What Is Thyme?
Thyme is an herb commonly used to flavor food. People have also used it since ancient times for different health and medicinal benefits and as a preservative. Today, you can find it in a wide variety of products, from mouthwashes to teas and even nasal sprays, as well as in the kitchen.
With roots in the mint family, thyme has tiny, sage-green leaves and thin stalks. It’s a robust, shrubby herb with an intense aroma and flavor. You can use it fresh, dried, or made into an essential oil. Although there are more than 300 types of thyme, Thymus vulgaris, or garden thyme, is the most common culinary species.
You can add thyme to your foods, make tea, smooth it onto your skin as an essential oil, gargle with a thyme oil solution, or even inhale it.
What Does Thyme Taste Like?
Thyme has different tastes, depending on which type of thyme you use. It has a strong, earthy flavor, peppery, sweet, and slightly minty. Knowing the different flavors helps you pick the right type for your recipes, as each type pairs well with specific foods. For example:
- French thyme tastes strong and pairs well with meats and sauces.
- Lemon thyme has a lemony flavor and tastes great with chicken and pork.
- Caraway thyme tastes like caraway seeds, and many use it for baking and pickling.
Thyme Nutrition
Thyme contains thymol and small amounts of other nutrients such as potassium, vitamin A, vitamin C, and magnesium.
Nutrients per serving
A one-teaspoon serving of fresh thyme contains:
- Calories: 0.8
- Fat: 0 grams
- Carbohydrates: 0.2 grams
- Fiber: 0.1 grams
- Protein: 0.044 grams
- Calcium: 3.24 milligrams
- Iron: 0.139 milligrams
- Magnesium: 1.28 milligrams
- Phosphorus: 0.848 milligrams
- Potassium: 4.87 milligrams
- Sodium: 0.072 milligrams
- Vitamin C: 1.28 milligrams
- Vitamin A: 1.9 micrograms/38 IU
- Beta-carotene: 22.8 micrograms
- Thiamin: 0 milligram
- Vitamin B6: 0.003 milligrams
Health Benefits of Thyme
While there are various claims about the health benefits of thyme, most of them aren’t confirmed by scientific research or are only based on preliminary lab tests on animals.
That said, thyme contains the compound thymol, which can help control or neutralize some bacterial, parasitic, fungal, or viral infections and has anti-inflammatory properties.
Here are some potential health benefits of thyme:
May help reduce salt intake
You can use fresh or dried thyme as a substitute for salt when cooking. This can help you cut down on how much salt you use, which is important if you’re trying to bring down high blood pressure.
Treats cough
Thyme has been a home remedy for coughs, respiratory conditions, and bronchitis for years. Complementary and alternative medicine has been using it as a tea and in aromatherapy. There's some research on that, but more studies are needed to know how well it works.
Has antimicrobial properties
One study shows that thyme essential oil and pure thymol (extracted from thyme) may help disinfect mold. Thymol is an active ingredient in some pesticides. In the mold study, it was about three times more effective than thyme essential oil.Thyme’s antimicrobial properties have shown promise for the development of extracts to help with food safety.
May treat acne
Thyme’s anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties may also help with skin conditions. It may help get rid of bacterial infections while also helping reduce inflammation. As a result, it can help with the irritation and inflammation in conditions such as eczema and acne.
Acts as an insect repellent
Thyme oil may help repel insects like mosquitoes. The oil in thyme, thymol, is often used as an active ingredient in bug repellents.
May improve gut health
In experimental studies in rats, compounds extracted from thyme oil helped protect the stomach’s lining from ulcers and increase the protective gastric mucus layers in the stomach, which helps protect the stomach lining from acid. But researchers haven't studied this effect in people.
May improve mood
Thyme essential oil is often used in therapy since it contains carvacrol, which can boost dopamine and serotonin — hormones that improve mood.
Adds flavor and aroma to food
Since thyme comes in different varieties, it also has distinct aromas and flavors, which can affect how you use it to cook.
Side Effects of Thyme
Allergic reactions. People who are allergic to thyme or similar plants such as basil, oregano, sage, and lavender may experience negative symptoms. These can include skin sensitivity upon touching thyme leaves, as well as nausea, heartburn, diarrhea, and vomiting if you eat it or drink thyme tea.
Caution on essential oils. Fresh and dried thyme is generally safe to eat or drink as a refreshing tea. But essential oils are different. They’re highly concentrated and can be toxic in their undiluted form.Ingesting too much thyme in essential oil could cause a risky drop in your blood pressure.
Thyme interactions. If you take high blood pressure medication, anti-clotting drugs (anticoagulants), or are pregnant, talk with your doctor before using thyme essential oil or supplements.
How to Prepare Thyme
You can grow thyme or buy it fresh or dried from most grocery stores. You can store dried thyme at room temperature. Refrigerate or freeze fresh thyme. If you purchase thyme as an essential oil, you can store it in the refrigerator or keep it in a dry, cool space away from direct sunlight.
Thyme is a go-to herb for flavoring meats, seafood, stews, and soups. Here are some ways to use thyme in recipes:
- Add fresh or dried thyme to vegetable, beef, or chicken stock.
- Use it in stews or soups for added flavor.
- Replace or cut back on salt in recipes by adding thyme.
- Infuse your favorite tea with thyme.
- Add thyme to your favorite chicken or pork recipes.
- Sprinkle fresh thyme as a topping on baked potatoes.
How to Prepare Thyme Tea
Thyme tea is easy to brew. You can make your tea using fresh leaves or ground thyme powder. You can also use dried thyme, but remember to strain the leaves from your drink to avoid unpleasant textures.
If you’re using fresh leaves, add several sprigs of thyme to a cup of boiling water and let it steep for five to eight minutes. If any leaves fall off the sprigs and into your water, you can strain them before drinking.
Using dried, powdered thyme instead? Add about one teaspoon of the powder to a cup of boiling water, and stir to combine. Ground thyme is similar in texture to matcha green tea powder, and you may need to stir it several times to mix it thoroughly.
Takeaways
Thyme is a popular herb known for its strong flavor and aroma. It offers health benefits, such as aiding digestion and calming an upset stomach. Its scent can improve mood and reduce stress. Adding thyme to your meals enhances their flavor. If you're allergic to thyme or similar plants, you could have a skin reaction, nausea, diarrhea, or vomiting. Be careful with thyme essential oil, as it can cause a drop in blood pressure.
