Marjoram: health benefits and harms

The healing properties of marjoram have been known to mankind since ancient times. However, today spicy herb is not so widespread among people. Few people in our area know about its existence, and most importantly - about the useful elements contained in it.

What is marjoram

Marjoram is a spicy garden herb, which is widely known most in Europe and the East. There it is used as a seasoning for many culinary dishes. However, in addition to this, marjoram is widely used in medicine, and not only folk, but also industrial, as well as cosmetology.

This healing garden grass comes from the family Yasnotkovye and most often represented by one or two year old plants. In the wild, you can often meet the closest relative of marjoram - common oregano. However, marjoram itself is a cultivated species, therefore, it is grown by a person anywhere: in greenhouses, in vegetable gardens and flower beds.

A spicy plant loves warmth and direct sunlight, so the southern countries became the birthplace of grass. It was from there that she got into our region. Nevertheless, marjoram is completely unpretentious in maintenance, so it can easily grow even on window sills in apartments and houses.

Kinds

Of all the marjoram varieties known to date, only two of them are actively cultivated by gardeners. Such close attention is paid to floral and leafy species. Each of them is used as a decorative, spicy and medicinal plant. However, there are other varieties that are used in the same way, but much less frequently.

1. Flower marjoram. It has rhizomes and small trunks less strong than that of the leafy species. And also, despite the name, which is not at all speaking, this marjoram blooms not so magnificent.
2. Leaf marjoram. It is a small bush. It has only one main stem, it is very strong and strongly branched. On it are large, greasy leaves. But during the flowering period, there are very few flowers on leaf marjoram.
3. Baikal marjoram. This is the only representative of marjoram, which is extremely fruitful. The bush is relatively low, its height reaches an average of about 60 cm. Bright green plates of leaves are very soft and have an unusually pleasant smell. Among them, during the flowering period, white flowers can be considered.
4. Gourmet marjoram. Among other varieties is characterized by high productivity. The fruits of a spicy bush have time to ripen in just 3 and a half months. Shrubs of this variety are higher than that of the Baikal marjoram. Their height can reach 70 cm. There is a noticeable difference between the smooth, green plates, which are presented in the form of small ovals at the gourmet, and often a wax coating may be present on their upper part.
5. Marjoram-scandi. It is the most standard variety. Its leaves have the usual oval shape and are not covered on top with a waxy coating. The height of the bush is also standard, it does not exceed 60 cm, and the flowers are the same small and white.
6. Marjoram thermos. This is the most undersized representative. Its height does not exceed 30–40 cm. The color of the plant is always gray, sometimes metallic or silver shine appears. Flowers of a standard white hue and small size.The leaf blades on the upper part have a pleasant easy pubescence.
7. Tushinsky Semko. This variety of marjoram is Russian, and its ripening time sometimes stretches to 5 months. The appearance of the bushes is significantly different from other relatives. The stems do not branch out so much from the main trunk and have an unusual purple hue instead of saturated green. Moreover, silver fluffy villi cover them from above. The stalk begins to stiffen near the most fertile layer of soil. Green leaves are slightly oblong and elongated in shape, their end is pointed. And along the edges of each leaf blade are sharp cloves. Small white flowers form elongated inflorescences. An important feature of this variety is that until the bush blooms, only fresh leaves are used. After the first flowers appear, it will be possible to eat marjoram only in dry form for food.

How marjoram differs from oregano

If you compare marjoram and oregano, it is worth clarifying that these two plants have enormous similarities. This is not surprising, because both of them belong to the same genus Oregano. This genus includes about 40 species, so it is often possible to notice that people take one type of grass after another because of the great similarity. For the same reason, it is often seen in stores that marjoram is sold under the name oregano and vice versa. However, sellers are extremely mistaken that this is one and the same plant.

Unlike marjoram, which is a cultivated garden plant, oregano grows exclusively in the wild. Only some of the varieties were bred by humans, but in our cold climate they simply are not able to survive in open ground. Despite the similarity of taste and smell of marjoram and oregano, the only herbs that are spicy are that they can reach their rich potential only under direct and bright rays of the sun, in a warm place.

