Let’s Talk About Thyme
Photo by Britany Beryl
The fundamental drivers behind our food philosophy at Golden Roots Kitchen are flavor, quality, and intention. We strive to deliver fresh, seasonal offerings that incorporate a variety of ingredients—inspired by international cultures and cuisine. Fresh herbs and spices are integral to the creative process behind nearly every dish on our menu. Not only do herbs and spices bring abundant flavor to our food, but they also have important properties that contribute to our well being. Knowing that what you’re eating is creating well-being within you is an important step in living a holistic life. With this understanding, we are using our training, plus a little research, to delve deeper into the traditional uses, medicinal properties, and nutritional benefits of some of the most beloved herbs in the plant kingdom.
To kick off our series on herbs, let’s talk about thyme — a prized and popular herb native to the European shores of the Mediterranean — whose name is derived from the Greek word thūmós, meaning "spirit". This versatile herb has been used for its medicinal, spiritual, and culinary benefits for thousands of years. It offers a variety of benefits from all of its plant parts — stems, leaves, and flowers.
Nutritional Value
The leaves from thyme pack a punch with an abundance of vitamins and minerals. Listed below are a variety of ways in which this herb can support the body for optimal health. It’s not hard to be awestruck reading them all — amazing to think about all these functions happening (we hope seamlessly) all the time!
Calcium — vital for strong bones and teeth, supports the nervous system, and is crucial for muscle growth and contraction
Iron — essential for red blood cell formation, and forms an essential part of many enzymes
Manganese — supports the nervous and immune systems, and regulates blood sugar
Magnesium —essential for protein synthesis, bone formation, nerve transmission, metabolism of carbohydrates and minerals, and helps form hard tooth enamel
Potassium —an important component of cell and body fluids that helps control heart rate and blood pressure
Selenium — a vital antioxidant, essential for pancreatic function and tissue elasticity
Vitamin-A — a catalyst for innumerable biochemical processes, an antioxidant that protects the body from harmful pollutants, stimulates gastric juices crucial for protein digestion, helps build strong bones and blood, and plays a role in RNA production
Vitamin-K —needed for blood clotting and bone formation
Vitamin-E — crucial for circulation, tissue repair, and has anti-aging properties, as it can deactivate free radicals
Vitamin-C — helps the body battle against harmful agents, assists in collagen production, tissue growth and repair, and adrenal function
Medicinal Uses
Wow — who would have guessed thyme was such a superstar? It’s no wonder it has been utilized as a healing remedy for treating respiratory infections such as bronchitis, sore throat, and dry cough. Thyme is a powerful cough suppressant, expectorant, and antispasmodic. This potent herb is rich in plant phenols, thymol, and carvacrol — active antimicrobial agents — that gently soothe and aid in healing the bronchial tract by thinning mucus and combating bacteria so it can be expelled. These antimicrobial agents also have been used to treat ailments in the mouth such as canker sores and bad breath. Fun fact: Thymol is an active ingredient in many mouthwashes!
Thyme has also been used traditionally as a digestive aid to relieve intestinal cramping, indigestion, bloating, and gas. Thymol stimulates contractions of smooth muscle tissue along the digestive tract so that food is not sitting in the stomach for an extended amount of time. The antimicrobial agents present in this herb also help support a healthy balance of beneficial gut bacteria.
Aromatherapy
For a quick mood booster, try diffusing thyme essential oil for a sense of aromatic euphoria. This oil has been found to boost neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin — the “happy chemicals” that regulate mood, sleep, pleasure, motivation, drive, pain response, and digestion. Greeks and Romans burned this sacred herb as an incense, as it was thought to improve clarity and strength in the mind, as well as clear the air of illnesses. Consuming this herb regularly or diffusing the essential oil is thought to promote relaxation and overall well-being!
Thyme in the Kitchen
Thyme has been a staple in the culinary world for centuries — and one you can be sure to taste in many GRK offerings — used in both raw and cooked form. Beyond the traditional and medicinal uses, it has been used simply to enhance flavors in many global cuisines. Thyme has an earthy and gentle flavor — with minty, and lemony tones. This pungent herb pairs with many foods including — poultry, beef roast, lamb, dairy, eggs, and tomatoes, as well as seasoning for soups and sauces. You’ll find thyme spotlighted in many of our dishes here at GRK — like our Lemony Thyme Yogurt, Sweet Potato and Leek Frittata, Basil and Thyme Balsamic and our Roasted Young Carrots.
As flavor fanatics, we are inspired by the many ways to incorporate these true gifts from nature into our dishes. We encourage you to get creative and experimental with herbs and spices when cooking at home. Buying a different herb or two on your next market trip will make a huge difference in improving the flavor and nutrient profile of the simplest meal. If you can, nurturing your own herb garden can become a great pleasure and tool for your health.
Tips from the Chef
Use three times more herbs than you think you’ll need. Your taste buds and your body will thank you. We learned to use heaps of herbs instead of pinches from London’s famed Yotam Ottolenghi. If you want to learn to use more herbs, all of his cookbooks are worth checking out. Plenty More and Jerusulum are great places to start. You’ll recognize the inspiration for many of our GRK staples!
Fresh herbs should be added after your meal is finished cooking. This protects the heat sensitive vitamins in them and flavor. Dry herbs, which will have lost their vitamins, but retain their valuable minerals, should be used early in cooking to help open their flavor.
Wishing you wellness, always,
Mary and Melanie
Mary Smith has her Bachelor’s of Science in Nutrition and Food Science, and serves as GRK’s in-house nutrition expert.
Melanie is the owner and head Chef of Golden Roots Kitchen and graduate of the Bauman College, Natural Chef program.
Brittany Cole is a photographer based in Santa Cruz, CA; you can find her work here.
For more information, check out the following sources:
Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats by Sally Fallon
“Thymol, Thyme, and Other Plant Sources: Health and Potential Uses - Salehi - 2018 - Phytotherapy Research” Phytotherapy Research, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, 22 May 2018.