Thyme Usage

The aromatic thyme (Thymus Vulgaris) plant is a perennial and woody shrub harnessing square stems and attractive flowers. A member of the mint family, thyme is an herb that originates in the Mediterranean basin and has a number of varieties, each with its own distinctive oil composition. Thyme is a powerful  herb, popular in aromatherapy – so it must be used with caution and care. Do know, though, that the health benefits of thyme are very real.
Thymus vularis ct. linalol is recommended by herbalists as an effective and safe beginner herb for children and the elderly. Other varieties are more potent, and their use should be reserved for qualified herbalists with experience in using them.
The volatile essential oils in thyme are packed with anti-septic, anti-viral, anti-rheumatic, anti-parasitic and anti-fungal properties, which explains why thyme-based formulas are used as an expectorant, diuretic, fungicide and antibiotic.
Thyme is also a powerful detoxifying agent, making it one of many liver detox foods. What’s more, the herb is a great immune system booster that encourages white blood cell formation while increasing resistance to foreign organisms. With cold and flu season upon us, considering adding thyme-based formulas to the medicine cabinet is a great idea. There is a reason the health benefits of thyme has been experienced for all of time.

The Passing of Thyme

• Both Hippocrates and Dioscorides discussed the medicinal use of thyme in their ancient writings.

• Civilizations in the Mediterranean were familiar with the health promoting benefits of this easy to cultivate shrub which grew happily on sunny banks and in heaths.

• The Romans grew thyme for bee culture, the purification of rooms and to add flavor to liqueurs and cheese.

• Ancient Greek temples were scented with thyme incense and Egyptians favored the fragrant plant for embalming.

• Valiant knights were given thyme for courage in the Middle ages and sprigs were placed in bedrooms and under pillows to ward off depression.

Long before the discovery of modern medicine, crushed thyme was placed on bandages to promote wound healing and ward off infection. Thyme is no stranger to a kitchen, past or present, and is a popular culinary herb. Prior to the invention of the refrigerator, thyme was even used to help keep meats from spoiling.

The Far Reaching Health Benefits of Thyme

Thyme is effective against infections, most specifically respiratory and digestive. It can be taken for diarrhea, infections of the vagina including thrush and infections in the fallopian tubes. It has a relaxing effect on muscles in the bronchi and helps to relive asthma, whooping cough, laryngitis, bronchitis and dry coughs. Mouth and gum infections can be treated with a solution made from as little as .1 percent thyme oil. Inhalation therapy is useful for those who suffer from chronic sinus infections. As an antioxidant, thyme protects the body from the effects of aging. As a stellar digestive herb, thyme can enhance appetite and digestion while stimulating the liver.

Medicinal use

Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) essential oil in a clear glass vial

Oil of thyme, the essential oil of common thyme (Thymus vulgaris), contains 20–54% thymol.Thyme essential oil also contains a range of additional compounds, such as p-Cymene, myrcene, borneol and linalool. Thymol, an antiseptic, is the main active ingredient in various commercially produced mouthwashes such as Listerine. Before the advent of modern antibiotics, oil of thyme was used to medicate bandages. Thymol has also been shown to be effective against various fungi that commonly infect toenails.Thymol can also be found as the active ingredient in some all-natural, alcohol-free hand sanitizers.
A tea made by infusing the herb in water can be used for coughs and bronchitis
One study by Leeds Metropolitan University found that thyme may be beneficial in treating acne.

Important species and cultivars

For a longer list of species, see Thymus (plant).

Variegated lemon thyme

• Thymus citriodorus — various lemon thymes, orange thymes, lime thyme.
• Thymus herba-barona (caraway thyme) is used both as a culinary herb and a ground cover, and has a very strong caraway scent due to the chemical carvone.
• Thymus praecox (mother of thyme, wild thyme), cultivated as an ornamental
• Thymus pseudolanuginosus (woolly thyme) is not a culinary herb, but is grown as a ground cover.
• Thymus serpyllum (wild thyme, creeping thyme) is an important nectar source plant for honeybees. All thyme species are nectar sources, but wild thyme covers large areas of droughty, rocky soils in southern Europe (Greece is especially famous for wild thyme honey) and North Africa, as well as in similar landscapes in the Berkshire and Catskill Mountains of the northeastern US. The lowest-growing of the widely used thyme, it is good for walkways.
• Thymus vulgaris (common thyme, English thyme, summer thyme, winter thyme, French thyme, or garden thyme) is a commonly used culinary herb. It also has medicinal uses. Common thyme is a Mediterranean perennial which is best suited to well-drained soils and full sun.