Eat and heal: some surprising facts about thyme

Thyme is one of the most popular herbs in Mediterranean cuisine: it flavors savory and sweet dishes and is also an effective natural remedy for diseases.

This plant is highly valued in the cuisine of Southern Europe and the Middle East. Thyme has a stout stem rich in aromatic branches that reach about 30-35 cm in height. Thyme leaves are small, linear-lanceolate, ash-green in color, and the flowers range from pinkish-white to lilac. "The taste and aroma are very intense, but differ depending on the variety," says OBOZREVATEL with the assistance of riza.it.

Varieties and uses in the kitchen

There are several varieties of thyme, the most common of which are

common thyme

It is suitable for enriching the flavor of meat, fish, eggs, cheeses, tomatoes, stews, and soups. It is also used for vinegars and flavored oils.

creeping thyme

With a less intense flavor than regular thyme, but with greater resistance as a plant. It can be cultivated even in unfavorable climates. It is used for sauces, bread, pizza, savory pies, eggs and omelets, infusions, and herbal teas.

lemon thyme

It has a specific citrus flavor. Its leaves are especially suitable for flavoring meat, fish, and vegetables such as tomatoes, eggplant, cabbage, zucchini, green beans, and peppers. In addition, it can be used for baked potatoes, grilled vegetables, and fried mushrooms, as well as for making sauces, infusions, and herbal teas. Among the different types of thyme, this one is most suitable for flavoring fruit salads, honey, and sweet and savory biscuits.

Three super quick recipes

Cookies with lemon thyme

Buy ready-made shortbread dough, choosing a product without hydrogenated fats or palm oil. Spread it out on a work surface about 0.5 cm thick. Sprinkle with lemon thyme, using only 2-3 teaspoons. Go through with a rolling pin, not crushing the dough, but only to make the leaves stick better to the dough. Then make cookies using special molds and put them in the oven at 180 ° C for 20-25 minutes until they turn golden brown.

Thyme flavored butter

Wash and dry 3 sprigs of thyme (use the type you prefer) very well, then leave them outdoors for a couple of hours so they are not wet. Place them in a dark glass bottle with extra virgin olive oil (1 liter), immediately after rubbing them lightly in your hand to release their aroma. Close the bottle well and leave for a month in a cool place, away from light, before using.

Thyme omelette

Beat 2 eggs (serving for 1 person), adding 1 pinch of sea salt, pepper and thyme leaves. Grease a non-stick frying pan with a little oil, put it on the fire, pour the beaten eggs, and cook the omelet on both sides.

Useful properties of thyme

Thyme contains essential oil, which is rich in active ingredients (especially thymol and carvacrol), tannins, resins, glucosides, and saponoside. It has flavoring, digestive, antimicrobial, antifungal, antiseptic, expectorant, and mucolytic properties. Thyme extracts also destroy Helicobacter pylori, which can lead to gastritis.

When to use thyme for health

Thyme is an excellent natural remedy for colds, coughs, indigestion, candidiasis, and mycoses.

Detoxifying and digestive herbal tea: mix 15 g of thyme, 15 g of mint, and 1 tablespoon of lavender flowers in a bag. Pour a spoonful of the herbal mixture into a kettle, add 200 ml of boiling water, and leave to infuse for 10 minutes. Filter and drink 2 cups a day for 10 days.

External treatment to dissolve phlegm: Massage your back and chest with a spoonful of sweet almond oil with 2 drops of thyme essential oil.

How to store thyme

If you buy it fresh, use the required amount of thyme. Put the remaining part in the refrigerator in a special food bag, wrapping it with kitchen paper and then with plastic wrap.

On the other hand, if you want to preserve thyme for a long time, you can dry it: tie the branches at the base with a thin cotton thread. Then hang the bundle upside down (leaves down and stem up) in a cool place, away from light. Once dry, cut the leaves and store them in a tightly closed glass jar for about a year.

How to grow thyme indoors

Thyme is easy to grow in pots. The best time to sow is from late March to early April. A small box that can be stored on the balcony or on the windowsill is used to fill with a mixture of earth, peat, sand, and gravel. If you have a garden or vegetable garden, try moving the seedlings into the ground at the end of July. Thyme loves sunny and ventilated areas and slightly dry soil, so do not water it very often, once or twice a week is enough.