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Sage

Salvia officinalis

Also known as sage, common sage, garden sage

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The grey-green leaf of Salvia officinalis, used fresh or dried and traditionally paired with fatty meats. The USDA entry is per 100 g of ground sage, while a teaspoon weighs well under a gram.

Women's HealthBlood Sugar & Metabolic HealthBrain & Cognitive 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.

Menopausal symptoms

Women's Health
Limited evidence

Small trials of sage preparations report reductions in hot flush frequency and intensity. They are few, several are open-label or manufacturer-run, they are short, and hot flush reporting responds strongly to placebo.

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.

Blood glucose response

Blood Sugar & Metabolic Health
Insufficient evidence

Sage extract is promoted for blood sugar control on the strength of a small number of very small trials and animal work. This is not enough to draw a conclusion from.

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

No source is attached to this association yet, so it is rated insufficient by default. It is listed because people commonly ask about it — not because there is evidence for it.

Cognitive function

Brain & Cognitive Health
Insufficient evidence

A few small acute trials of sage extracts report short-term improvements in memory and attention tasks in healthy adults. The trials are small, use concentrated extracts rather than the herb, measure effects lasting hours, and have not been dependably replicated.

What may be going on: Sage constituents inhibit acetylcholinesterase in laboratory assays, the same enzyme target as some dementia medications, though at very different potencies.

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

No source is attached to this association yet, so it is rated insufficient by default. It is listed because people commonly ask about it — not because there is evidence for it.

Ask about Sage

Ask about Sage

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.

AI explanations are not switched on for this site, so there is nothing to ask here. Everything above is read straight from the database and does not need them.

Key nutrients

Nutrient content per 100 grams
NutrientAmount% DV
Macronutrients
Calories315 kcal16%
Protein10.6 g21%
Total fat12.8 g16%
Carbohydrate60.7 g22%
Fibre40.3 g144%
Total sugars1.71 g—
Water7.96 g—
Fats
Saturated fat7.03 g35%
Monounsaturated fat1.87 g—
Polyunsaturated fat1.76 g—
Cholesterol0 mg0%
EPA (omega-3)0 g—
DHA (omega-3)0 g—
DPA (omega-3)0 g—
Linoleic acid (omega-6)0.53 g—
Vitamins
Vitamin A295 µg33%
Vitamin C32.4 mg36%
Vitamin D0 µg0%
Vitamin E7.48 mg50%
Vitamin K1715 µg1429%
Thiamin (B1)0.754 mg63%
Riboflavin (B2)0.336 mg26%
Niacin (B3)5.72 mg36%
Vitamin B62.69 mg158%
Folate274 µg69%
Vitamin B120 µg0%
Choline43.6 mg8%
Minerals
Calcium1652 mg127%
Iron28.1 mg156%
Magnesium428 mg102%
Phosphorus91 mg7%
Potassium1070 mg23%
Sodium11 mg0%
Zinc4.7 mg43%
Copper0.757 mg84%
Manganese3.13 mg136%
Selenium3.7 µg7%
Other measured compounds
Beta-carotene3485 µg—
Alpha-carotene0 µg—
Lycopene0 µg—
Lutein + zeaxanthin1895 µg—
Caffeine0 mg—
Ash7.95 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, sage, ground (USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 170935).

% 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.

  • friedChanges aroma compounds

    Frying sage leaves briefly in fat is a traditional technique that transforms its aroma and texture. It is a flavour change, with no documented nutritional consequence.

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

    Thujone at high or prolonged intake

    Sage contains thujone, a neurotoxic compound, and seizures have been reported after ingestion of sage essential oil or very strong infusions taken repeatedly. European regulators limit thujone in foods and drinks for this reason. Culinary sage is not the concern; sage oil and concentrated daily preparations are.

  • Worth knowing

    Pregnancy and breastfeeding

    Medicinal doses of sage are discouraged in pregnancy on thujone grounds, and sage is traditionally used to reduce milk supply during weaning, which makes it a poor choice while establishing breastfeeding.

  • Interaction

    Sedatives, anticonvulsants and glucose-lowering drugs

    Concentrated sage preparations have been reported to interact with sedatives and anticonvulsants, and small trials report reductions in fasting glucose, so an additive effect with diabetes medication is plausible.