Oregano

Food · Vegetable · Food, Typed Supps

One of the most concentrated antioxidant foods there is, per gram — but you use it a pinch at a time.

Stage by stage

Intake (Aromatic oils released): Chewing or heat releases oregano's oils, including carvacrol.
Stomach (Breakdown begins): Stomach acid begins breaking down the small amount of leaf used in a dish.
Small intestine (Trace nutrients absorbed): A small amount of calcium, iron, and antioxidant compounds is absorbed — small because a serving is a pinch.
Bloodstream & mouth (Brief circulation, local action): Absorbed compounds circulate briefly, while carvacrol also acts locally in the mouth and gut.

Timing

Cooked into a dish, any meal — amount used is too small for timing to matter.

Time to effect

N/A: At the small amounts used in cooking, oregano's effect is mainly flavor; documented antimicrobial and antioxidant effects come from concentrated extracts, not seasoning-level use.

Allergens

None of the fourteen major allergens. Derived from what this food is, not from a product label.

Eating patterns

Fits: Vegan, Vegetarian, Pescatarian, Halal, Kosher, Gluten-free. Depends on the product: Low-FODMAP.

Satiety

Not scored: the satiety index is measured on 240 kcal servings, and nobody eats a 240 kcal serving of this. The question does not apply rather than the answer being unknown.

Environmental footprint

0.5 kg CO2e and 108 litres of freshwater per kg, matched to "Other vegetables" in Poore & Nemecek (2018), Science 360.

Cost band

Pricey — roughly £25 per kg, as a band midpoint rather than a price.

Key nutrients

Carvacrol (antioxidant/antimicrobial)
Calcium
Iron
Plant antioxidants

Nutrition per 100g

Calories: 262
Protein: 9g
Carbohydrate: 26.4g
of which sugars: 4.1g
Fat: 4.3g
of which saturated: 1.5g
Fibre: 42.5g
Sodium: 25mg

Food vs. supplement

Oregano oil supplements concentrate carvacrol far beyond what seasoning food provides. At culinary amounts, oregano contributes flavor and trace nutrients rather than a meaningful antioxidant or mineral dose.

Kitchen tip

Dried oregano is more concentrated than fresh, so use less of it — add it early in cooking so its flavor mellows into the dish.

Common myth

"Oregano has the highest antioxidant capacity of any food, so a sprinkle gives you a big antioxidant boost." In reality: The antioxidant-capacity ranking is measured per gram of dried herb in a lab, not per serving. A typical pinch used to season food supplies only a small fraction of that headline number.