Did you know that there are simple culinary herbs and spices you can use to think more clearly and be more alert? Many people don’t realize that herbs like rosemary have shown in studies to help us focus. Read on to learn more about how to use common herbs and spices to boost brain power. 

Sage
Sage is known to add a delicious flavor to foods such as soups, sauces and dressings. It is also great for brain health. According to Natural News, in trials even small amounts of sage have been shown to significantly boost memory recall. It is thought to work by helping to improve the interconnectivity of the different parts of the brain. Also, interestingly the root of the Danshen or Chinese sage contains compounds that are very similar to the drugs used to treat Alzheimer’s disease. Check out the full article here.

Peppermint and Cinnamon
An interesting study conducted at Wheeling Jesuit University in Wheeling, WV found that smelling peppermint or cinnamon in your car might make your morning commute less frustrating and you more alert when behind the wheel.  According to the study, drivers demonstrated decreased levels of frustration, anxiety and fatigue when exposed to peppermint and cinnamon scents. The study also revealed that drivers were more alert.

Rosemary
Rosemary, the earthy spice that we use to flavor chicken breasts and perk up our sauces also has incredible power when it comes to helping us focus. Rosemary contains a component called cineole that increases our ability to think effectively. One study found that cineole helped to enhance the ability of rats to navigate through mazes, while another study found that smelling the scent of rosemary helped people to better perform tasks at work.

Gaia Mental Alertness
You can also find some of these everyday herbs in supplements to help promote mental clarity, focus and memory. Gaia Mental Alertness contains both peppermint and rosemary and works to help enhance the cognitive functions of the brain. Another great thing about Gaia products is that you can use the ID number on the back of the package to track the life story of each herb in your bottle, so that you can see the origin of each herb back to its source.