ROSEMARY FOR REMEMBRANCE - Monday Myths Series

 

MONDAY MYTHS

 Rosemary Remembers

Myth: Around the 8th Century BCE, Greek students believed that rosemary could help them remember facts and more. Before exams, they tucked fresh sprigs behind their ears, believing the sharp, piney scent would keep facts from slipping away. The herb found its way into scholars' study rooms, tucked into bridal bouquets to help remember the vows, and laid on graves so as not to be forgotten. Rosemary, they said, remembers for you.

Truth: Rosemary really does help the mind stay sharp. Modern science now speaks up with the newly discovered fact that researchers discovered - that rosemary’s aroma contains a compound that shows up in the bloodstream after you inhale it. And the higher the levels? The better people performed on memory tasks and the faster their cognitive processing. In other words: the old myth wasn’t wrong.

Verdict: The Greeks weren’t imagining things. Rosemary’s reputation as the herb of remembrance is part folklore, part chemistry—and entirely true.

Photos: Carol Kagan

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Reference

Moss, M. & Oliver, L. (2012). Plasma 1,8‑cineole correlates with cognitive performance following exposure to rosemary essential oil aroma. Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology, 2(3), 103–113.

This peer‑reviewed study demonstrated that higher blood levels of 1,8‑cineole (a major rosemary compound) were significantly associated with better memory performance and faster cognitive processing