Not only delicious food, see the 3 health benefits of thyme

Just like rosemary, the thyme plant is also a spice commonly used in Western cooking. Apart from being a food flavoring, this spice has been known for a long time as medicine. In fact, what are the benefits of the thyme plant for the health of the body? Come on, learn more in the following review.

Benefits of thyme for health

Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) is a type of mint plant originating from mainland Europe. This plant can grow easily in gaps in rocks or wood with sufficient sunlight. Therefore, thyme can be cultivated all over the world.

Most people use thyme as a food flavoring. The leaves, flowers, and stems are chopped and mixed with parsley and bay leaves to flavor broths, stews and soups.

Not only that, the Greeks and Egyptians have used thyme as an herbal plant for a long time. In fact, some products such as soap, toothpaste, perfume, cosmetics, and antibacterial creams also use thyme as a basic ingredient.

The use of thyme in various products is motivated by the content of various useful active compounds. To be clearer, let's discuss the following benefits of thyme one by one.

1. Potential to lower blood pressure

A study published in Acta Poloniae Pharmaceutica and Drug Research reported one of the properties of thyme plant for hypertension (high blood pressure).

This animal-based study found that mice given methanol extract containing the active compound thyme plant lowered triglyceride levels, bad cholesterol, systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

Although the potential exists, these studies need further observations to confirm their effects in humans.

2. Helps relieve cough

The next benefit of thyme is that it helps relieve coughs. Although illnesses are common and sometimes get better with over-the-counter medications, the symptoms can interfere with your activities.

A study in the journal Arzneimittelforschung found the potential of thyme for acute bronchitis patients. Bronchitis is inflammation that attacks the bronchial tubes.

A total of 361 acute bronchitis patients who attended outpatient treatment were divided into 2 groups. They were asked to drink a syrup that combines thyme and ivy plants with regular syrup for 10 days.

The results showed that patients who drank thyme and ivy syrup experienced a 67 percent reduction in cough symptoms on day 7. Meanwhile, patients who drank regular syrup experienced a decrease in cough symptoms by 47 percent.

Apart from drinking thyme-containing cough syrups, many people are trying to get this benefit by drinking thyme tea. This warm tea can increase your fluid intake which helps thin the mucus in the respiratory tract that causes you to keep coughing.

3. Kills bacteria in the house

Getting the properties of thyme is not just by consuming its extract. You can also get this by using thyme as a cleaning agent at home. Indirectly, a clean house has a positive impact on the health of the body.

A study in the journal Letters in Applied Microbiology, found that thyme essential oil has antifungal compounds. The active compounds in question are p-cymene (36.5%), thymol (33.0%) and 1,8-cineole (11.3%). You can use this oil to clean moldy house walls.

Remember, leaving the house filled with mold can cause health problems, especially for people with asthma and allergies.

Pay attention to this if you want the benefits of thyme

Not everyone is safe to use thyme, be it in the form of extract, oil, or fresh thyme. This is because certain ingredients in thyme can also cause allergic reactions.

So, before using make sure that you are not allergic to thyme, oregano and other plant species Lamiaceae sp..

In addition, consult your doctor first if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or using certain drugs. The reason is, thyme compounds can interact with anti-seizure drugs or anticholinergic drugs used by patients with asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).

Avoid using thyme if you have blood clotting problems or have recently had surgery. The thyme plant can increase the risk of more severe bleeding.