A garden herb.
There are about a hundred varieties of
thyme, but the most common ones are lemon
thyme, Caraway thyme, and Common thyme.
Thyme tea can help alleviate an asthma
attack.
Thyme is a commonly used
culinary herb. It is one of the components
of Bouquet Garni (French for Garnished
Bouquet) - which is actually a bunch of
herbs strung together, mainly for preparation
of soups, stock, broth, and stews. Bouquet
garni is normally tied together, so that
it is easily removed once the dish is
cooked. Bouquet Garni normally consists
of thyme, parsley, and bay leaves. But
some cooks like to also add a combination
of basil, rosemary, carrots, leeks, and
onions.
Health Benefits of Thyme
2 teaspoons of thyme (about 3 gms) has
vitamin
K (60 per cent of RDA), iron
(20 per cent of RDA), manganese
(10 per cent of RDA), and calcium
(5 per cent of RDA). Apart from the the
common vitamins and minerals, thyme has
volatile oil components that researchers
are discovering many health benefits.
These volatile oil components are: carvacolo,
borneol, geraniol, and thymol.
Thymol is the primary volatile oil components
of the thyme herb - and research tests
on mice have shown that thymol can protect
and increase healthy fats in cell membranes
and cell structures.
These volatile oil components also exhibit
anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties
against Staphalococcus aureus, Bacillus
subtilis, E. coli and Shigella sonnei.
Shigella sonnei is a bacteria that causes
diarrhea. Washing vegetables and fruits
with just 1 per cent of thymol essential
oil added to the wash, dropped the number
of Shigella bacteria below detection point.
Scientists are now trying to develop natural
food preservatives based on thyme essential
oils.
Thyme is often used to flavour meats,
soups, broths, and stews. But apart from
its culinary uses, you can also steep
thyme leaves in hot water, and it makes
a refreshing herbal tea.
Thyme tea has been used to alleviate
menstrual cramps, and PMS symptoms. Thyme
tea has also been known to be helpful
for stomach upsets, coughs, and fevers.
Allergic reaction to thyme is unlikely.
But if alergic reactions start to show
(eg. rash, itching, red spots, swelling,
dizziness, difficulty in breathing), discontinue
consumption, and seek medical attention
immediately.
Selection and Storage
Fresh thyme is recommended over dried
thyme due to its better flavour.
Store dried thyme in an air-tight container
(preferably a glass bottle or container)
away from the sun. It should be kept in
a cool and dry location.
You should store fresh thyme in the refrigerator
(wrapped in a lightly moistened paper
towel).
When used for cooking, thyme should be
added when the dish is almost cooked,
as this will bring out the best of its
aromatic qualities. This is due to thyme
being heat-sensitive, and prolonged exposure
to high heat will kill thyme's delicate
flavour.
<Editor's note: This page is dedicated
to my pal, Derrick C. (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia),
whose favourite herb is thyme, and I hope
will prepare an Italian dish with thyme
and other yummy herbs, and invite me over
for a sample of his culinary creations.
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