Poultry seasoning: a herb blend with no trials of its own

We found no study of poultry seasoning as a blend, and the recipe varies by brand. Every trial below tested one herb. Rosemary has the reputation of a memory herb, yet a 2026 systematic review of blinded trials on plant compounds and thinking in healthy people found 7 eligible trials, and none of them tested rosemary. The closest we have is one small trial. In 28 adults with a mean age of 75, a single 750 mg dose of dried rosemary powder sped up memory within hours compared with placebo, while 6,000 mg slowed it, and nobody has repeated that on daily use. For blood sugar the gap is the same. A 2024 meta-analysis of herbs and spices in type 2 diabetes kept 77 studies and found too few thyme or rosemary trials to analyze either of them.

The numbers, per 3.5 oz (100 g)

How much is actually in it

• Per 100 g, poultry seasoning lists 805 mcg vitamin K and 35.3 mg iron in USDA data, though a recipe uses only a few grams of the blend. — USDA reference record for poultry seasoning Evidence E source
  Per 100 g: vitamin K 805.4 mcg (671% DV), iron 35.3 mg (196% DV), copper 0.843 mg (94% DV)

What a real portion looks like

• Polish adults eat about 22 g of herbs and spices a day, marjoram is among the five most eaten by omnivores, and vegans take in more salicylates from them. — 270 adults aged 19 to 67, 208 omnivores and 62 vegans, food frequency questionnaire on 61 herbs and spices (n = 270) Evidence C source
  Herb and spice intake 22.4 g/day (omnivores) and 25.8 g/day (vegans); salicylates 3.13 vs 5.82 mg/week

What cooking and storage change

• Laboratory data suggest rosemary extract slows fat oxidation and rancid taste in frozen minced meat balls, more so at higher concentrations. — Minced meat balls with ethanol rosemary extract, freezer storage Evidence D source
  Lower malonaldehyde and later rancid taste with extract; dose-dependent

What it does to your health

• In 28 adults with a mean age of 75, a single 750 mg dose of dried rosemary sped up memory within hours, while a 6,000 mg dose impaired it. — 28 older adults, mean age 75, single doses of dried rosemary leaf powder or placebo, tested 1 to 6 hours after (n = 28) Evidence B source
  750 mg improved speed of memory vs placebo (P=.01); 6,000 mg impaired it (P<.01)
• Meat products enriched with omega-3 and rosemary extract, eaten for 12 weeks by 33 adults at cardiovascular risk, lowered PAI-1, fibrinogen and an oxidative stress marker versus control meat. — 43 adults with at least two adverse lipid variables randomized, 33 completers aged about 51, 12-week phases (n = 33) Evidence B source
  PAI-1, fibrinogen and 8-iso-PGF2 decreased and FRAP increased with functional meat; between-treatment differences significant for PAI-1, FRAP and 8-iso-PGF2

Safety, limits and interactions

• A reported patient with three systemic reactions had specific IgE to all herbs of the Labiatae family tested, and the authors infer cross-sensitivity within that family. — One patient with three systemic reactions, ten controls (n = 1) Evidence D source
  Specific IgE to all Labiatae herbs tested; no positive tests in controls
• Observational data link rosemary extracts used as food preservatives, among 12 additives, to higher type 2 diabetes incidence in 108,723 French adults. — NutriNet-Sante cohort, France 2009-2023, repeated 24 h dietary records (n = 108723) Evidence C source
  Association with higher diabetes incidence after multiple test correction; 1131 cases; hazard ratio not in abstract

What people believe that the data does not support

• Rosemary is sold as a memory herb, yet a 2026 systematic review of blinded trials on plant compounds and cognition found 7 eligible RCTs and none on rosemary. — Healthy individuals in double-blind or single-blind randomized trials of seven botanicals including Rosmarinus officinalis (n = 7 RCTs, 0 on rosemary) Evidence A source
  No eligible rosemary trial; the seven included trials examined Bacopa monnieri, holy basil or green tea
• Sage is promoted for hot flushes, but a 2026 review of 35 studies in men on androgen deprivation found dietary supplements including Salvia officinalis seem ineffective. — Men with prostate cancer on castration therapy, 35 intervention studies (n = 35 studies) Evidence C source
  Placebo effect -19% to -30% on hot flash frequency; supplements did not beat it

Who this works differently for

• A 13-year-old with allergy to herbs of the mint family developed angioedema after a chicken meal and again after sage tea, and an oral challenge with sage reproduced it. — One 13-year-old boy with Lamiaceae allergy (n = 1) Evidence D source
  Angioedema 20-30 minutes after a chicken meal; angioedema again on oral food challenge with sage

What is still unknown

• A 2024 meta-analysis of 12 Mediterranean herbs in type 2 diabetes kept 77 studies, but thyme and rosemary had too few trials to analyze. — Adults with type 2 diabetes in interventional studies of herbs and spices, literature to September 2023 (n = 77 studies in review, 45 in meta-analysis) Evidence A source
  No pooled estimate for thyme or rosemary on fasting glucose, HbA1c or insulin

