Natural Antibiotic - Thyme

In short: Thyme is a perennial Mediterranean herb used as a spice and traditionally as a natural antiseptic, mainly because it contains thymol (about 3.5%). Sow seeds on the surface in March–April, as they need light to germinate, and transplant in May. It needs sun, poor sandy soil and no fertilizer.

Thyme is a strongly aromatic herb that has been used for 4000 years as a culinary spice and as a healing natural antibiotic. In the Maghreb, a decoction mixed with olive oil is still prepared from it today, which is used for cleaning wounds.

Thyme Gave Strength and Courage

Thyme (lat. Thymus vulgaris) belongs to the Lamiaceae family. Its name comes from the Greek word thymos, which means courage, strength, masculinity, or alternatively smoke offering, smoking, or the human soul.

Ancient Egyptians used thyme essential oil to embalm their deceased. In Athens, it was cultivated by the Greeks, who claimed that thyme gave them strength and refreshment. At the same time, they used thyme as a sacrificial herb in incense, which burned continuously on temple altars. Roman soldiers prepared baths from it to gain courage and strength. The distinguished Roman poet Virgil writes about thyme as "a means of prolonging the preservation of meat."

In the Middle Ages, very delicious sauces were prepared from thyme, and it was added crushed together with salt to various dishes. At the same time, during this period, people considered it a magical plant, adding it to incense and preparing strengthening and stimulating drinks from it. They even believed it would chase away nightmares and help people see and recognize elves. During this period, thyme was worn on their garments by high-ranking women, who gifted it to knights embarking on crusades.

In the 18th century, an important component was discovered in thyme - thymol, which initially also replaced camphor.

Thyme grows freely along roadsides, in meadows, or at the edges of forests. In our regions, we cultivate it indoors in a pot or as one of the plants in an herb garden. It can be part of a hedge, which with regular trimming twice a year creates a compact continuous growth. When growing outdoors, we plant new seedlings once every 4-5 years.

Growing Thyme

The country of origin of thyme is the Mediterranean, the territory up to Italy. It is cultivated in Spain, Albania, France and Greece. In our conditions, we grow it mainly from seeds, which we plant in a seedbed during March - April. Thyme seeds are placed on the soil surface, only lightly pressed down, as they germinate in light. We transplant it to the garden bed in May. Thyme prefers loose sandy or stony soils. In nutrient-rich soil, it loses its spicy flavor.

We never fertilize it! We place thyme in locations with sufficient sunlight, which are also protected from wind. We water it moderately, but don't let the plant's soil dry out completely. For watering thyme, settled water at room temperature is most suitable, which we pour into a saucer under the pot. It blooms from May to September with white, pink or light purple flowers. Wild-growing thyme tends to become woody and has sparser branches, which doesn't happen with cultivated varieties of thyme.

Thyme contains thymol (3.5%), cymene, carvacrol, a-pinene, linalool, borneol, cineole, 10% tannins, organic acids and other substances. Non-woody sprigs of thyme should be harvested during dry days, preferably around noon. The most suitable sprigs for harvesting and subsequent storage are just before flowering. To prevent the thyme sprigs from becoming woody, it is best to harvest them frequently. If we don't want to pick the thyme, we recommend cutting it back by about one third of the plant after the flowers have faded. The thyme will thus strengthen and thicken. It is a perennial herb, transplant it as needed. Indoors, overwinter it in a light place, water sparingly and maintain a temperature of around 15°C. If growing it in a bed, cover it with conifer branches for winter. Thyme should be dried at normal temperature in bunches so that the essential oils do not evaporate.

Thyme - The Poor Man's Penicillin

Thyme is one of the most powerful natural antibiotics, with significant disinfectant and antiseptic effects. It works against fungi, bacteria, and intestinal parasites. In recent research, scientists from Israel discovered that thyme infusion stops the growth of Helicobacter pylori. It is used in treating upper respiratory tract conditions associated with insufficient secretion, in whooping cough, tonsillitis, bronchitis, and asthma. It is also used for rheumatism, diabetes, and treating anemia, among other conditions. From thyme, we prepare tea, tincture, infusion, mouthwash, and compresses.

The most commonly used is thyme tea, which we prepare by adding 2 teaspoons of dried thyme to 150 ml of boiling water, letting the mixture steep for 5 minutes, and then straining it. We drink it twice daily, preferably as hot as possible. We give thyme to children, but only in very small doses. For acne-prone skin rashes, we prepare an infusion for compresses by adding a handful of thyme to 1 liter of boiling water, straining after steeping, and washing the skin several times a day.

In the pharmaceutical industry, it is added to mouthwashes, gargles and toothpastes. We can prepare homemade mouthwash by adding 2 teaspoons of thyme to 150 ml of hot water and letting it steep for 10 minutes. After cooling, strain the infusion and use it twice daily for gargling.

It is said that sleeping on a pillow filled with thyme relieves depression and calms not only the body but also the soul.

The recommended daily dose of thyme is 10g. Overdosing on thymol can cause vomiting, severe headaches, thyroid disorders and more. Its use is not recommended for pregnant and breastfeeding women.

Thyme indispensable in the kitchen

We season mainly poultry, game and fish with thyme. We season pizza with a mixture of basil, oregano and thyme. It is also part of Provençal seasoning and the famous French liqueur. Its original recipe comes from the Benedictine Abbey of Fécamp on the River Seine.

Thyme is a typical spice for Mediterranean, as well as French, Spanish and Mexican cuisine. It aids digestion, which is why we add it to heavier dishes such as legumes, roasted meat, smoked meats and fatty foods.

Thyme can be added at any time during cooking, but dried herb should be added at the beginning of cooking, as this is when it releases its aromatic essential oils into the dish.

Store it in the refrigerator in a plastic bag or in a well-sealed plastic container, where it will stay fresh for up to a week.