Thyme: What are the Benefits of Thyme?
Thyme with its Unique Smell and Natural Aroma
Spices that add flavor to salads and meals are indispensable for every kitchen, but there is one among these spices that has a special place: thyme.
Due to its unique smell and aroma, thyme finds its place in every meal, especially in meat dishes and salads, to make the meal more delicious. In addition, with its miraculous effects on health, it deserves the title of indispensable spice of our kitchens in the forms of thyme tea, thyme juice, thyme honey and thyme oil.
What is Thyme?
Thyme is a type of green, short-stemmed or sessile herb from the honeydew family, growing in hot seasons and barren lands, varying between 15-40 cm in length. It has been used by people since ancient Greek times, both as a medicinal plant and in cooking.
The thyme plant contains flavonoids, cineol, borneol, typhoid and thymol and carvacrol substances that give it its unique smell. Thyme herb, which can be harvested in June, is widely grown especially in Southern Europe and Mediterranean regions. Our country is very suitable for growing thyme due to its vegetation.
What are the Thyme Types?
Thyme ranks second after cumin among medicinal aromatic plants exported from Turkey. Turkey has a share of 70 percent in the world’s general thyme exports. In our country, there are about 40 different types of thyme in high-altitude areas and plateaus. The most well-known of them can be listed as follows.
İzmir Thyme: It is also called as ball thyme, stone thyme, moth thyme, cheese thyme, differing from region to region in the public mouth, and it is known as ‘Turkish Oregano’ in Europe. İzmir thyme, which is mostly exported and its main usage area is spice, is also used in essential oil production and pharmacy.
Istanbul Thyme: It is also known as black thyme among the people. It also grows naturally in Turkey. In addition to being used in making spices and tea, this type of thyme is also used to keep pests away.
Buckle Thyme: This type of thyme, which is only grown in the Sütçüler district of Isparta, is also known as highland thyme or Sütçüler thyme. Buckle thyme, which is processed in the form of thyme oil and thyme juice and used in the production of medicines, cosmetics, perfumes, and soaps, is exported to the USA, Europe, India, Canada, and Japan.
White Thyme: Also known as Alanya thyme. It grows in arid places in Western and Southern Anatolia. It has been proven by scientific studies that the carvacrol substance in it treats lung cancer and is mostly consumed in the form of oil.
Mountain Thyme: It is also known as Syrian thyme among the people. As the name suggests, it grows naturally in mountains and rocky areas. In general, thyme is used as a spice in meals, as well as brewed and consumed as tea.
In addition to these thyme varieties, thyme varieties such as Amanose thyme, Mediterranean thyme, field thyme, black thyme and wild thyme are also grown in our country.
What are the Benefits of Thyme?
The benefits of thyme have been known for centuries, the gift of the soil to humanity is a medicinal plant. Let’s take a look at what this miraculous plant, thyme is good for, from gum problems to heart ailments.
- Did you know that Roman soldiers took a thyme bath before going to war? This ritual, which is believed to give energy and endurance, has also been scientifically proven today. Thyme gives strength to the body, relieves fatigue and makes you tired later.
- Thyme is an herb that is used among people for intestinal problems. Especially those who have intestinal worm problems can get rid of these problems if they consume mountain thyme.
- It is also known that thyme is good for stress and strengthens the nervous system.
- It is a solution to the problem of loss of appetite, especially in children, which causes them to refuse every meal, with its appetizing effect.
- It can be applied as a supportive element in heart rhythm disorders and heart palpitations – even if it does not completely eliminate the problem.
- It is beneficial when used in flu infections, recurrent diseases such as bronchitis and asthma. Is thyme good for cough, of course. It softens the chest and eliminates cough problems due to chronic cough or illness.
- Women who have irregular menstruation problems will see that their menstruation is regular if they use mountain thyme.
- Patients suffering from rheumatism can reduce their pain, albeit partially, by massaging their aching areas with thyme juice or oil.
- Thyme is an herb that can be applied by those who have gum problems. Thanks to the mouthwash made regularly with thyme, gum recession is completely eliminated.
- Does thyme lower blood pressure? It will not solve the diseases of patients with blood pressure problems, but it is a natural method that you can apply when your blood pressure rises, thanks to its calming and heart rhythm-regulating effect, among the benefits of thyme tea.
- Another of the benefits of the thyme herb is its effects on the skin. Thanks to its antiseptic feature, washing the skin with thyme water will prevent the formation of acne and pimples on the skin. In addition, with the effect of vitamins in its content, it will slow down the formation of wrinkles. Cake tea also has benefits for the skin, as a result of its consumption, beneficial vitamins for the skin will refresh and revitalize the skin.
Is Thyme Weakening?
Thyme accelerates metabolism and therefore fat burning thanks to the vitamins and minerals it contains. In addition to a diet and sports program applied regularly, thyme tea can be used to lose weight and regional thinning can be achieved with thyme oil massage applied to problem areas.
What are the harms of thyme?
Thinking that there is no harm in a plant with so many benefits, excessive consumption can harm your body. You should be careful about its use, you should stop using it when you see any allergic reaction.
In addition, it should not be used during pregnancy due to its relaxing effect on the nervous system and muscles. Although it is not certain, it is thought to cause miscarriage.
How to Dry Thyme?
First of all, you should buy fresh thyme, regardless of its variety. Knowing that thyme with flowers on it is fresh will help you; Thyme with whole leaves should not be preferred. Wash the fresh thyme you bought thoroughly, then wrap it in a paper towel to absorb the water and leave it for a while. Spread them on a table cloth so that they do not overlap each other as much as possible and place in a sunny place.
Let it dry for about 10 days, stirring occasionally. As soon as you are sure that it is dry, you can make it ready for use by crumbling it. You can brew your dried thyme and make tea, or add it to your meals as a spice.
What is Oregano Oil and Oregano Price?
Oregano oil is a labor-intensive process produced by distilling thyme, so the price of thyme oil is higher than raw thyme. The price of 20 ml of thyme oil varies between 15 TL and 35 TL. If you want to get the full benefit of thyme oil, you should be sure of the quality of the oil you are going to buy and whether it is real or not.
The price of thyme varies depending on the availability of thyme in your region, the harvest season, the climate and the type of thyme you want to buy. A bunch of thyme is priced between 2.5 TL and 10 TL. Since it is the most difficult species to reach, the price of thyme may be higher than others. But when we think that the vegetation of our country is the natural habitat of thyme, we should not forget that we are very lucky compared to many countries in terms of thyme price. Even during a weekend picnic, you may encounter this miraculous plant, which has made a home in the mountains and cliffs.
Dazzling Recipes With Thyme Scented
1) Take Your Breakfast to the Top with Thyme
Save your breakfast tables from mediocrity with thyme and cheddar tomatoes, which is both healthy and delicious and a different taste. This easy-to-make recipe will be indispensable for your breakfasts or snacks.
2) Combine Curry and Thyme
In recent years, curry has turned into a spice that has been noticed in perfect harmony with chicken and takes its place in the spice of every house. Well, have you ever thought about how a perfect aroma and smell emerge when it meets thyme, which is already the crown of your kitchen? You will reach that indescribable taste with our thyme chicken curry recipe.
3) Try Potatoes with Thyme
While making fresh potatoes with thyme, the smells coming from the oven will gather all the members of the house into the kitchen and create excitement at home. You can use this recipe as an aperitif at every meal and color your table. You can also try it as a delicious snack in between meals.
