In Mexico, oregano always accompanies pozole, but this aromatic plant also known as wild marjoram has a place in many other dishes and you can also consume it as oregano tea.

Oregano is used to season meats, fish, poultry, and sauces, for example, the tomato sauce on pizza, and in addition to being a seasoning and aromatic herb, it also has medicinal properties that help with headaches, stomach pain, joint pain, throat issues, and even toothaches. 

Oregano tea can be made simply with a cup of hot water and 2 tablespoons of dried oregano, like the one you use for cooking or the one you add to pozole. Let it steep for a couple of minutes, strain it, and you're done.

It is believed that drinking oregano tea may have some relation to women's menstruation; however, there is no scientific evidence to prove this, so it remains a myth about oregano tea.

In fact, there is also not enough research conducted on humans about its health benefits, but the existing studies mainly involve laboratory samples without humans and oregano extracts, rather than oregano tea.

These studies suggest that oregano, at least the extract, has health benefits related to chemical substances called flavonoids and phenolic acids, of which oregano is rich.

Among the real benefits of oregano are its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antiviral effects. Below, we describe them in detail.

In vitro studies have shown that oregano can block the harmful effects of free radicals, substances that cause oxidative stress in the body. According to the National Cancer Institute of the United States, oxidative stress can cause cellular damage and increase the risk of certain diseases, but the antioxidant effects of oregano may reduce the accumulation of these free radicals and improve health.

The phenolic compounds and flavonoids in oregano may decrease inflammation, and thanks to this, its consumption may help with muscle or joint pain, skin irritation, or dry cough.

The oils from oregano may also block the growth of certain harmful types of bacteria and viruses, so it may work in the treatment or prevention of certain types of infections, but the evidence for this was conducted with an ointment containing oregano extract, not with tea.

While it is a myth that oregano tea helps with menstruation, there is evidence of its benefits in the body, and you can include it as a hot beverage if you do not exceed 4 cups a day, as this could cause stomach discomfort.