Nutritional Profile

Thyme provides 101 calories per 100gm, 1.7g of fat, 24g of carbohydrate, 609mg of potassium, 9mg of sodium and 6mg of protein.

Interesting facts

· There are around 350 species of thyme that are native to Europe, Asia and Africa.

· Ancient Greeks used thyme as an ingredient in baths because of the beautiful aroma of this plant. Scent of burned thyme was used as freshener in temples.

· Thyme was also used for the process of mummification in the ancient Egypt.

Heath Benefits

· Thyme has a long history of use in natural medicine in connection with chest and respiratory problems including coughs, bronchitis, and chest congestion.

· The herb is an excellent source of vitamin C and A (in the form of provitamin A carotenoid phytonutrients), as well as a good source of iron, manganese, copper and fibre.

· Thyme essential oil is often used for aromatic and therapeutic purposes because of its active substance carvacrol. In a 2013 study, carvacrol was shown to affect neuron activity in ways that boosted the subjects’ feelings of well-being.

Study

Thymus linearis Benth is a species of thyme found in Pakistan and Afghanistan. A study found that an extract from it was able to significantly reduce heart rate in rats with high blood pressure, and it was also able to lower their cholesterol.