Need Some "Thyme"?

We could all use more time....in the day and just life in general.  I found myself thinking this as I sat at work for another longer than 8 hour day.  I'm not complaining......too much, but my time would be better spent with Kelley and one day...around food at my own business.

But, another type of time we could all benefit from is the Thmye herb.  Like most herbs, there are many benefits to be derived from this flavorful plant.  Thyme pairs well with white fish and poultry dishes, or in a mixture for a sauce or salad topper.

A few noteworthy benefits Thyme provides, as listed on this site, are:

• Antioxidants - Thyme contains the flavonoids apigenin, naringenin, luteolin, and thymonin, which have antioxidant activity.

• Anti Fungal - A study at the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Milan in Italy has concluded that thymol, the major component of thyme oil, has the ability to interfere with the formation of candida.

• Mosquito Repellent - Carvacrol, p-cymene, linalool, alpha-terpinene, and thymol are all ingredients derived from the essential oil of thyme, and have been studied for their mosquito repellent properties. In the study all 5 ingredients effectively repelled mosquitoes, and alpha-terpinene and carvacrol showed significantly greater repellent activity than a commercial formulation, with thymol showing similar repellent activity. The duration effectiveness of all 5 ingredients was equal to or higher than that of the commercial mosquito repellent.

• Anti Bacterial - The thyme extract thymol is one of the ingredients in the anti bacterial Listerine mouthwash, which in studies has exhibited potent anti bacteria properties. In a study of the antimicrobial properties of 21 plant essential oils against 5 bacteria, of which Salmonella and E. coli were included, thyme oil was one of the most inhibitory.

• Anti Inflammatory - The thymol in thyme inhibits elastase, an enzyme that breaks down elastin, and is considered a marker of inflammatory diseases.

Making your own spice and herb mix is easy and better than store bought mixes that usually have other, non-nutritional ingredients added.  Just grab an empty spice/herb container, or some type of airtight container and mix the following items:

• 2 tablespoons onion powder
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 2 tablespoons dried basil
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon turmeric
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon white pepper
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 4 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons sea salt

Add or leave out ingredients to create your own version.  Add this mix to anything lacking flavor or to just increase nutrition and flavor.

I will cut today's post short as I don't have the "thyme" for a really lengthy one.  Ok, sorry for the bad pun.

Have fun with creating a great spice mix and always be sure to make "thyme" (I broke my promise) for your meal creations.