What Is Thyme Good For?

Here are 25 benefits of thyme, which are a result of the herb’s rich content of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.

Thyme is rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals and possesses anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. It contains several helpful compounds that help improve overall health.

Here are 25 benefits of thyme:

1. Treats respiratory issues: Thyme functions as an expectorant and anti-inflammatory and antibacterial agent.
   • It may be used as a supplement to medications to treat bronchitis, persistent asthma, congestion, colds, flu, blocked sinuses, sore throat, or seasonal allergies.
   • It removes phlegm and mucus from respiratory passages, reduces inflammation to make breathing easier, and prevents bacterial growth that can lead to sickness.
   • Brewing thyme leaves into a strong tea is the most effective technique to relieve respiratory issues. Thyme tea can soothe your throat while also aiding in reducing coughing.
2. Lowers blood pressure and cholesterol levels: Thyme exerts antihypertensive effects, so it is an excellent herbal choice for anyone who has high blood pressure symptoms.
   • A recent animal study discovered that Thymus vulgaris extract might dramatically lower the heart rate of people who have hypertension. The extract lowers low-density cholesterol and triglyceride levels while boosting high-density cholesterol levels.
3. Improves circulation: Thyme’s high iron and other critical mineral content make it perfect for encouraging the synthesis of red blood cells, hence increasing blood circulation and oxygenation to the body’s vital organ systems.
4. Protects the heart: The heart benefits from thyme's rich blend of antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins in various ways, but potassium and manganese are particularly significant.
   • Potassium is a vasodilator, which means it helps relax the blood vessels and lower blood pressure, reducing stress on the cardiovascular system. This can help you live longer by reducing atherosclerosis and preventing strokes, heart attacks, and coronary heart disease.
5. Treats anemia: Thyme is an excellent source of iron.
   • Iron is required for the body's red blood cell growth and development. 
   • Because iron deficiency can lead to anemia, including thyme in your regular diet can help avoid it.
6. Improves digestive health: Thyme reduces the production of excess gases and flatulence and improves digestive health, which is due to volatile oils in the herb that has carminative (lowering gas) qualities.
   • Thyme acts as an antispasmodic, easing intestinal pain.
   • Thyme tea is frequently recommended by experts to people with indigestion and bloating.
   • Thyme's volatile oils can help relieve intestinal cramping.
7. Has potential antioxidant properties: Thyme has the highest antioxidant content of any herb.
   • Thyme's phenolic antioxidants, including lutein, zeaxanthin, and thymonin, help neutralize and eliminate free radicals throughout the body. Free radicals are harmful byproducts of cellular metabolism that can cause apoptosis or spontaneous mutation in healthy cells.
   • These antioxidants aid in the prevention of oxidative stress in your organs, brain pathways, heart, eyes, and skin.
8. Aids in weight loss: Tea made from thyme is commonly referred to as weight loss tea.
   • This herbal medicine can suppress the appetite, potentially leading to decreased binges and snacking between meals.
   • The chemical thymol present in this tea can improve metabolism, aiding in fat burning and weight loss attempts.
9. Improves bone health: Thyme helps promote your bone health because it is high in vitamin K, iron, calcium, and manganese.
   • These important nutrients promote bone formation and lower the risk of bone disorders.
10. Is traditionally used during pregnancy: Although pregnant women should not drink thyme tea early in their pregnancy due to the increased risk of miscarriage, some traditional medicine techniques use this tea to induce labor.
    • Using herbal teas during pregnancy should be reviewed with your doctor based on your case.
11. Eases menstrual cramps naturally: Thyme tea helps reduce menstrual cramps, owing to the antispasmodic actions of specific active components.
    • Moreover, this tea may help alleviate the pain and discomfort of menstruation, as well as provide relief from other side effects such as mood swings.
12. Boosts immune system: This herb's high levels of vitamin C make it a natural immune system booster.
    • Vitamin C promotes the development of white blood cells, which serve as the body's first line of defense in the immune system.
    • Vitamin C is important in the development of collagen, which is required for the formation and repair of cells, muscles, tissues, and blood vessels.
