Here’s A Detailed Discussion About Oregano & Oregano Oil!
Team Mishry
This article discusses benefits of oregano oil, its uses, how to grow oregano at home, and making homemade oregano oil.
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Table of Contents
What is oregano?
Oregano is a flowering plant that belongs to the mint family. It is more popular as a culinary herb. The scientific name of oregano is Origanum Vulgare. This is a native European herb, but now it is harvested all over the world. Since ancient times, oregano has been popular among Romans and Greeks for its medical usages. The term oregano is derived from two Greek words, ‘oros’ and ‘ganos’. Here ‘oros’ means mountain and ‘ganos’ mean delight or joy. So, oregano is a delight of the mountains. For centuries oregano has also been used as a great cooking herb. It has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory particles and keeps us away from flu, cold, throat problems, gut problems, etc. Oregano oil cures various diseases and kills all the bacteria in our bodies. After hearing this, a question pops in our heads naturally, “does oregano oil kill good bacteria?” The answer will be “No”. It only kills harmful bacteria and keeps us healthy. All details one should know about oregano and oregano oil are given below. You will also get answers to ‘does oregano oil kill good bacteria’?
What is oregano oil?
There are two types of oregano oil, oregano liquid oil, and oregano essential oil. Oregano essential oil cannot be consumed orally. The oregano leaves and shoots are air-dried, and then the oil is extracted from the dried leaves. Later it is concentrated by the steam distillation process. We can apply oregano oil topically by mixing some carrier oil with it. Again, you might wonder, ‘does oregano oil kill good bacteria?’
For oregano liquid oil, one can use different extraction methods. We can use alcohol or carbon dioxide for extraction. One can find oregano supplements easily in the market. They are also available in capsule and pill form.
What are the compounds of oregano oil?
Oregano is made of different compounds like terpenes, phenols, and terpenoids. It contains some powerful antioxidant properties which carry its fragrance. The major three antioxidants are:
- Carvacrol: This is present in oregano abundantly. It protects us from several bacteria.
- Thymol: It is a natural antifungal property. Thymol boosts our immune system and keeps us safe from different harmful toxins.
- Rosmarinic acid: It protects us from all the damages that are caused by free radicals.
All these compounds make oregano very beneficial for our health.
What are the major types of oregano?
There are mainly eight types of oregano.
- The first one is Mexican oregano. Mexican oregano is from the lemons family.
- Then there is Mediterranean oregano. Mediterranean oregano belongs to a mints family.
- Greek oregano is another type of oregano and is also known as European oregano. This is considered as the right type of oregano.
- Next, we have Syrian oregano. It is also called as Lebanese oregano. It thrives in hot weather.
- Golden oregano has golden-yellow leaves from which the plant gets its name. This plant is mostly grown for aesthetic pleasure.
- Ornamental oregano has an alluring fragrance. It grows well in containers.
- Marjoram oreganos are a native Turkish herb. They have grey-green leaves with small white and pink flowers.
- Italian oregano is a hybrid of common oregano and marjoram oregano. It has a super mild flavor.
Can we grow oreganos in our homes?
Oregano is one of the must-have herbs in your garden. They are spicy, slightly bitter, pungent, and go well with all the vegetables. Even if you are a new gardener, you can easily grow oregano. It is a very low maintenance herb. You can grow them in your garden or indoors. Oreganos are a perennial plant, which means we can grow them year after year without putting much effort. A warm climate is best for oreganos.
Where can we plant oreganos?
You can plant oregano in your garden along a path. They work like a garden anchor and provide height and dimension to your garden. Some people do not have enough gardening space so that they can grow oregano in containers. One can keep them indoors too, if they can provide the plant with enough warmth, air, and light.
What is the best time to grow oreganos?
One can grow the oregano plants from oregano seeds, or we can plant a cutting taken from a grownup healthy oregano plant. You should plant your seeds almost two months before frost, and if you are planting a cutting, make sure that the ground temperature is above 70 degrees F.
Related Read : Health benefits of oregano oil.
What should we keep in mind while planting oregano?
There are several things that we should consider while cultivating oregano. Those are mentioned below:
Soil
The soil must be well-drained and light. Oreganos can even grow in less fertile soil, so you do not have to fertilize the soil. You just plant them and let them thrive by themselves.
Sun
Oregano grows well in full sun. All its flavors develop if they are left in the sun for a full day. You can grow them indoors too, but make sure they get the necessary sunlight and warmth.
Water
You should only water oreganos when the soil seems to be dry. Overwatering oreganos can be very harmful to the plant. One should thoroughly water it once a day.
Spacing
One should leave adequate gaps between their oregano plants. They grow two feet tall and 18 inches wide. So, you must leave at least a 10 inches gap between each plant. If you are using a pot to grow oregano, make sure that it is 12 inches wide.
Companions
Oreganos can be planted with any other plant. No matter whatever you plant beside oregano, they will grow harmoniously together.
