NOVA CARE

Oregano, nettle, mountain tea, chamomile, thyme, and milk thistle. These plants grow across the Greek countryside and have been used for centuries as food and medicine. Now modern science is catching up with what ancient healers already knew.

Greek oregano may be the most striking example. Its antioxidant activity is 42 times greater than apples, 30 times greater than potatoes, and four times greater than blueberries. Studies show its essential oil contains among the highest concentrations of carvacrol and thymol in the world, compounds linked to antioxidant and anticancer properties.

Nettle, increasingly compared to matcha for its color and stimulating effect, is loaded with vitamins A, B1, B5, C, K, and D, plus iron, calcium, magnesium, and all essential amino acids. Recent research points to its role in reducing blood sugar, lowering LDL cholesterol, managing allergies, and even treating benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Greek mountain tea, or Sideritis, has been documented since antiquity. Dioscorides described it in De Materia Medica, and the name is believed to trace back to its use healing wounds caused by iron weapons in battle. Today it is recognized for antioxidant power comparable to green tea, immune support, and positive effects on memory and cognitive function.

Chamomile flowers are officially recognized by the European Medicines Agency as a traditional herbal medicinal product, specifically for their calming effect on the nervous system and their anti-inflammatory properties. Thyme, which Roman soldiers reportedly used to invigorate themselves before battle, is now confirmed by science as antibacterial, antifungal, and a natural remedy for respiratory conditions.

Milk thistle rounds out the list. Its active compound silymarin is considered one of the most effective plant-based liver protectants available, particularly valuable in cases of non-alcoholic fatty liver, where it supports both antioxidant action and cellular regeneration.