Benefits of Thyme Herb
There are many varieties of thyme herb and they are aromatic herbs that belong to the mint herb family. As a folk medicine, thyme was used to treat abscess, depression, epilepsy, gout, stomach upsets, shortness of breath, warts and whooping cough.
Fresh thyme and the dried thyme leaves of the common thyme or thymus vulgaris are often used to flavor sauces, stews, stuffing, fish, poultry and meat and added to soups and salad. The common thyme is also known as French thyme, English thyme, garden thyme, winter thyme and several other names.
Garden thyme contains an essential oil called thymol. Researchers discovered that thymol is a natural expectorant. Inhaling thyme essential oil or vapor from thyme tea may help dissolve thick mucus and phlegm, secret them and clear the respiratory tract. The oil of thyme from the common thyme also has antiseptic properties. It is used topically to treat fungal infections such as athlete's foot and toe nail fungus.
Creeping thyme, thymus serpyllum or wild thyme produces an essential oil called the oil of serpolet and is used as an herbal remedy for coughing and as an aphrodisiac. Wild thyme is used as a seasoning for many meat dishes and vegetable dishes containing eggplant and zucchini. The dried leaves of creeping thyme are used for herbal tea.
Thymus citriodorus or lemon thyme looks like English thyme and it receives its name because it smells and tastes like lemon. It is added to foods that uses lemon flavoring. And it is used to marinade fish and chicken. The essential oil from lemon thyme helps relieve nasal congestion and respiratory problems and produces a relaxing effect.
The leaves of thymus citriodorus fragrantissimus or orange thyme are extremely fragrant. It is used to add flavor to fish, veal, roasted vegetables and soups. Just like most other thyme herb, orange thyme has antibacterial and antiseptic properties. Orange thyme tea may help as a remedy for cough, sore throat and gum inflammation. It is also used as a compress to treat mild burns and skin infections.
Thymus zygis, sweet thyme or white thyme extract has shown to have antioxidant activities. Some studies indicate that it helps stimulate the production of white blood cells to fight bacterial infection. It also contains thymol and the essential oil when used in aromatherapy may help relieve symptoms of bronchitis and pneumonia. It produces a calmative effect and is helpful to fight fatigue and depression. The thyme oil may help to relieve headache when used as a massage oil or rub.
Another variety of thyme is thymus herba barona or caraway thyme. It has a candy-like refreshing fragrance. But compared to other thyme herb, it doesn't add the taste and flavor. It is better used to flavor breads, cheese and egg dishes.
Another popular thyme herb is thymus hyemalis. It is rich in carvacrol which produces antioxidant activity and has antimicrobial properties. Carvacrol is able to prevent the growth of several strains of bacteria such as the E-coli.
Besides fresh and dried thyme herbs, they are also available as tea, tinctures and used in toothpastes, aromatic candles, hand and body wash soaps and body lotions. The oil of thyme is used in the mouth wash Listerine.
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