Thyme#Culinary use

{{about|leaves and oils of the thyme plant|the genus of thyme plants|Thymus (plant)|the active ingredient in thyme oil|Thymol|other uses}}

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| serving_size = 100 g

| calories = 101

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Thyme ({{IPAc-en|t|aɪ|m}}) is a culinary herb consisting of the dried aerial parts of some members of the genus Thymus of flowering plants in the mint family Lamiaceae. Thymes are native to Eurasia and north Africa. Thymes have culinary, medicinal, and ornamental uses. The species most commonly cultivated and used for culinary purposes is Thymus vulgaris, native to Southeast Europe.

History

File:Flowering thyme.JPG

Wild thyme grows in the Levant, where it might have been first cultivated. Ancient Egyptians used common thyme (Thymus vulgaris) for embalming.{{Cite web |title=Medical News Today - What are the benefits of thyme? |url=https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/266016#history |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240710220606/https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/266016#benefits |archive-date=2024-07-10 |access-date=2024-07-10 |website=MedicalNewsToday}} The ancient Greeks used it in their baths and burnt it as incense in their temples, believing it was a source of courage.

The spread of thyme throughout Europe was thought to be due to the Romans, as they used it to purify their rooms and to "give an aromatic flavour to cheese and liqueurs".{{cite web|url=https://botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/t/thygar16.html|title=Thyme. A Modern Herbal|edition=Hypertext version of the 1931|work=botanical.com|last=Grieve|first=Mrs. Maud|access-date=February 9, 2008|url-status=live|archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20110223130247/http://botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/t/thygar16.html|archive-date=February 23, 2011}} In the European Middle Ages, the herb was placed beneath pillows to aid sleep and ward off nightmares.Huxley, A., ed. (1992). New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. Macmillan. In this period, women also often gave knights and warriors gifts that included thyme leaves, as it was believed to bring courage to the bearer. Thyme was also used as incense and placed on coffins during funerals, as it was supposed to assure passage into the next life.{{cite web|url=http://www.englishplants.co.uk/thyme.html|title=Thyme (thymus)|work=englishplants.co.uk|publisher=The English Cottage Garden Nursery|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060927050614/http://www.englishplants.co.uk/thyme.html|archive-date=2006-09-27}}

The name of the genus of fish Thymallus, first given to the grayling (T. thymallus, described in the 1758 edition of Systema Naturae by Swedish zoologist Carl Linnaeus), originates from the faint smell of thyme that emanates from the flesh.{{cite web |url=http://aquaticcommons.org/8072/1/119_Ingram.pdf |title=The Ecology and Management of the European Grayling Thymallus thymallus (Linnaeus) |author1=Ingram, A. |author2=Ibbotson, A. |author3=Gallagher, M. |publisher=Institute of Freshwater Ecology |location=East Stoke, Wareham, U.K. |access-date=2014-02-27 |page=3 |url-status=dead |archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20140228233124/http://aquaticcommons.org/8072/1/119_Ingram.pdf |archive-date=2014-02-28 }}

Cultivation

Thyme is best cultivated in a hot, sunny location with well-drained soil. It is generally planted in the spring, and thereafter grows as a perennial. It can be propagated by seed, cuttings, or dividing rooted sections of the plant. It tolerates drought well.{{cite web|url=http://www.global-garden.com.au/gardenherbs5.htm#Garden%20Thyme|title=Herb File. Global Garden|work=global-garden.com.au|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012230111/http://www.global-garden.com.au/gardenherbs5.htm#Garden%20Thyme|archive-date=2007-10-12}} It can be pruned after flowering to keep from getting woody.{{cite book |last=Peter |first=K.V. |title=Handbook of herbs and spices Volume 2|date=2012}}

Culinary use

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In some Levantine countries, the condiment za'atar (Arabic for both thyme and marjoram) contains many of the essential oils found in thyme.{{Cite web |date=2015-12-08 |title=Explaining Zaatar! |url=https://www.dimasharif.com/zaatar/ |access-date=2022-03-23 |website=Dima Al Sharif |language=en-US |archive-date=2022-06-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220625005533/https://www.dimasharif.com/zaatar/ |url-status=live }} Thyme is a common component of the bouquet garni, and of herbes de Provence.{{Cite web |last=Walker |first=Paul |date=2 September 2021 |title=What Is a Bouquet Garni? Easy Homemade Bouquet Garni Recipe, Plus Tips for Cooking With Bouquet Garni - 2022 - MasterClass |url=https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-a-bouquet-garni-easy-homemade-bouquet-garni-recipe-plus-tips-for-cooking-with-bouquet-garni |access-date=23 March 2022 |website=Masterclass |archive-date=2 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220602121138/https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-a-bouquet-garni-easy-homemade-bouquet-garni-recipe-plus-tips-for-cooking-with-bouquet-garni |url-status=live }}