Composition and calorie content

The composition of marjoram is extremely rich in useful chemical elements. So, a small green bush of a plant at the very beginning of its development contains carotene, rutin, pectin, vitamin C, pentosans, as well as tannins. With the development of the plant, its enrichment with a large number of healing substances also occurs. Terpenes, minerals, volatile, flavonoids and bitterness are added. When white flowers bloom on the stems, the plant is enriched with valuable essential oil. It has a strong spicy aroma that looks like a mixture of pepper, mint, chamomile and cardamom.

Few people know, but 100 g of dried spice contains about 270 kilocalories. Dried marjoram is used in small parts, so its calorie content is not high and very noticeable in dishes.

Useful properties of marjoram

General benefit

All the most useful and most valuable healing biological substances are located in the very top of a flowering marjoram bush. The spicy herb contains manganese, pectins, zinc, volatile, flavonoids, vitamins A, P, E and C. Essential oil is also an important component of marjoram, which contains chemical elements such as sabinene, linalool, tirpineol hydrates and many other useful substances. Such an extensive supply of valuable healing elements in each bush of the plant determines its widespread use not only in cooking and cosmetology, but also in medicine:

1. The oral cavity will be ideal when using marjoram. It not only eliminates all kinds of inflammatory processes, significantly strengthens the gums and teeth, but also easily copes with any toothache.
2. With any ailments associated with the lungs, marjoram is simply indispensable. It is he who allows you to quickly and easily remove fluid from the respiratory organs.
3. Any disease associated with the genitals, starting from an untimely menstrual cycle and ending with a violation of childbearing function, can be easily cured with spice.
4. Marjoram perfectly cleanses and improves the blood in the body.The grass is able to speed up the blood circulation and fill the blood with new, healthy cells.
5. Extremely beneficial marjoram affects the condition of the gastrointestinal tract. In addition to the fact that the grass quickly copes with any diseases associated with the intestines, it also stimulates the digestion process.
6. With the help of the plant, any problems with the urinary system of the body are eliminated, inflammatory processes are easily removed, the issue of urination is resolved.
7. Marjoram is also an indispensable tool for insomnia.

For women

To maintain women's health in excellent condition, marjoram is the best remedy. Indeed, with its help it is possible to improve the hormonal background of the body, restore the violated menstrual cycle and even solve problems with the organs of childbearing. Also marjoram easily copes with disorders in the body during menopause.

For men

Marjoram is no less good for the male body. It will help to quickly cope with stress and an unbalanced mental state, and also solve all the excruciating problems with the genitals.

During pregnancy

The use of any drugs containing marjoram or its essential oil is strictly prohibited for women in the situation.

When breastfeeding

When breastfeeding newborns, the use of marjoram is also under the strictest taboo, since the use of marjoram for children under 5 years of age is strictly prohibited. And any chemical elements get from mother to child.

For kids

Marjoram will be good for children over 5 years old, especially for those little fidgets who often fill up bumps and break their knees. Grass is a good bactericidal and healing agent.

When losing weight

People who want to lose weight will be helped by marjoram, which will not only remove kilograms, but also leave the body healthy and unharmed. There are many diets, which are mainly composed of liquid drinks containing essential oil of spicy herbs.

Marjoram oil: properties and applications

Valuable essential oil is allocated mainly from leaves and white flowers of spicy marjoram and is a pair. The oil is completely transparent and has a light yellowish tint and a pleasant aroma of fresh wood. Due to its rich chemical composition, essential oil can cure many diseases.

If a person is often tormented by problems with the gastrointestinal tract, often nausea sets in, then it’s worth mixing just a few drops of spicy herb essential oil with any other oil and rub it into the lower abdomen with slow massage movements. In addition, it is worth stirring one drop of oil with water and take it inside.

