- Thyme is a delicate and beautifully aromatic herb that is often used in meat, fish and vegetable dishes. The health benefits of thyme are truly potent.
- In French cuisine it is often combined with bay leaves, sage, and other herbs to create a bundle called bouquet garni, which is used to prepare soups, stocks, and stews.
- Let’s take a look at the health benefits of thyme.
- Antioxidant benefits:
- Organic thyme contains a volatile oil called thymol, which may be responsible for thyme’s antioxidant benefits. Organic thyme is also a great source of manganese, which is considered to have antioxidant properties.
- Colon cancer fighter:
- Because of thyme’s antioxidant activity, it may help cancer. A Portugal study published in Natural Product Communications stated this: “The presence of these constituents identified by colon cancer cytotoxicity-guided activity indicates that extracts of Thymus mastichina L. may have a protective effect against colon cancers.”
- Cough reliever:
- Thyme tea is a natural and potent expectorant. It relieves cough and loosens phlegm. Extracts from thyme have shown relaxant and broncho-dilatory effects. A 2006 study showed that thyme extracts helped relieve bronchitis. Thyme extracts may help treat coughs by relaxing the trachea, which is the windpipe that connects the pharynx and larynx to our lungs.
- Try our cough buster thyme tea.
- Fights breast cancer:
- Organic thyme may induce apoptosis (cell death) in breast cancer cells, according to a research team from Celal Bayar University in Turkey. They published their results in the journal Nutrition and Cancer and believe that wild thyme “may be a promising candidate in the development of novel therapeutic drugs for breast cancer treatment.”
- Reduces blood pressure:
- High blood pressure is a silent, but deadly condition. According to the American Heart Association, high blood pressure is a risk factor for damage to the heart, stroke, kidney damage, and more.
- An animal study published in the journal Plant Foods for Human Nutrition showed that thyme extracts may help reduce high blood pressure. More studies need to be conducted on humans before thyme can be recommended as a treatment for high blood pressure, or hypertension.
- Treats eczema:
- Thyme is often used in skin ointments because of its anti-fungal and antimicrobial properties.
- Anti-fungal creams with thyme essential oils are very effective with skin lesions.
- TIPS: Add a dash of fresh or dry thyme to your favorite vegetable or fish dish. We also recommend using it in cold raw summer soups.
- AS ALWAYS: Check with your health practitioner before you change your diet. This organic food is not meant to replace any treatment or drugs you are taking.
- For a cough buster thyme tea.
- For the health benefits of mint.
- REFERENCES:
- 1. “Antioxidant and Antihypertensive Activity of Extract from Thymus Serpyllum L. in Experimental Hypertension.” Springer. Plant Foods for Human Nutrition, 01 Sept. 2013. Web. 15 July 2014.
- 2. “Why Blood Pressure Matters.” American Heart Association. American Heart Association, n.d. Web. 15 July 2014.
- 3. “Effects of Thymus Serpyllum Extract on Cell Proliferation, Apoptosis and Epigenetic Events in Human Breast Cancer Cells.” Taylor & Francis. Nutrition and Cancer, 19 Nov. 2012. Web. 15 July 2014.
- 4. “Thymus Mastichina: Chemical Constituents and Their Anti-cancer Activity.” National Center for Biotechnology Information. Natural Product Communications, Nov. 2012. Web. 15 July 2014.
- 5. “Nutrition Facts and Analysis for Spices, Thyme, Dried.” Self Nutrition Data. Self Nutrition Data, n.d. Web. 15 July 2014.
- 6. “Beneficial Effects of Thyme Oil on Age-related Changes in the Phospholipid C20 and C22 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Composition of Various Rat Tissues.” Science Direct. Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta (BBA) – Molecular and Cell Biology of Lipids, 19 Apr. 1999. Web. 15 July 2014.
- 7. “Relaxant Effects of Different Fractions from Tymus Vulgaris on Guinea-pig Tracheal Chains.” Scielo. Biological Research, 2012. Web. 15 July 2014.
- 8. “Efficacy and Tolerability of a Fluid Extract Combination of Thyme Herb and Ivy Leaves and Matched Placebo in Adults Suffering from Acute Bronchitis with Productive Cough. A Prospective, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Clinical Trial.” National Center for Biotechnology Information. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2006. Web. 15 July 2014.
- 9. “Antioxidant and Cyclooxygenase Inhibitory Phenolic Compounds from Ocimum Sanctum Linn.” Science Direct. Phytomedicine, Mar. 2000. Web. 15 July 2014.
- 10. “What Are the Benefits of Thyme?” Medical News Today. MediLexicon International, 12 Sept. 2013. Web. 15 July 2014. <