Trimming
If you want to make your oregano plant grow thicker, cut the stems as they grow four inches tall. This enhances the growth and density of oregano plants.
So, if you consider all these aspects, you can successfully harvest oreganos outdoors or indoors.
Related Read :
Wingreens Farms Oregano Leaves Review.
Can we make homemade oregano oil?
The distinct distillation process is involved in the oregano oil extraction method. But, you can also make your homemade oregano oil by following a few simple steps. They are mentioned below:
The Ingredients:
- Oregano leaves (chopped or crushed)
- Olive oil or grapeseed oil or almond oil
- Two jars with tight lids
The Process:
- Boil water in a pan. When the water boils, turn off the flame.
- Put the oregano leaves in the jar.
- Pour your preferred oil on the oregano leaves.
- Put the jar on the warm water and keep it there for five to ten minutes.
- Thus, the jar’s oil will heat up, and oreganos will start releasing their natural oil.
- Take the jar out of the water and keep it under the sun for one to two weeks.
- You have to shake the mixture every day.
- After two weeks, take the oil from the jar and keep it in a separate jar.
- Keep the second jar in the dark and cool place.
Thus, oregano oil is made. If you want to preserve the oil for a longer time, add some drops of grape oil in it.
Health benefits of oregano oil
There are numerous oregano oil benefits, which makes it so popular among us. Oregano oil is loaded with powerful compounds and antioxidants, which can improve one’s health significantly. Is there any answer to ‘does oregano oil kill good bacteria’? Let us find out.
1. Works as a natural antibiotic
Oregano contains carvacrol, which helps to fight bacteria in our bodies. Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis are the two major types of bacteria that cause various infections like skin infection and food poisoning. Oregano oil helps us to survive Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis bacteria. One can take oregano supplements or can rub the oil on their skin to have the antibacterial effects.
It also effectively resists some antibiotic-resistant bacteria like E.coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This means oregano can help fight diseases that no longer respond to different antibiotics.
One of the most asked questions needs mentioning here: does oregano oil kill good bacteria? The answer is, no, oregano oil does not kill any good bacteria. When we use oregano for bacterial infection, it only kills those harmful to our health.
2. Helps throat and sinus problem
Oregano has been used to treat sinus and respiratory problems for ages. Doctors used this herb to treat different diseases before the invention of modern medicines. Carvacrol prevents the growth of group-A Streptococci, which causes strep throat. We can also use oregano oil for sore throat.
3. Lowers the cholesterol level in the blood
Carvacrol and thymol are two of the dominant compounds found in oregano. They help to lower cholesterol levels in the blood and regulate blood circulation.
4. Protects us from cold, cough, and flu
Oregano has several healing powers, and some of them are cold, cough, and flu. All the antibiotic components present in oregano fight the respiratory viruses that cause cold and flu. Doctors also suggest using oregano oil for cough.
5. Treats SIBO
SIBO means the sudden overgrowth of intestinal bacteria. Oregano oil heals some chronic bacterial issues. People suffer from gastrointestinal problems when they are suffering from SIBO. It causes a sudden overgrowth of bacteria in our intestine. Researches show that carvacrol and thymol are very effective in treating SIBO.
6. Prevents fungal infection
The high amount of thymol present in oregano makes it an antifungal agent. Common Candida fungal infections can be treated by thymol. Candida causes infections like oral thrush, athlete’s foot, toenails infection, fingernails infection, yeast infection, etc. So we can use oregano oil for fungus infections.
7. Improves gut health
Oregano is great for our gut. Gut parasites can cause pain, bloating, and diarrhea. Oregano also heals the tiredness that is associated with gut issues. Most of us heard of the term ‘leaky gut.’ Our gut wall gets damaged and allows toxins and bacteria to pass into our bloodstream when we suffer from leaky gut. Oregano essential oil heals the leaky gut and also kills other gut bacteria.
8. Rich antioxidants
Oxidative stress is very harmful to our health. This leads to DNA damage and death of cells. Antioxidants protect our bodies from free radicals and oxidative stress. Oxidation may also cause arthritis, cancer, and atherosclerosis. Antioxidants like thymol and carvacrol present in oregano lower down oxidation and save our bodies from further damage. Free radicals fasten our aging process and cause heart diseases. Antioxidants of oregano protect our hearts and keep us young. Since it is rich in antioxidants, you might be clear on ‘does oregano oil kill good bacteria?’
9. Reduces inflammation
Oregano reduces inflammation. Carvacrol and Rosmarinic acid, two dominant compounds in oregano, have anti-inflammatory particles. Inflammation can cause autoimmune arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and allergic asthma. Consuming oregano can keep us safe from all these diseases.
10. Heals wounds
We can apply oregano oil on the skin if there is any small cut or scrape. It helps our skin to heal wounds. Thymol and carvacrol also keep our wounds safe from any bacterial infection.