Marjoram oil is an excellent healing tool for people with heart disease and circulatory disorders. A quick way to carry out preventive actions against increased stress and heart pain is to spray oil simply through the air in a living room. In addition, you can add a few drops of essential oil for massage or in a relaxing bath.

Marjoram has always been a warming herb. Therefore, its essential oil will help to quickly relieve muscle pain, as well as headaches and women. To quickly get rid of muscle discomfort, you need to carefully massage the sore spot, using spicy herb oil. For severe headaches, thoroughly rub the oil into the whiskey.

These are far from the only cases in which the essential oil of marjoram can not only improve well-being, but also completely cure the sick body. Its rich composition helps the oil to become healing in almost all diseases. This is important to know in order to be able to correctly and in time apply the healing oil. The main thing is to use it carefully and do not use it in large quantities, this can cause serious side effects.

Application in cosmetology

Spiced marjoram essential oil is also widely used in the cosmetics industry.However, it is important to remember that pure oil, which is not diluted with anything, can not be applied to the skin, it can turn into deplorable severe redness and burning.

1. At home, you can make your usual cosmetics healing and more effective with marjoram oil. To do this, you just need to add a few drops of oil to any cosmetic products, ranging from purchased balms to lotions of your own preparation.
2. If you need to get rid of acne, then it is worth mixing marjoram oil with any other cosmetic oil in a ratio of 1 to 1 and spreading the solution on the affected area with the solution.
3. The use of essential oil when washing your hair will help to quickly restore and significantly strengthen the hair, while eliminating dandruff. After each washing, it is necessary to rinse the hair with a special solution, diluting 10 drops of essential oil of marjoram in 1 liter of boiled water.

The main factor in the miracles of marjoram oil is its uniqueness and authenticity. Unfortunately, there are a lot of low-quality, fake goods on the market. Therefore, when choosing oil, especially for the first time, you need to be extremely careful and buy goods only from a trusted manufacturer.

Marjoram in cooking

You can often hear that marjoram is called meat grass or sausage. This is not surprising. Indeed, seasoning from this plant is very often added to many meat products. This is explained by the fact that marjoram is able to enhance the taste of a meat product, and most importantly - it combines very well with meat.

In addition, marjoram is often an integral part of any marinade for fish or meat of any kind. The main thing is not to overdo it with spice. And if it is in a dish in a small amount, then it certainly will not be able to spoil it, but only decorate the taste.

However, marjoram is used not only in the preparation of meat and fish dishes. This spice can be found in many recipes. Cooks use parts of the plant both in dry and in fresh form.

1. Roasted or stewed meat will not do without marjoram.
2. Any meat products, such as cabbage rolls, meatballs, sausages, envelopes, will have a more refined taste if you add a pinch of spices to them.
3. This plant promotes the rapid absorption of heavy foods. Therefore, when using any legumes (lentils, peas, beans, etc.), it is necessary to include marjoram in the diet.
4. Adds spice to stewed vegetables.
5. Marjoram can not do without preparation for the winter. Most often, during conservation, it is added to green vegetables, such as zucchini, cucumbers and squash.
6. Each salad of vegetables must be seasoned with this greens. Then it will become even more useful, because so many vitamins are stored in it.
7. Including various mushrooms in the diet, it is important not to forget to buy marjoram to them.
8. Fresh grass perfectly complements sauerkraut.
9. If the spice is favorite at home, then it can easily be added to any dish on the second.
10. Lovers of marjoram, who add it anytime, anywhere, it is important to consider that in soups it is better to use green leaves of the plant. And you need to add them in crushed form before serving.
11. Few people know, but you must add green marjoram to vinegar. Then you can easily enrich its taste and smell.
12. Tea lovers will not be amiss to add marjoram to it. Then they can get more benefit from their favorite drink. You can use the grass in both dry and fresh form.
13. An excellent infusion is obtained from the plant, and juice can also be squeezed. Vitaminized fluids are best added to various sauces for dishes.
14. For dressing various salads, you can make a nice sauce. To do this, add green leaves of marjoram to the vegetable oil and insist a little.
15. For those who are engaged in the manufacture of intoxicating drinks, it is important to know that green leaves of grass will not be amiss to add to the wort.
16. Marjoram extract is also widely used in the manufacture of alcoholic beverages, most often liquors.