The bottom line

On paper the jar is rich. USDA lists 805.4 mcg of vitamin K and 35.3 mg of iron per 3.5 oz (100 g), from a single record with no spread across samples, and a recipe uses only a few grams of the blend. A Polish survey of 270 adults put all herbs and spices together at about 22 g a day, a self-reported figure that counts fresh herbs and garlic. The other findings concern rosemary extract, an industrial ingredient separate from the dried leaf. In a randomized trial, 33 adults at cardiovascular risk ate meat enriched with omega-3 and rosemary extract for 12 weeks, and PAI-1, fibrinogen and an oxidative stress marker fell against control meat, with no way to credit the rosemary. Laboratory data suggest the extract slows rancid taste in frozen meatballs. In 108,723 French adults, observational data link rosemary extracts used as preservatives, one of 12 additives, to more type 2 diabetes, and processed food eaten alongside may explain part of it. Sage is promoted for hot flushes. A 2026 review of 35 studies in men on hormone therapy for prostate cancer found that dietary supplements seem ineffective. The real caution is allergy. A 13-year-old boy developed angioedema, a deep swelling of the skin, after a chicken meal and again after sage tea, and an oral challenge with sage brought it back. In another single case, a patient with systemic reactions had IgE to every herb of the same family tested. Both are single reports, so how common this cross-reaction is remains unknown.

Sources

1. pseas-r5-11 · USDA FoodData Central, dataset
   Spices, poultry seasoning (FDC 171331, SR Legacy, Spices and Herbs): vitamin K 805.4 ug per 100 g = 671% DV; iron 35.3 mg = 196% DV; copper 0.843 mg = 94% DV; Foundation samples 0, CoFID match none
   USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy, FDC 171331 Spices, poultry seasoning, 2019 · checked 2026-10-02
2. pseas-r5-09 · Cross-sectional study
   The five most frequently eaten herbs among omnivores were parsley, garlic, dill, marjoram and basil, while among vegans they were garlic, parsley, ginger, basil and dill. An average intake of all condiments included in the study was 22.4 ± 18.4 g/day and 25.8 ± 25.9 g/day for both omnivores and vegans, respectively (p = 0.007).
   Nutrients, 2020 · checked 2026-10-02
3. pseas-r5-05 · Food storage experiment
   It was observed that the addition of rosemary extract delayed the oxidation of lipid fraction of products. The antioxidative effect was related to the concentration of this extract in the product.
   Nahrung, 2000 · checked 2026-10-02
4. pseas-r5-03 · Randomized crossover trial
   There was a biphasic dose-dependent effect in measures of speed of memory: the lowest dose (750 mg) of rosemary had a statistically significant beneficial effect compared with placebo (P=.01), whereas the highest dose (6,000 mg) had a significant impairing effect (P<.01).
   J Med Food, 2012 · checked 2026-10-02
5. pseas-r5-04 · Randomized crossover trial
   In FM treatment, PAI-1, fibrinogen and 8-iso-PGF2 decreased significantly after 12 weeks, while FRAP significantly increased.
   Nutr Hosp, 2014 · checked 2026-10-02
6. pseas-r5-07 · Case report
   Total serum IgE was 406 U/mL. Specific IgE was detected to all herbs tested; higher levels were obtained with the CAP system. CONCLUSIONS: Plants belonging to the Labiatae family seem to show cross-sensitivity on the basis of clinical history and in vitro and in vivo test results.
   Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol, 1996 · checked 2026-10-02
7. pseas-r5-08 · Prospective cohort
   Thirteen (12 after multiple test correction) widely used individual preservatives are associated with higher diabetes incidence (n=1131cases): potassium sorbate, potassium metabisulfite, sodium nitrite, acetic, citric and phosphoric acids, sodium acetates, calcium propionate, sodium ascorbate, alpha-tocopherol, sodium erythorbate, and rosemary extracts.
   Nat Commun, 2026 · checked 2026-10-02
8. pseas-r5-02 · Systematic review
   Seven studies met inclusion. These examined the impact of B. monnieri, O. tenuiflorum, or C. sinensis.
   Int J Neuropsychopharmacol, 2026 · checked 2026-10-02
9. pseas-r5-10 · Systematic review
   Across all blinded pharmacological interventions, the relative reduction in hot flash frequency ranged from -21% to -84%, and the placebo effect was between -19% and -30%. CONCLUSION: Hormonal agents such as cyproterone acetate and estrogen appear to be the most effective treatments, although they are associated with side effects. Non-pharmacological options like acupuncture and CBT may offer some benefit, while dietary supplements seem to be ineffective.
   Prostate, 2026 · checked 2026-10-02
10. pseas-r5-06 · Case report
    The patient developed angioedema 20-30 minutes after eating chicken meat with cheddar cheese. ... 3 weeks later, the patient was admitted with angioedema after drinking sage tea. OFC with sage was applied and angioedema was observed.
    Iran J Allergy Asthma Immunol, 2018 · checked 2026-10-02
11. pseas-r5-01 · Meta-analysis
    Finally, only five out of the twelve aromatic herbs and spices were investigated; for the remaining ones (clove, parsley, thyme, black pepper, rosemary, basil, and oregano), not enough studies were found on the glycemic profile in T2DM subjects.
    Nutrients, 2024 · checked 2026-10-02