Rosemary has been used for thousands of years, both in alternative medicine and in the kitchen. The smell of rosemary appears to improve cognitive performance and help you be faster and more accurate, a new study shows.
In the Mediterranean region, rosemary is among the most popular herbs, and many preparations contain fresh rosemary leaves. If we go back to ancient times, in the Egyptian civilization, we find that rosemary extract was very often used.
For this study, 20 participants were exposed to varying amounts of 1,8-cineole, the main component in rosemary. The results showed that this compound reached the blood, through inhalation, made the study participants have better accuracy and give faster answers in cognitive tests.
“Through this study we show for the first time that performance on cognitive tasks is significantly associated with the absorbed concentration of 1,8-cineole, following exposure to the smell of rosemary, which improves performance and concentration levels. Furthermore, we found that these effects also hold for speed and accuracy.” the study authors said.
The volatile 1,8-cineole is also found in other aromatic plants such as eucalyptus, laurel, wormwood and sage. These plants use their essential oils to deter herbivores and attract herbivore predators. The compound in rosemary even changes a person’s mood, making it worse, and that’s because not everyone can appreciate the smell.
What is rosemary?
Rosemary is a herbaceous plant of Mediterranean origin, pleasantly smelling. In our country, it is cultivated as a medicinal, spice and ornamental plant.
The stem, with arched or ascending branches, can reach up to 60-150 cm. In the lower part, the bark is exfoliated, and in the upper part it is covered with gray hairs. The leaves, which remain green even during the winter, are linear, 2-3 cm long and resemble those of conifers. The flowers are light bluish, slightly violet, forming a spike.
It is used for therapeutic purposes the aerial part of the plant.
Read everything you need to know about rosemary here
2023-10-09 15:10:18
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