You may notice that marjoram is widely used in cooking. Indeed, you can add it to absolutely any dish. Sweet desserts are no exception.In each case, it all depends on personal taste preferences.

Braised Beef Liver with Marjoram

Ingredients:

• Beef liver - 900 g.
• Onion head - 3 medium-sized pieces.
• Olive oil - a few tablespoons.
• Black pepper - a pinch.
• Salt is a pinch.
• Red bell pepper - 1 piece.
• Leaf of laurel tree - grind.
• Marjoram is a pinch.
• Oregano - a pinch.

For some time, thoroughly wash the beef liver in milk or do it before cooking in plain tap water. Next, cut the product into small pieces of suitable size.

Pour olive oil into the pan. After it is heated, send onion chopped into thin half rings and fry it. When the frying is ready, send the liver to the pan. Top it with salt and pepper to taste, do not forget to add the lavrushka and cover with a lid. Leave to simmer for 25 minutes. At the same time, the fire should stand at the smallest mark so that the dish does not burn out. It is necessary to check the presence of liquid in the pan, if the liver gave a little juice and it is not enough, then add a little boiled water.

When the dish is almost ready, open the lid of the pan and add oregano and marjoram to the liver. Then mix the contents of the dishes thoroughly and continue to simmer for another minute. Then the fire can be turned off.

Before serving, it is best to add a side dish. It must be chosen to your taste. However, mashed potatoes will be the best combination with the liver.

Vegetables stewed with marjoram (diet recipe)

Ingredients:

• Forks of white cabbage - 600 g.
• Carrots - 2 pieces of medium size.
• Pumpkin Pulp - 400 g.
• Onion head - 1 large piece.
• Tomatoes - 5 pieces of medium size.
• Bell pepper - 3 pieces medium size.
• Table vinegar to taste.
• Olive oil - a few tablespoons.

A pinch of each spice, if they are dry: marjoram, thyme, parsley, rosemary and black pepper.

Finely chopped cabbage forks. Then grate the carrots and pumpkin pulp on a coarse grater. Shredded vegetables should be sent in one container, mix thoroughly and squeeze them by hand until your own juice appears. Immediately taste them with salt and pepper, and then add 3 teaspoons of vinegar.

Next, chop the onion head into small cubes. Send it to a deep pan and stew a little in hot olive oil. At that moment, when the pieces of onion begin to change their color, send them vegetables, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes. After this time has passed, cut the tomatoes into small slices and add them to the vegetables.

In an open pan, wait until the juice is extracted from the tomatoes. When this happens, close the lid and leave everything to simmer for another 25 minutes. After that, thoroughly season the contents of the pan with all the spices and mix. Now the dish can be removed from the heat and serve. It is important to remember that ready-made vegetables can become both a side dish for any meat dishes, and remain an independent food.

Homemade marjoram roast

Ingredients:

• Beef (or pork) - 600 g.
• Onion heads - 3 small pieces.
• Potato - 600 g.
• Champignons (or chanterelles) - 400 g.
• Head of garlic - 3 cloves.
• Olive oil - a few tablespoons.
• Salt and pepper to taste.
• Fresh marjoram - a bunch (you can pinch a dry spice).

Before cooking, rinse a piece of meat thoroughly under running water. After that, grind it into pieces of the required size, the main thing is not very large. Next, chop vegetables and mushrooms. Mushrooms should be in the form of thin plates, carrots cut into small cubes, and onions - in small half rings.

Put a frying pan with high sides on the fire. Pour oil into it when it becomes hot, fry onion slices. Next, add champignon plates to the golden onion, which simmer for 4-6 minutes. Following in the pan are carrot cubes, continue to simmer the dish for another 4 minutes.

