many medicinal Salvias that belong to the mint family (Lamiaceae). Common sage (S. officinalis) bears pretty blue-purple flowers and aromatic leaves. If you’re having a hard time placing its taste or smell, think of the dominant flavour of Thanksgiving turkey stuffing.

Health Benefits

Many people make their own echinacea extract (see page 108) when they feel a cold coming on. If you’re coming down with a sore throat, the first thing to do right after you’ve taken your echinacea is to chew some tender sage leaves for their juice, which will numb the soreness of your throat and speed healing.

Sage is also used in reducing excessive perspiration, including sweat caused by menopausal hot flashes.

The plant has also been used for centuries with the intention of improving memory, and more recently it has garnered interest as a possible treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. In a recent study, 30 people with moderate Alzheimer’s took sage or a placebo over 4 months. In the end, those who took sage improved significantly. Sage may help prevent the breakdown of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that plays a role in the disease.

DIFFICULTY

Easy

HARDINESS

Perennial in zones 5 to 9

TIME TO PLANT

Spring

TIME TO HARVEST

Late spring through fall

LOCATION

Full sun

SOIL TYPE

Moist, well-drained

Growing

Sage has become one of my favourite plants in the garden. I don’t just love it for its flavour and its medicinal benefits: I love sage for its foliage. Whether in the garden or in pots, this large leafy herb offers all-season interest. Sages are one of the showiest of all herbs, with vibrant flowers of various colours (usually purple or blue). This perennial evergreen herb is adored not only by gardeners but also by bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.

Common Varieties: There are countless Salvia species, but most are ornamental; for culinary and medicinal use, look for S. officinalis. One of my favourite varieties is ‘Tricolor’, which has silver-green leaves trimmed in white and tinted with purple. ‘Purpurascens’, or purple sage, is not as hardy and not as useful as a spice, but looks great in the garden.

PLANT

Sage can be started from seed or grown from cuttings that take 4 to 6 weeks to root. But for those looking for an easy growing experience, I recommend transplants. The range of leaf colours available increases every year, and you may be tempted to try something exotic, but good old common sage still rules. It’s available everywhere, and it’s the easiest to grow.

Plant sage in full sun, either in a container or in the garden: Just make sure drainage is good. Use potting soil in a container, and in a garden use good compost or triple mix. If your soil is rich, sage rarely requires fertilizer. I recommend feeding only if plants appear weak or lacking in vibrant leaf colour. In a pot, sage should be fertilized once or twice a month using compost tea, fish emulsion, or a general-purpose fertilizer (20-20-20).

Sage is a good companion to many vegetables. Planting it close to carrots, cabbage, strawberries, and tomatoes may help to improve their overall growth.

GROW

If you can’t grow sage you might want to give up on gardening! If you forget a watering, it will forgive you. If you forget to fertilize, it will forgive you. If you forget to pinch it, you can just do it later and your sage will bounce back.

Sage will suffer in wet soils and eventually get root rot, so do not overwater. The plant will become woody over time, and it does benefit from aggressive cutting back and dividing. Perennial sages should be divided every 2 to 4 years or when plants appear weak.

To promote overall health, pinch it back during the growing season, even if you don’t need the herb. The plant will improve every “pinch” of the way!

Insects to watch out for include aphids, whiteflies, and thrips; control using insecticidal soaps.

HARVEST

Sage can be harvested during the entire growing season. Cut the tender new foliage first (the newest leaves will be lighter in colour). Clip the leaves during mid-morning after heavy dew has dried. Do not cut the woody stem, as new leaves will grow on it. And be careful not to impact the main stem of the plant, known as the crown.

During the fall you can aggressively remove most of the plant, but never harvest more than one-third of the plant on any given day. The goal is to allow your sage to rebound with more growth and more leaves for future harvests.

STORE

Sage can be used fresh or dried. I recommend storing fresh sage with the cut stems in a glass of water on the counter (only the stems should be in the water, not the leaves); it will keep for up to 10 days. To dry your sage, tie it in small, loose bundles. Cover with a paper bag with some slits cut in the sides for improved airflow. Hang the bags in a dark, dry, warm location for up to 2 weeks or until the leaves become brittle. Once they’re dry, remove the leaves and discard the stems. Store the leaves in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. (See “Drying Herbs at Home” on page 365.)

Put It to Work

Hot flashes or excessive perspiration? Salvia salvation!

Menopause is not a disease and cannot be prevented, but many of its symptoms—which are related to hormonal changes—can be mitigated. Hot flashes and night sweats can both be reduced with sage.

In a teapot, combine 2 cups of dried sage leaves with boiling water. Cover and steep for 30 minutes (to make it very strong). Pour into a BPA-free ice-cube tray and freeze. Add 2 to 3 ice cubes to your lemonade, water, or even beer before bed. You’ll be feeling better in minutes and experience fewer night sweats.

If you are an excessive sweater (a condition called hyperhidrosis), consuming 6 to 8 ice cubes per day in several doses can reduce the amount of perspiration you produce.

Dried sage leaves.

Alzheimer’s prevention? A sage infusion!

Historically, a sage infusion was thought to help with memory loss. Now researchers are proving it. Alzheimer’s prevention seems to be strongly linked to a diet high in antioxidants, including herbs, spices, fruits, and veggies that manage inflammation. Sage and these other foods may guard against low levels of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which is related to the loss of brain function in someone with Alzheimer’s.

Perhaps you’re already taking fish oil for cognitive enhancement, or just because you know how amazing it is in the prevention of many diseases. But there is something even better: You can supplement with sage-infused squid oil!

Squid oil is high in DHA, the omega-3 essential fatty acid most important in cognitive support. Wild squid is one of the richest sources of this compound—it contains 35% more omega-3 than wild salmon. This super-sustainable source of omega-3s is the way to go for Alzheimer’s prevention and support.

Pick ½ cup of sage leaves from the garden. Wash and lay out on paper towel to dry overnight. The following morning, combine the contents of a 200 mL bottle of squid oil (I recommend Ascenta DHA oil) with the sage leaves in a blender. Blend on high speed until smooth. Pour into a resealable glass jar (like a Mason jar). Refrigerate for 1 week. Using a funnel lined with a coffee filter, strain the mixture into a sterile bottle with a tight-fitting lid (discard solids).

Take 1 teaspoon twice daily. The infusion will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

Sore throat? Spray sage!

Sage is excellent for a sore throat for many reasons: It can help numb the inflamed area, and it also has antiviral properties. You can gargle with a sage tincture or, even better, spray it at the back of your throat at the first sign of a cold.

Collect a few handfuls of sage leaves from your garden. Wash, pat dry, and lay out to dry overnight. The following morning, roughly chop the leaves (1) and place in a resealable glass jar (like a Mason jar) (2). Pour vodka (at least 80 proof) into the jar until it covers the sage (3, 4, 5). Place wax paper over the jar and then screw the lid on tightly to seal it. Set aside in a cool, dark place for 2 weeks, shaking the jar vigorously once daily to mix the ingredients (6).

After 2 weeks, cover the mouth of the jar with a coffee filter or cheesecloth and strain the liquid into a clean glass container (discard solids). Use a funnel to transfer the tincture into small sterile bottles equipped with a spray pump.

At the first sign of a sore throat, spray 3 to 4 pumps into the back of your throat. The tincture will keep for up to 3 years stored in a cool, dry place.

Fast Forward

Fast forward to the health food store to purchase A. Vogel’s sage tablets or equivalent. Follow the instructions on the label.

Cautions

Do not use sage if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Thujone, one of its active ingredients, can stimulate the uterus in pregnant women, as well as dry up milk supply in nursing mothers.