13. May help fight cancer: This herb's active ingredients may be able to prevent the growth of malignant tumors.
    • Carvacrol is a component of the essential oil that has anticancer qualities, making thyme a possible cancer-fighting diet.
    • Carvacrol decreased the growth and migration of two colon cancer cell lines, according to a new study published in Anti-Cancer Drugs.
    • Overall, evidence indicates that carvacrol has therapeutic promise for both colon cancer prevention and treatment.
14. Has antibacterial, antifungal, and antimicrobial properties: Thymol is the most active component found in thyme.
    • This chemical component has a wide range of effects on the body, including the ability to fight fungal and viral infections, lowering immune system strain. 
    • Several studies have reported that thyme essential oil has antibacterial activity against bacteria such as E. coli, salmonella, and Staphylococcus aureus and yeast such as Candida albicans.
    • The jury is still out on whether that activity is as potent when thyme is consumed in tea form.
15. Calms the nervous system: Thyme helps produce favorable effects on the neurological system due to a component called carvacrol. It has a naturally relaxing and supportive effect on the nervous system.
16. Improves cognition: A study reported that thyme increased hormone levels, which can delay the onset of neurodegenerative and psychiatric illnesses such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia, and depression.
17. Contains essential vitamins and minerals: Along with antioxidants, thyme provides critical vitamins and minerals including vitamins A and C, copper, fiber, iron, and manganese, all of which are present to some extent in its tea form.
    • Vitamins A and C can increase your body's infection-fighting abilities.
    • Thyme helps the immune system fight viral pathogens that cause infections such as mononucleosis, flu, shingles, human papillomavirus, genital or oral herpes, hepatitis, and others.
18. Prevents food poisoning: Thyme can disinfect previously tainted foods and aids in the prevention of food contamination.
    • Researchers discovered that the herb's essential oil can improve the shelf life of meat and baked goods and cleanse lettuce inoculated with Shigella, an infectious organism that causes diarrhea and serious intestinal damage, in numerous experiments published in Food Microbiology.
19. Protects oral/dental health: Extracts from thyme are used in dental goods such as toothpaste and mouthwash.
    • This herb's compounds can assist to prevent infections in the mouth and keep teeth healthy by reducing plaque and decay.
20. Reduces atopic dermatitis: Thyme has both anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties that help reduce enlarged dermal and epidermal skin layers associated with dermatitis by suppressing inflammatory molecules known as cytokines.
    • Thymol was found to be effective in preventing secondary infections caused by the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus.
21. Treats oral thrush: Thyme oil with water has long been used to treat bad breath and prevent gingivitis and gum disease. It may be used to treat oral thrush, a common ailment caused by the fungus Candida albicans.
22. Improves vision: Thyme improves healthy vision because it is high in vitamin A, a fat-soluble vitamin and antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals in the eyes, slows down the onset of macular degeneration, and prevents cataracts.
    • These compounds improve the health of ocular tissues.
23. Reduces stress: One of the vitamins in thyme (B6) has a strong influence on neurotransmitters in the brain that are directly linked to stress hormones.
    • Thyme, when included regularly in your diet, can assist to increase your mood and relax your mind when anxious thoughts arise.
24. Fights foodborne bacterial infections: The Center for Studies in Animal and Veterinary Sciences in Portugal discovered that antibacterial properties of thyme oil, even in low quantities, have the potential to be used as a natural food preservative against several prevalent foodborne germs that cause human sickness.
    • A Polish study reported that thyme oil was effective against resistant forms of Staphylococcus, Enterococcus, Escherichia, and Pseudomonas bacteria.
25. Prevents food from spoiling: Antimicrobial characteristics of thyme keep food fresh for longer periods. Thyme can inhibit bacterial development and destroy parasites that cause gastrointestinal problems.

Thyme refers to a group of herbal plants in the Thymus genus.

The most prevalent use of the word pertains to the plant Thymus vulgaris, which is well-known for its culinary and medicinal benefits. Its subtle aroma complements a wide range of vegetable and meat meals.