Now, in stewed vegetables, you can send pieces of raw meat, be sure to sprinkle them with chopped garlic on top and pepper.Increase the fire a little, add a glass of boiled water to the dishes and cover, leaving for 25 minutes. While vegetables and meat are being cooked in a pan, peel the potato tubers, wash and chop them with medium slices. Now add potato wedges to the stewed meat for 25 minutes. Salt everything on top, add another glass of water, if necessary, and leave for another 15 minutes until the potatoes are completely cooked. At the very end, when everything is ready, open the lid and cover the dish well with marjoram. Now you can turn off the fire and serve.

Pasta with porcini mushrooms and cheese

Ingredients:

• Champignons (or porcini mushrooms) - 500 g.
• Pasta paste - 400 g.
• Vegetable oil - 4 tablespoons.
• Olive oil - 5 tablespoons.
• Italian cheese - 100 g.
• Black pepper and salt - 1 pinch each.
• Marjoram - 1 tablespoon.

Rinse the mushrooms thoroughly under running water. Then separate the caps from the legs. Top the mushrooms with vegetable oil, and then season with salt and pepper.

Pour vegetable oil into a skillet and put it on fire. Once the oil is heated, put the champignons in one layer. Each batch of mushrooms must be fried separately, always on both sides. For each batch, on average, spend no more than 8 minutes. After all the mushrooms are overcooked, let them cool for a while. Then chop the mushrooms into small slices.

While the mushrooms are cooking, put on a stove a large saucepan, containing about 7 liters of water. First, pour the water into the dishes and add salt. To do this, you need 2 and a half tablespoons of salt. As soon as the water boils, send all the pasta to the pan. It is important not to cook the pasta a little, remove them from the heat literally 2 minutes before full cooking. Then rinse them in a colander. But the water left after pasta is not worth pouring yet.

Then in one bowl mix the pasta thoroughly, with mushrooms, olive oil, grated cheese and necessarily finely chopped fresh marjoram. All this is well soaked with pasta liquid before serving.

Pumpkin pulp soup with champignons

Ingredients:

• Pumpkin Pulp - 800 g.
• Potato tubers - 300 g.
• Carrot - 300 g.
• Bulbs - 200 g.
• Green celery - 1 piece.
• Champignons - 200 g.
• Head of garlic - 4 cloves.
• Marjoram - 20 g.
• Chili pepper pods - 3 pieces.
• Olive oil - 4 tablespoons.
• Turmeric, spices for adjika, salt and pepper - a pinch.

First, thoroughly wash all vegetables and mushrooms under running water. Then chop the pumpkin pulp into large cubes. Chop potatoes and carrots in the form of smaller cubes. Next, chop the onion and celery pod. They should also be in the form of squares, only of a smaller size.

All vegetables, excluding pumpkin, send to the stewpan and cook until lightly undercooked. Now you can add the pumpkin. From above, pour everything with the broth from under the vegetables and season with all spices, except for marjoram. Now the vegetables should be fully cooked.

When the vegetables are ready, connect the blender and grind the entire contents of the stewpan to a puree state.

Mushrooms cook separately. Chop them in small pieces, sprinkle with turmeric and send in olive oil heated in a pan. When they are fully prepared, add green marjoram to them.

Before serving, pour the mashed potatoes into the plates and add the mushrooms, decorate everything on top with a sprig of fresh marjoram.

In addition to the recipes presented, marjoram, both in dry and fresh form, is used in many different dishes. Even without using traditional recipes, you can easily improvise by adding seasoning to your favorite dishes. The main thing is to remember that the grass has a specific smell and strong taste.Therefore, if before in the kitchen among spices there was no marjoram, it is better to start trying with small portions.