Thyme is sold both fresh and dried. While summer-seasonal, fresh greenhouse thyme is often available year-round. The fresh form is more flavourful but also less convenient; storage life is rarely more than a week. However, the fresh form can last many months if carefully frozen,{{cite web |url=http://www.stilltasty.com/fooditems/index/18499 |title=Food Storage - How Long Can You Keep Thyme |access-date=2015-08-18 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150809154830/http://www.stilltasty.com/fooditems/index/18499 |archive-date=2015-08-09 }} and thyme retains its flavour on drying better than many other herbs.{{Cite web |title=7 Herbs That Taste Good When Dried |url=https://www.thespruce.com/top-herbs-that-you-should-dry-4144964 |access-date=2022-03-23 |website=The Spruce |language=en |archive-date=2022-05-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220519111909/https://www.thespruce.com/top-herbs-that-you-should-dry-4144964 |url-status=live }}

Fresh thyme is commonly sold in bunches of sprigs. A sprig is a single stem snipped from the plant.{{Cite web |title=Thyme |url=https://www.almanac.com/plant/thyme |access-date=2022-03-23 |website=Almanac.com |language=en |archive-date=2020-09-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200929071828/https://www.almanac.com/plant/thyme |url-status=live }} It is composed of a woody stem with paired leaf or flower clusters ("leaves") spaced {{convert|1/2|to|1|in|mm|round=5|order=flip|abbr=off}} apart. A recipe may measure thyme by the bunch (or fraction thereof), or by the sprig, or by the tablespoon or teaspoon. Dried thyme is widely used in Armenia in tisanes.{{Cite web |title=TeaWay Armenian Tea History |url=https://teaway.net/s/armenian-tea-history-66 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240710221909/https://teaway.net/s/armenian-tea-history-66 |archive-date=2024-07-10 |access-date=2024-07-10 |website=TeaWay |language=en}}

Depending on how it is used in a dish, the whole sprig may be used, or the leaves removed and the stems discarded. Usually, when a recipe mentions a bunch or sprig, it means the whole form; when it mentions spoons, it means the leaves. It is perfectly acceptable to substitute dried for whole thyme. Leaves may be removed from stems either by scraping with the back of a knife, or by pulling through the fingers or tines of a fork.

In Moroccan tradition, dried figs{{Cite book |last=Noramine |first=Khalil |title=Medicinal and Edible Plants of Morocco |date=September 16, 2023 |publisher= Independently published |isbn=979-8860829343 |pages=31–32}} are elevated with the infusion of minty leaves. After softening in a couscous pot, the figs are rested with additional minty leaves before being sprinkled with thyme for a delightful flavor enhancement and preservation in sealed containers.

Chemical and antimicrobial properties

File:Thymol2.svg is the principal aromatic component of thyme.]]The chemical composition of Thymus (thyme) includes a variety of essential oils, flavonoids, phenolic acids, triterpenes, and other compounds. The essential oils found in thyme include thymol, which is a major component responsible for the plant's antiseptic properties, and carvacrol, another primary component with similar functions. Other essential oils present are p-cymene, γ-terpinene, linalool, and 1,8-cineole. Gas chromatographic analysis reveals that the most abundant volatile component of thyme leaves is thymol, at 8.55mg/g. Other components are carvacrol, linalool, α-terpineol, and 1,8-cineole.{{cite journal |last1=Lee |first1=Seung-Joo |last2=Umano |first2=Katumi |last3=Shibamoto |first3=Takayuki |last4=Lee |first4=Kwang-Geun |year=2005 |title=Identification of Volatile Components in Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) and Thyme Leaves (Thymus vulgaris L.) and Their Antioxidant Properties |journal=Food Chemistry |volume=91 |pages=131–137 |doi=10.1016/j.foodchem.2004.05.056}}

Some of these compounds have beneficial properties. In particular, thymol has been historically used as an antibiotic and antiseptic, especially in traditional medicine.{{Cite journal |title=The potential benefits of polyphenols for corneal diseases |date=2023 |doi=10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115862 |last1=Feng |first1=Jing |last2=Zhang |first2=Yangyang |journal=Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy |volume=169 |doi-access=free |pmid=37979379 }} Oil of thyme, the essential oil of common thyme, contains 20–54% thymol.Thymus Vulgaris. PDR for Herbal Medicine. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics Company. p. 1184. Thymol is an active ingredient in various commercially produced mouthwashes, such as Listerine.{{Cite web |title=LISTERINE® Ingredients: What's in Your Mouthwash? |url=https://www.listerine.com/our-sustainability/ingredients |access-date=2024-07-10 |website=LISTERINE® |language=en-US}}

