Oil of Oregano has many health benefits. It can reduce pain and inflammation and can fight off infection. It also can boost the immune system. It has been used to reduce the symptoms and duration of the cold and flu, help relieve digestive problems, and provide relief for muscle aches and pains.
Uses for Oil of Oregano:
Sinus Congestion, Colds and Sore Throats, and Digestive Problems-Add a couple drops to a glass of water or juice and drink. For sinus congestion you can also rub some diluted oil or oregano directly on your sinuses for relief.
Sore Muscles, Arthritis, Aches and Pains-Massage into affected area to relieve pain and inflammation. Dilute with olive oil and always test on a small area first.
Make Oil of Oregano:
If you have some fresh oregano on hand, you can make your own oil of oregano. You will need a 1:1 ratio of oregano to oil, or you can use more oregano to make a stronger batch. I used 1/2 a cup oregano and 1/2 a cup olive oil.
1. Wash and dry your oregano.
2. Place the oregano leaves in a plastic ziplock bag (don’t close) and cover the bag with a kitchen towel.
3. Pound on the bag with a meat mallet or something similar. This will release the oils.
4. Heat up some olive oil or grape seed oil until warm. Do not boil.
5. Add the oil in to the bag with the oregano and squeeze the mixture for a minute or two.
6. Now pour the mixture into a clean class jar and place somewhere cool and dry for 2 weeks.
7. After 2 weeks, strain the oregano from the oil. I use the smallest strainer in this set of Cuisinart Mesh Strainers.
As always, please do your own research and use caution when trying new herbal remedies. Oil of oregano should not be used when pregnant.
Shared at Your Green Resource and Frugally Sustainable.
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I'll be doing this…
This is the perfect “rainy day” project for me today! How much should it be diluted for use?
Stephanie recently posted..Keeping The Colony Happy
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I actually used some straight yesterday (on my sinuses) and it didn't bother my skin at all. I'm guessing this isn't as strong as the type you might buy at the store, so maybe it's okay to use this kind straight.
Why can't pregnant women use oil of oregano?
I read that it can stimulate blood flow in the uterus, which can weaken the lining that surrounds the fetus in the womb. It also may reduce the body's ability to absorb iron, which is important for pregnant women.
I have never heard of oil of oregano, but I have enough oregano growing in my backyard to supply an olive garden, so I may give it a try! Thanks for broadening my horizons
i made oil of oregano oil using the exact same steps but used a mixture of olive oil and sunflower oil as a base. Our newly adopted stray puppy has been itching all over, so I decided to give him a rub of the oil. Voila! he calmed down and almost looked like he was lethargic at first.. then slept for a few minutes, when he woke up he is a ball of fire.. playing and wagging his tail.. I also used the oil for dandruff relied.
I found your link on Frugally Sustainable. Thanks for the directions, I might try this with oregano from our CSA. How would you use it? Drink it or use it as a rub?
I would use it more as a rub for muscle aches and pains, or on sinuses for congestion.
What are the possible side effects? You mentioned to test on a small area first….
Thank you for this! I recently decided to look into the benefits of Oil of Oregano and was like “I need to get me some of that!!” Then all of sudden it hit me, I have fresh oregano growing in my living room! Hello! This was a simple and easy to follow recipe. Look forward to using it. I’ll be blogging about it and will link back to you
Oh good! I'm glad you made it and I'm looking forward to hearing how you use it and how it works for you. Please come back and share your results if you think of it!
I thought that oil of oregano — with all its reputed health benefits — had to be made with wild oregano, not the domestic kind you would grow at home. I read somewhere that wild oregano, like that grown in the Mediterranean, contains carvacrol and thymol, which are powerful anti-inflammatories and have other strong health benefits. Although I am interested in making my own oil of oregano (especially after I saw the prices on the bottles in my local health food store), I also don't want to waste time/resources, etc. Wouldn't everyone be making their own oil of oregano if you could do it from the herbs in your windowsill? Or is the exorbitant price of oil of oregano in the store simply a ripoff?
I bought some Italian and Greek Heirloom oregano seeds and grow them in a sunny windowsill year round, then place them in the sun when the weather has warmed. Primarily for the purpose of making the oil. I swear by it- the kids NEVER get sick, even when surrounded by the myriad of illnesses in the schools!
Thanks! I used your method/recipe and made some with the HUGE oregano plant I have in my living room
Does it have to be fresh or can you use the dried stuff you buy in the store?
Just to let you know that this is not the same oil as oil of orreggano made from wild medditerranian oreggano, not nearly as strong. But I always use north american spice o of o, and it works well. I always have a bottle on hand, It is not cheap but well worth it.:-)
DON'T BE MISTAKEN……This is NOT OIL of OREGANO it's Infused Oil.
Oregano oil is a different type of Oregano, a blend of edible species of wild oregano grown on natural mineral rich soils, not the kind you cook with at home. Although….. I'm sure there are some healing properties with regular Oregano. Definitely nutrition ones.
I’m really looking forward to trying this out as soon as possible! I was wondering if dried oregano would work, or does it have to be fresh only?
Thanks!
you cant make oil of oregano with common oregano. it's not the same.
Excellent blog. Your topic is amazing.
I'm gonna use your method for making this and also thanks for sharing it's benefits. I liked it very much.
I use oregano to lessen the duration and size of cold sores! It works amazingly. I usually just crush a leaf and rub it on, but I've wanting to make some oil to make it easier to apply. Thanks for posting this! I'm definitely going to try this.
I'll have to tell my mom…she gets bad cold sores. I've used tea tree oil on canker sores and it works great…I wonder if oil of oregano would work on those as well?
This isn't how you make oil – this is how you take some oil, then infuse some of the ESSENCE of oregano into it. :/
Really disappointing.
It also makes no mention of which type of oregano you should use or if the plants need special feed to get more "active ingredients" in the plant.
However – it does *seem* that for itchy, sore skin, a bath with store-bought "regular, cooking" oregano and parsley in it is very soothing! Something I recently learned.
(I used the pre-dried-and-chopped herbs from the shop and made a jug of "tea" with it, the british way (I used 1 or 2 teabags worth of chopped herbs), then added the steeped herbs and water to my hot bath water. I think I'll add a Camomile tea-bag too next time. Should be good – and smells nice! It helped scratches and bug-bites. I assume that mix would help measles and chicken-pox too!)
It'd be interesting to see if Cloves or their oil added to the mix would also help, as Oil of Cloves (which I can buy in this country) helps toothache, as does Oil of Oregano (which I can't buy in this country).
I assume the lack of information and availability of this product means that real (pure) Oil of Oregano is strong/potent, and very hard to make at home (as the equipment and sheer amount of Oregano leaves needed is so huge and expensive that it doesn't need to be outlawed as a plant. Also, I will assume until proven otherwise, that Oregano is like Mandrake Root – only in that there is a variety of either that has the "drug chemicals" in it you want, and a second variety that has no active chemicals in it at all and makes you waste your time and money if you're specifically after the medicine part of the plant; rather than the tasty-but-safe-and-completely-useless variety with the same name.
Also-
Remember that Olive Oil was only considered a medicine, sort of like Castor Oil, in Britain until World War Two (when Mrs Beeton changed british food forever and used Olive Oil to cook with as it wasn't rationed and didn't require Food Stamps, because it was classed medicine and sold in the pharmacies), and is now thought of more as food than medicine; though it's both.
I wonder how much of the good from this infusion is down to the Olive Oil… and how much is placebo. :p Olive Oil is very good for your skin, among other things.
Still – useful info to mull over…
Thanks. I'm still learning and every little bit helps. Very helpful Comments too, so thanks to all!
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