Oregano Substitute

You know what I cannot imagine my pizza without? Generous sprinklings of oregano! Strange, but true. I love the after taste of the dried aromatic herb that keeps reminding me of the luscious pizza I so enjoyed some time ago. I love its strong, sharp, savory, and woody taste. But I know of a few people who are allergic to this herb, which has become a part and parcel of the quintessential aroma of Greek, Turkish, Spanish, and Italian cuisine. Even if that's not our problem and you have simply run out of it and need it immediately, there are a few oregano substitutes which you can opt for. But before that, let us see what oregano, which is the Grecian for "joy of the mountain", is all about.

What is Oregano?

This perennial, green hued oregano herb with purple blooms and ovate foliage, belongs to the family of mint. It is indigen to the Mediterranean section of Europe, which is sort of why it plays such a major and indispensable role in Mediterranean cuisine, along with central and southern parts of Asia. Very similar in taste to its cousin, the redolent marjoram, oregano however has a slightly bitter gustatory quality.

Besides its culinary uses, owing to its pronounced scent, there are also innumerable medicinal uses of oregano. Not only is it a spasmolyte which helps relieve pain, it also happens to be an emmenagogue which eases and promotes menstrual discharge. Along with this, oregano is known to cure fevers and being an expectorator remedies colds, coughs and sore throats. A sleep inducer, when had in pronounced doses, oregano's antimicrobial and antiseptic properties helps keep numerous infections at bay and treat those which are pretty difficult to heal otherwise. For instance, even methicillin-immune staphylococcus aureus, which can wreak havoc in the human body, causing extremely difficult to tackle infections, can be handled with the usage of oregano herb. In fact, even pathogens like Listeria monocytogenes which can cause abscesses, abortion, encephalitis, endocarditis, listeriosis, meningitis and septicemia, as well as most enteral parasites can be effectively kept at bay or killed with oregano mainly owing to the thymol present in it. Besides this, it is also flatus-relieving which tends to issues like indigestion and other stomach problems. Oregano even harnesses sea sickness and acts as a stimulant, inducing that exhilarated, refreshed feeling. However, it is known to make a person alert and yet tranquilizes the nerves for better and sharpened perception of the surroundings.

Other than thymol, oregano is richly constituted with carvacrol, caryophyllene, limonene, ocimene, and pinene and also houses antioxidantal flavonoids and phenolic acids. So obviously, oregano is extremely beneficial in multiple ways and even the Father of Medicine, the ancient Greek physician, Hippokrates knew about it back in the Age of Pericles!

So, one must have more oregano to reap all these benefits. But then in case of allergies and culinary exigencies, one has to go for oregano substitution. Fair enough. See the following list to help yourself.

Substitutes of Oregano

Aristotelian renderings have it that after swallowing venomous serpents, tortoises instantaneously ate sufficient amounts of oregano foliage, which acted as the antidote of the snake poison. And now for some oregano alternatives

• The best substitute for oregano is undoubtedly, marjoram. So, for 2 teaspoons of oregano, one must use 3 teaspoons of marjoram. Use it ideally for dishes with pork and chicken. Marjoram is sweeter, which is why it is also a great tarragon substitute, along with being a tad less sharp in its taste than oregano.
• If you have run out of fresh oregano leaves, then using the dried version of it is also possible. However, the flavor of dried oregano is stronger than that of fresh oregano leaves. So, regulate the quantity as per your choice.
• If making a beef preparation, thyme or basil are rather satisfactory oregano substitutes.
• Another very easily available option, especially for people of the United States, is Mexican oregano with its mintier taste. But one must keep in mind that the flavor of Mexican oregano is much more enhanced than that of the ordinary oregano and so one must first use only half the amount of oregano required and then add more if needed.
• Summer savory is also a good option when it comes to replacing oregano.

So, use these substitutes if you have to. But, it is my personal advice that try to use the real thing if you aren't allergically impaired from doing so. Believe me, oregano does not only perform wonders with health but also optimally titillates the palate. After all, it is not for nothing that the ancient Grecians believed that the kine which fed on oregano growing on the rocky terrain of the Mediterranean, offered tastier beef.