Sarah Munro, the heroine in ONE DARK WISH and the second book in my Deadly Force series, is a historian who has a side hobby of collecting and updating herbal 17th century recipes. One of the recipes she found and updated was for a fresh sage mouthwash. It has a fresh, non-chemically flavor and is a natural alternative to store-bought products. It has been used for centuries and was quite popular during the 17th and 18th centuries in the American colonies.
Common sage (also known as garden sage and salvia officinalis) is a member of the mint family along with other herbs such as rosemary, thyme, basil and oregano. For such a small green leaf, sage has a surprising number of nutritional properties. It’s a natural cleaning agent and has small amounts of iron, Vitamins K and B6, manganese and calcium. It’s also filled with antioxidants–160 polyphenols (plant-based chemical compounds that help your immune system) to be exact!
Sarah Munro’s Sage Mouthwash
INGREDIENTS
6-8 fresh sage leaves
Pinch of sea salt.
1 1/2 cups boiling water
12 ounce sterilized bottle (any recycled bottle with a screw on lid will do, as long as it’s clean and sterilized)
DIRECTIONS:
Rinse sage leaves and dry thoroughly. Once dry, chop up the sage leaves and place them in a glass measuring cup. Add the sea salt. Pour the boiling water on top of the sage leaves and salt. Let the mixture sit and infuse until it is cool.
While mouthwash is cooling, submerge the glass bottle and lid into a pot of boiling water for at least ten minutes to sterilize.
When the mouthwash is cool, place a clean funnel in the bottle’s opening and line with a piece of muslin or cheesecloth to use as a strainer. Pour the mouthwash into the bottle and put on the lid. The mixture does not need to be refrigerated and lasts for 2-4 weeks, depending on how quickly you use it.
Important disclaimer about wild plants, foraging, and making herbal remedies:
I am not a medical professional and nothing written on this blog is medical advice. None of my statements have been evaluated by the FDA (I am legally required to give you this disclaimer).
It is important to do your due diligence before foraging, harvesting, and/or consuming any type of medicinal plant.
- If you are taking any medications, talk to your doctor about any potential drug interactions.
- If you are allergic to anything, make sure whatever you are foraging is not in the same family. Example: While dandelions are typically considered safe, those who are allergic to ragweed, latex, daisies, or any other plants in the same or similar families, may not be able to consume dandelion.
Always research potential side effects, dosage recommendations, and how to properly prepare and consume each medicinal plant.
Always make sure you are foraging what you believe to be. Fully prepare and study the anatomy before harvesting wild plants.
Always make sure your kitchen/work area is clean and that all materials are sterilized.
Do not forage plants from areas that have been sprayed within the past 2 years at the very least.
I am not legally or morally responsible for the health of any of my readers. Please do your own research!
