Sage tea made from fresh leaves works against germs

Created: 08/07/2022, 08:00

By: Ines Alms

Sage tea can not only be prepared from dried leaves.

The fresh green also gives the immune system a boost.

Usually you can't eat as much sage butter and saltimbocca as a sage bush gives in leaves in summer.

The leaves are easy to dry and use again another time, but fresh ones also have a healthy effect in a cup of tea – by relieving inflammation and fighting bacteria and fungi.

However, one should not overdo it with the amount of sage tea, because then it shows side effects.

Sage tea made from fresh leaves works against germs

Quickly pick a few sage leaves in the garden or from the balcony – the fresh tea is almost ready.

© Westend61/Imago

Common sage (Salvia officinalis) has long been known as a medicinal plant: it is said to help with sore throats, gingivitis and even excessive sweating.

In addition, the essential oils contained in sage as well as the tannins and bitter substances are said to fight germs such as bacteria and fungi.

In order to use its healthy properties, one does not have to dry the parts of the plant as is widely practiced.

A sage tea made from fresh leaves actually has a less "medicinal aftertaste".

It is easy to prepare, only the dosage of the leaves should be different.

With many herbs, such as thyme or rosemary, their taste is intensified in dried form, which is why you usually use less of them in the kitchen.

Harvest sage for fresh tea correctly

For a cup of tea (250 milliliters) you need three to five fresh leaves of sage (dried about a teaspoon) and let the leaves pour boiling water over them for about ten minutes.

However, real sage contains a lot of the ingredient thujone.

Since it damages the nervous system in high doses, sage tea should not be used for longer than four weeks, recommends the

.

This applies in particular to children, pregnant and breastfeeding women.

In order to get the best out of the plant, the following should be observed for the harvest:

• It is best to harvest sage in summer late in the morning and before flowering, as the leaves are particularly rich in valuable ingredients and essential oils.

• When harvesting, you must not cut right into the wood, as the sage will then no longer sprout.

• If you cut off shoots regularly, you will delay the unwanted lignification of the bush.

You can find even more exciting garden topics in the free 24garten.de newsletter, which you can subscribe to here.

If you still have too much sage in the garden, the herb is also a natural home remedy for aphids or snails thanks to the thujone.

Fight pests in the garden: the ten best home remedies

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