Flavonoids in thyme include luteolin-7-O-glucoside,{{Cite journal |last1=Khokhlova |first1=Kateryna |last2=Vyshnevska |first2=Liliia |last3=Zdoryk |first3=Oleksandr |last4=Filatova |first4=Olga |date=2021-08-31 |title=Application of approach for development of hptlc identification and quantification methods for determination of phenolic compounds and terpenoids of several Thymus L. species |url=https://journals.uran.ua/sr_pharm/article/view/238806 |journal=ScienceRise: Pharmaceutical Science |volume=4 |language=en |issue=32 |pages=29–36 |doi=10.15587/2519-4852.2021.238806 |issn=2519-4852 |doi-access=free |archive-date=2024-08-16 |access-date=2024-08-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240816132416/https://journals.uran.ua/sr_pharm/article/view/238806 |url-status=live }} a glycoside known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as apigenin, quercetin, and kaempferol. Phenolic acids such as rosmarinic acid, which is known for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial activities, along with caffeic acid and chlorogenic acid, are also present in thyme.

Triterpenes, such as oleanolic acid and ursolic acid, are part of thyme's composition, contributing to its overall health benefits. Additionally, thyme contains tannins, which contribute to its astringent properties, as well as saponins and other minor compounds.{{cn|date=March 2025}}

Important species and cultivars

File:Variegated Lemon Thyme Thymus citriodorus variegata Leaves 3264px.JPG

Thymus citriodorus – various lemon thymes, orange thymes, lime thyme{{cn|date=September 2023}}
Thymus herba-barona (caraway thyme) is used both as a culinary herb and a ground cover, and has a very strong caraway scent due to the chemical carvone.{{Cite journal |last1=Corticchiato |first1=Marc |last2=Tomi |first2=Félix |last3=François Bernardini |first3=Antoine |last4=Casanova |first4=Joseph |date=1998-12-01 |title=Composition and infraspecific variability of essential oil from Thymus herba barona Lois |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0305197898000416 |journal=Biochemical Systematics and Ecology |volume=26 |issue=8 |pages=915–932 |doi=10.1016/S0305-1978(98)00041-6 |bibcode=1998BioSE..26..915C |issn=0305-1978 |archive-date=2021-08-03 |access-date=2024-03-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210803145336/https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0305197898000416 |url-status=live |url-access=subscription }}{{Cite web |title=Thymus herba-barona - Plant Finder |url=https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=m570 |access-date=2024-03-02 |website=www.missouribotanicalgarden.org |archive-date=2024-03-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240302144144/https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=m570 |url-status=live }}
Thymus praecox (mother of thyme, wild thyme), is cultivated as an ornamental, but is in Iceland also gathered as a wild herb for cooking, and drunk as a warm infusion.
Thymus pseudolanuginosus (woolly thyme) is not a culinary herb, but is grown as a ground cover.
Thymus serpyllum (wild thyme, creeping thyme) is an important nectar source plant for honeybees. All thyme species are nectar sources, but wild thyme covers large areas of droughty, rocky soils in southern Europe (both Greece and Malta are especially famous for wild thyme honey) and North Africa, as well as in similar landscapes in the Berkshire and Catskill Mountains of the northeastern US. The lowest growing of the widely used thyme is good for walkways. It is also an important caterpillar food plant for large and common blue butterflies.{{cite web |url=http://butterfly-conservation.org/files/caterpillar-food-plants.pdf |title=Caterpillar food plants.pub |access-date=2015-09-28 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20150929040600/http://butterfly-conservation.org/files/caterpillar-food-plants.pdf |archive-date=2015-09-29 }}
Thymus vulgaris (common thyme, English thyme, summer thyme, winter thyme, French thyme,{{cite web |url=http://www.sandmountainherbs.com/thyme_french.html |title=French Thyme, Thymus vulgaris |publisher=Sand Mountain Herbs |access-date=2014-05-27 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140527220154/http://www.sandmountainherbs.com/thyme_french.html |archive-date=2014-05-27 }} or garden thyme){{cite web|url=http://www.superbherbs.net/englishtyme.htm|title=English thyme|work=Sara's Superb Herbs|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120209203611/http://www.superbherbs.net/englishtyme.htm|archive-date=2012-02-09}} is a commonly used culinary herb. Common thyme is a Mediterranean perennial which is best suited to well-drained soils and full sun.