Herb of the Month: Thyme

Learn more about Thyme, our herb of the month for October from Kevin Orbell-McSean, our feature Herbalist for the month. Kevin studied a four year full-time course in herbal medicine at the School of Phytotherapy in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, in England, before qualifying in 1989. He moved to Cork City, Ireland, in 1990, establishing the Evergreen Clinic of Natural Medicine where he practices to this day.

History

There can be no surprise that such a pleasantly aromatic plant as thyme has been popular throughout recorded history. Native to Asia Minor and the countries bordering the Mediterranean, the most commonly used species are Thymus vulgaris (common thyme) and Thymus serpilum (creeping thyme).
The ancient Egyptians used thyme in their embalming process, and to have the scent of thyme about your person in ancient Greece was considered graceful, elegant and sophisticated. Courage and vitality too were properties associated with thyme, and in the age of chivalry it was customary for a knight’s scarf to be embroidered with a bee hovering over a sprig of thyme.

Health Benefits

Use the leaves and flowering tops. They contain thymol-rich antimicrobial volatile oil, tannins for astringency, and caffeic acid and flavonoids for a strong anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant action.

Thyme is excellent for respiratory infections such as coughs, flu and bronchitis, thanks to it’s antiseptic, anti-viral and expectorant properties, and by promoting blood flow to the skin, thyme helps to moderate a fever. In the digestive system the anti-spasmodic affect eases griping in the gut, and the anti-fungal action is helpful in fungal conditions such as candidiasis.
Herbal Remedies: A simple and effective treatment for a sore throat: Put 30gm of thyme in a jug or teapot, pour on 500ml of boiling water, cover, allow to cool, then strain off the liquid. Gargle with 30-40ml of the tea several times daily (spit out when done). If you keep it in the fridge, add a little warm water to make sure it’s up to blood temperature before gargling.

Cooking Tips

In a dish that has a long cooking time, like a stew, you’ll add the thyme / bouquet garni early on, but keep a bit of herb on the side and add to your dish in the later stages. That way you get a stronger hint of the lovely aromatic qualities of the herb, as well as the complex flavours released by slow cooking.

Recipe

Thyme oil or vinegar is good to add flavour to salad dressings and marinades, and very easy to make. For a mild flavour, just add a few sprigs of thyme to a bottle of olive oil or cider vinegar, and leave to infuse. For a concentrated version, pack the herb into a kilner jar, about an inch at a time, add enough oil or vinegar to cover, and gently press / agitate to exclude any air pockets (very important). Then add another layer, and so on. You could also try making a sunlight infusion – putting the bottle or jarring on a sunny window ledge for a couple of weeks. Both versions get stronger with thyme – sorry, time:)

For more tasty recipes using Thyme, visit the loveherbs.ie recipe page here

For more information about Kevin or if you want to schedule an appointment click here