11. Pain reliever
Some researches show that oregano oil works as a painkiller. That is why people use oregano oil on feet to heal sore feet. All the oils have magical healing power and soothe our wounds.
12. Great for weight loss
Oregano oil helps us to lose our extra weight. Carvacrol, one of the primary compounds of oregano oil, prevents fat tissues from building up. This disrupts the creation and accumulation of fatty tissues in our bodies. As a result, we do not gain weight.
13. Fights cancer
Oregano oil has some cancer-fighting particles. The essential oil extracted from oregano protects us from breast cancer, liver cancer, and colon cancer. It also stops the growth of prostate cancer and lung cancer cells. Oregano oil prevents radiation and mitogen. Mitogen is a kind of protein that causes unwanted cell division. Thymol and carvacrol stop melanoma cell growth and keep skin cancer from spreading.
14. Manages diabetes
Different compounds found in oregano oil help us to manage type 2 diabetes. They improve our insulin resistance, restore our liver and kidney’s damaged tissues, and regulate our bodies’ carbohydrate and fat metabolism. Oregano also helps to maintain the blood sugar level. The antioxidants in oregano can heal type 1 diabetes as well. Does oregano oil kill good bacteria? As it has many health benefits, it doesn’t seem to be.
15. Fights depression
Oregano helps us to fight chronic stress and depression. All the antioxidants of oregano essential oil are great for our mental health.
16. Good for our skin
Oregano essential oil works a miracle to our skin. It removes acne or any mark from our skin. Oregano oil also keeps our skin healthy, fresh, and lively. It slows down the aging process of our skin, and thus we look younger. In short, we can say that one can use oregano oil for skin-related issues. So, if you are looking for an answer to does oregano oil kill good bacteria? The answer is No.
17. Benefits our hair
Oregano removes dandruff and keeps our hair strong, clean, and healthy. Oregano oil helps hair growth and prevents hair fall.
18. Heals menstrual pain
Oregano gives relief from menstrual issues like amenorrhea and dysmenorrhea. As we all know, oregano is an emmenagogue. So it maintains the smooth blood flow to the pelvic area and helps in uterine contractions. This eases up the menstrual flow and heals the pain.
You can also drink ginger tea mixed with two-three drops of oregano oil to avoid painful periods. You can mix oregano oil with a bit of coconut oil and massage over your lower abdomen to get instant relief from menstrual cramps.
So, these are all the different health benefits of oregano. You can use oregano oil and stay safe from several diseases.
How to use oregano oil?
We can get oregano oil in capsule form or liquid form. One can buy it from the stores or can opt for online purchases. Each oil supplement has a different strength, so it is advised to use it according to a qualified healthcare worker’s guidance. So, does oregano oil kill good bacteria?If you do not like the taste of oregano oil, you should use the capsules. Thus, you do not have to taste it; you can easily swallow the capsule. If you want to use oregano oil for skin issues, you can apply the mixture directly on your skin. One thing we must keep in mind that essential oregano oil is not for oral consumption. Oregano oil has numerous health benefits but always consult your doctor before taking any dosage of oregano oil.
Does oregano oil kill good bacteria?
This is one of the most asked questions about oregano. As discussed above, we know that oregano oil has strong anti-bacterial properties. They keep our bodies safe from any fungal or bacterial infection. Still, many of us doubt its side effects and ask questions like how to use oregano oil? Does oregano oil kill good bacteria? Or is it entirely safe for use? To answer all of them, we can say, yes, oregano oil is completely safe if we use it under experts’ supervision. Any professional physician must suggest the amount of dosage. There are various oregano oil tablets available in the market which have different strength levels. If we use a potent dosage, we can end up damaging our health. So, oregano kills harmful bacteria only if you are taking the required amount of dosage.
To conclude, we can say that oregano is one of the most ancient herbs used by humankind. It has numerous magical healing powers. Oregano was used as a medicine by doctors, and even at present, doctors use oregano to cure diseases where scientifically made medications fail to perform. Because of the variety of oregano oil uses, it is harvested all around the world now. Growing them is very simple and easy. So, by now, you might have got the answer to the question, “does oregano oil kill good bacteria.”We can even make homemade oregano oil by following simple steps which are mentioned above. So, we should add oregano to our diet and stay protected from the infections.
Here are the Benefits Of Oregano Oil you need to know about.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some interesting FAQs on Oregano & Oregano Oil :
Oregano is well known for its flavor and adds a delicious earthy flavor to different dishes.
Oregano leaves might help cure the following problems: sore skin, aching muscles, cramping, indigestion and cold.
Yes. Oregano has compounds including carvacrol and terpenes that help cleanse the lungs. In addition, it speeds up the functioning of liver and helps eliminate toxins from the body.
Yes. Dried oregano is packed with nutrients. A single teaspoon of dried oregano can fulfill about 8% of daily Vitamin K needs.
Final Words
In the above article, we have covered in-depth details on oregano and oregano oil. From the benefits to the uses of oregano oil, our article covers every aspect.
