Oregano
Healing essence of oregano Powerful antioxidant In a comprehensive global analysis of over 3100 different foods published in the January 2010 edition of the Nutrition Journal, oregano was found to have one of the highest antioxidant contents of all the foods studied. Today it is most strongly associated with the distinctive taste of pizza, has for centuries been used to flavor a variety of fish, meats and vegetable dishes in the Mediterranean region. It also has a long history of medicinal uses, including the treatment of respiratory ailments, arthritis, wounds and indigestion. While there have been relatively few scientific investigations into its medicinal properties, it is a source of many potent phytonutrients that are known to be active against a range of pathological processes and chronic diseases. Medicinal PropertiesCancerOregano’s anti-tumorigenic phytochemicals are both numerous and efficacious against a variety of cancer types.They include the antioxidants, caffeic acid, eugenol, myrcene, oleanolic acid and ursolic acid, as well as the non-antioxidant compounds, carvone, caryophyllene, geraniol and limonene. Cardiovascular disease and blood lipidsIn addition to possessing cardioprotective, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, it contains carvacrol and rosmarinic acid which specifically inhibit the formation of atheromatous plaques.This makes it an important herb in the fight against heart disease and stroke .Oleanolic and ursolic acid, meanwhile, are effective at lowering abnormal blood lipid levels, while caffeic acid reduces platelet stickiness, and eugenol prevents the abnormal thrombus formation associated with heart attacks and thrombotic strokes. Anti-inflammatory effectsOregano contains significant quantities of a number of well-known anti-inflammatory compounds and is likely to have protective effects against the many chronic diseases that are associated with underlying inflammatory processes.These anti-inflammatory compounds include caffeic acid, carvacrol, eugenol, rosmarinic acid and ursolic acid. Spice supplementVitaSpice capsules contain oregano and 20 other important medicinal spicesImportant phytonutrientsAntioxidants: Caffeic acid, carvacrol, eugenol, hydroquinone, myrcene, oleanolic acid, phenol, phytosterols, rosmarinic acid, terpinenes, ursolic acidOthers: Carvone, caryophyllene, citral, geraniol, limonene, pinenes
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