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Oregano

Origanum vulgare

Also known as oregano, wild marjoram, rigani

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The dried leaf of Origanum vulgare, dominated by the phenols carvacrol and thymol. The USDA entry is per 100 g of dried leaf, whereas a teaspoon sprinkled on a dish is about a gram.

Antioxidant & Oxidative StressGut & Digestive HealthImmune Health

Potential health benefits

Best supported: Limited

Ordered by how well the human research supports them — strongest first. A rating describes the state of the evidence, not how impressive the food is. How we rate evidence.

Oxidative stress markers

Antioxidant & Oxidative Stress
Limited evidence

Oregano ranks high on laboratory antioxidant assays, and a small number of human studies report modest changes in antioxidant markers. The human work is sparse and uses extracts rather than the amounts used in cooking.

Limited evidence. Early human work, or mostly lab and animal research.

1 source

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Gut microbiome

Gut & Digestive Health
Insufficient evidence

Oregano oil is heavily promoted for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth and intestinal candida. Controlled human evidence for either use is absent, and self-treating suspected gut infections delays actual diagnosis.

Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.

1 source

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Immune function

Immune Health
Insufficient evidence

Oregano oil is widely sold for colds, sinus problems and infections generally. Controlled human trials are almost nonexistent; the antimicrobial data are laboratory work at concentrations no dietary or capsule dose achieves in the bloodstream.

Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.

1 source

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Ask about Oregano

Ask about Oregano

Answers are written only from the entries on this page — the same nutrients, compounds, claims and citations you can read above. Nothing is added from outside the database, and every answer lists what it was built from.

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Key nutrients

Nutrient content per 100 grams
NutrientAmount% DV
Macronutrients
Calories265 kcal13%
Protein9 g18%
Total fat4.28 g5%
Carbohydrate68.9 g25%
Fibre42.5 g152%
Total sugars4.09 g—
Water9.93 g—
Fats
Saturated fat1.55 g8%
Monounsaturated fat0.716 g—
Polyunsaturated fat1.37 g—
Cholesterol0 mg0%
ALA (omega-3)0.621 g—
EPA (omega-3)0 g—
DHA (omega-3)0 g—
DPA (omega-3)0 g—
Linoleic acid (omega-6)0.748 g—
Vitamins
Vitamin A85 µg9%
Vitamin C2.3 mg3%
Vitamin D0 µg0%
Vitamin E18.3 mg122%
Vitamin K622 µg518%
Thiamin (B1)0.177 mg15%
Riboflavin (B2)0.528 mg41%
Niacin (B3)4.64 mg29%
Pantothenic acid (B5)0.921 mg18%
Vitamin B61.04 mg61%
Folate237 µg59%
Vitamin B120 µg0%
Choline32.3 mg6%
Minerals
Calcium1597 mg123%
Iron36.8 mg204%
Magnesium270 mg64%
Phosphorus148 mg12%
Potassium1260 mg27%
Sodium25 mg1%
Zinc2.69 mg24%
Copper0.633 mg70%
Manganese4.99 mg217%
Selenium4.5 µg8%
Other measured compounds
Beta-carotene1007 µg—
Alpha-carotene20 µg—
Lycopene0 µg—
Lutein + zeaxanthin1895 µg—
Caffeine0 mg—
Ash7.87 g—

Nutrient values are per 100 g of the USDA reference entry named on this page and vary with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

Source record: Spices, oregano, dried (USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 171328).

% DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. A dash means no Daily Value has been established for that nutrient.

Bioactive compounds

Compounds present in meaningful amounts. Presence is banded rather than quantified, because whole-food levels vary enormously with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

How preparation changes things

Only effects with real support are listed. If a preparation method is missing, it is because nothing dependable is documented — not because it makes no difference.

  • driedIncreases flavour concentration

    Oregano is one of the few herbs generally considered better dried than fresh; drying concentrates its phenols and the Greek and Italian culinary tradition uses it that way.

Things to know

Allergies, interactions and intake concerns. Every food gets this section — a reference where everything is uniformly good is not a reference.

  • Too much

    Oregano oil is a concentrated irritant

    Oil of oregano sold in capsules or drops is many times more concentrated than the herb and causes burning of the mouth, throat and stomach if taken undiluted. It is not interchangeable with the dried leaf on a pizza.

  • Worth knowing

    One of the most adulterated dried herbs

    Surveys have repeatedly found commercial dried oregano bulked out with olive, myrtle or cistus leaves, in some studies affecting a substantial share of samples tested.

  • Interaction

    Extract doses with anticoagulant and glucose-lowering drugs

    Oregano extracts show antiplatelet and glucose-lowering activity in laboratory and animal work. This is relevant to capsules rather than seasoning, but worth raising if taken daily alongside medication.