What can be replaced

It is important for any cook or cook who extensively uses marjoram in his business to know about one of its features. Under no circumstances should this grass be combined with any others, all the more as saturated as it is. There is one good reason for this. Marjoram itself has a very specific and rich smell, respectively, and its taste is just as deep. Therefore, the addition of a similar spice to food will lead to the fact that the dish will simply be spoiled, as the herbs will begin to actively interrupt each other. However, there are meat dishes where the presence of many spices with a pungent, fragrant odor will give a special piquancy. For example, the Georgian hop-suneli condiment mix, often used with lamb, contains dried marjoram.

Often marjoram can be emphasized with something, using various types of pepper, sage, bay leaves and caraway seeds with it. Sesame seed or nutmeg will help to reveal in a different note of spice.

If in cooking it is necessary to use other no less fragrant seasonings, then marjoram is better to replace. You can also make a replacement in the event that it simply was not at hand, and in a dish it is necessary. Make it easy.

In taste, they most resemble it:

• Thyme.
• Oregano (mint).

Rosemary. However, it has a slightly different taste, but it is no worse suitable for any meat dishes, as well as for preparations and marinades.

It is also important not to forget - marjoram is an extremely fragrant plant, but such a pleasant, rich smell can abruptly disappear. This happens, as a rule, at very high temperatures. That is why it is not necessary to immediately add this herb to hot dishes. It is better to wait a bit until they cool.

Harm and contraindications

Despite the many useful properties of the famous spicy herb, its frequent use in cooking and its widespread use in medicines and cosmetology, excessive use of marjoram can cause significant harm to the human body. Overdose can result in severe nausea and dizziness, as well as severe pain in the head and weakness.

In addition to side effects, it is strictly forbidden to use spicy grass for children under 5 years old, women who are expecting a baby, people with increased blood clotting, the presence of an allergic reaction to seasoning, personal intolerance to the body and some other diseases.

Collection and storage

Marjoram is an amazing plant that can be harvested twice a year. As a rule, the first time you need to collect the spice from the end of July to the very beginning of August, and the second - approximately in the middle of autumn (end of the first month and beginning of the second). In no case should you tear green leaves from the bush. Their collection is carried out only with a sharpened knife. Only leaves must be collected from the stem, ending at 1 cm to the soil. After collection, it is important to thoroughly wash the plant under running water, followed by the drying process. There are two ways to dry spicy herbs. In the first case, the blade of grass must be collected in small bunches and hung under the ceiling or canopy. It is important that there is a constant strong circulation of air currents in this place, and that bright sunlight does not pass, since the grass needs a shadow. In the second option, a platform is prepared in advance, usually a wide board or a shelf in a cupboard, on which a newspaper or paper is placed on top, where grass will be scattered.

When the drying process is completed, and the green leaves have dried enough, a period of thorough sorting begins. It is important to remove all specks from the spicy plant, and most importantly, spoiled and defective leaves.After that, carefully selected grass needs to be crushed to a powder state, it is very easy to do. Pour the resulting raw materials into clean and dry glass containers or jars and close them tightly after full filling. Dried marjoram is unpretentious to storage. The main thing is that the jar is in a dark and dry room. Then seasoning can stand there for a long time, while retaining all its useful properties.

Interesting Facts

Spicy herb marjoram has been known to mankind for many millennia. And it is not surprising that at different times it was used for a variety of needs. However, not only this adds to the list of various interesting facts about marjoram.

1. In past centuries, people used spicy herbs as a powerful flavoring that was added to water. After that, they washed their hands with aromatic liquid before eating and after it was completed.
2. Few people know, but marjoram bushes produce wonderful, healing honey. Moreover, the plant is extremely melliferous, which allows you to collect up to 100 kg of product from one hectare.
3. Marjoram bushes in the form of fruits produce seeds from which high-quality oil is made. It is then used in the manufacture of industrial varnishes and paints.
4. Marjoram is also widely used in the preparation of beer. After all, this plant can completely replace hops.
5. And in Greece, people did believe that marjoram was able to give a person great love. Therefore, often in order to find warm feelings, people added spicy spices to various wine drinks.

Photo of marjoram