6 Herbs High in Quercetin

Quercetin is a plant chemical that acts as an antioxidant in the body, reducing stress and protecting tissue from damage. 

While this flavonoid isn’t an essential mineral, daily quercetin intake can help to support overall health and wellness.

In this article, we’ll review a list of herbs high in quercetin as well as the many health benefits of quercetin.

Quercetin Overview:

Quercetin is an antioxidant flavonol found in plants, specifically fruits and vegetables. It is highly beneficial to human health. 

As an antioxidant, it’s important for neutralizing free radicals in the body. Free radicals are unstable cells that can cause damage to other molecules and speed up aging.

Quercetin also plays a role in reducing stress and inflammation and improving immune function. Along with these properties, quercetin also has significant antimicrobial activity. 

Since the body is only able to absorb small amounts of quercetin at a time, it’s essential to ingest fruits, vegetables, and herbs rich in quercetin to receive its many health benefits. 

Herbs High in Quercetin:

Below is a list of herbs high in quercetin. Add these to your diet to improve your daily quercetin intake.

1. Dill (Anethum graveolens)

Dill is a popular kitchen herb famous for its use in Scandinavian and Greek cuisine. It has been used therapeutically in traditional medicine systems, like Ayurveda, for millennia.  

Both dill leaves and seeds are used for culinary and medicinal purposes. The dill plant has feathery leaves, similar to fennel, and the seeds are often used for their aromatic and beneficial oil. 

Research demonstrates that dill may aid digestion, improve appetite, stimulate milk flow for breastfeeding mothers, decrease pain, and support mental health. Dill is also a rich source of B vitamins, vitamin C, iron, calcium, and magnesium. 

Some popular dill dishes include cucumber salad, tzatziki sauce, perogies, salmon preparations, and pickles. For therapeutic applications, dill seed can be taken as a tea or chewed, and dill oil is most effective when diluted in water. 

It is estimated that 1g of dill contains .79 mg of quercetin. You would need to ingest approximately 6.5 cups of dill to receive your recommended daily quercetin intake. Given this information, it’s best to consume a well-rounded diet of quercetin rich herbs and foods to satisfy sufficient quercetin levels. 

2. Fennel Leaves (Foeniculum vulgare) 

Fennel is a highly-revered herb in the Apiaceae or carrot family. The fennel plant has a long history of therapeutic use, and the seeds, or fruits, are a popular kitchen herb.  

Although “fennel” often refers to fennel seeds, the leaves also contain valuable health benefits.

Fennel leaves are known to reduce stress (due to their antioxidant activity), support the heart, and reduce inflammation. Consuming the leaves may also improve anemia symptoms because of their high vitamin C content. 

It is estimated that 1g of fennel leaves contains .46 mg of quercetin.

Fennel leaves are usually eaten in culinary dishes; however, they can be consumed as tea.

3. Oregano (Origanum vulgare)

Oregano is another kitchen spice frequently used in Mediterranean cuisine. It is in the Lamiaceae or mint family, along with other herbs like holy basil and rosemary. 

This aromatic herb can be eaten fresh or dried and has a distinct peppery flavor. Since antiquity, oregano has been used in the kitchen and therapeutically for stomach discomfort, inflammation, and pain relief. 

Oregano oil is also popular in herbal salves due to its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activity. 

1g of oregano is estimated to contain .42 mg of quercetin. 

Oregano can be sprinkled in sauces, marinades, bread crumbs, and salad dressings. It can also be used therapeutically as a topical oil or taken as a capsule supplement.