Thyme, also called thyme, is a very common essential oil plant in modern cooking. His other "names" are Bogorodskaya herb, chebarka, hog pepper, incense, heather, fly-chop, zhadobnik, lemons douche and lebyushka. But what does this plant, widespread on all continents, except for the young pole, look like?
Instructions
Step 1
People who have seen this plant only in dry form and only in a sachet for seasonings may be surprised to learn that it was originally a small shrub with a height of up to 35 centimeters and ascending stems. At the base, the latter are woody, but noticeably soften and thinner with height. The stems of an adult plant are also covered with small and loose hairs. Thyme leaves vary in size, but are always round or ovoid. They have a very tough texture and are almost leathery.
Step 2
The plant also has flowers of usually blue, blue, lilac or violet, which form small inflorescences. Thyme fruits are small boxes with four globular nuts. The flowering of thyme usually occurs from the end of June to the first days of the last summer month, and the ripening of the fruits of the plant - at the end of August - beginning of September.
Step 3
When Russian consumers buy such a spice as thyme, they acquire its dried leaves, which, when dried, have a gray-brown color.
Step 4
Thyme is used in the food and perfume industries, as well as in medicine. As mentioned above, the spice is used in cooking and is especially common in the Middle East and Central Asia. Thyme is used in the canning industry and in the preparation of alcoholic beverages. This plant is also included in the so-called "Provencal mixture of herbs." In addition to being added to various dishes, thyme is brewed in tea, making a healthy drink from it.
Step 5
Even the ancient Greeks revered thyme as a plant that was revered as divine, returning vitality and health to a person. For example, the thymol element in its composition has antihelminthic and analgesic properties. So decoctions and powder based on thyme are used as an excellent remedy for progressive radiculitis and inflammation of the sciatic nerve. A decoction and ointment from this plant is also able to cleanse the lungs of phlegm in case of a prolonged illness.
Step 6
Improves thyme and digestion, and is also effective in the case of skin rashes, diseases of not only joints, but also muscles. In the case of external use, an essential oil from thyme is used, which is rubbed, for example, on the surface of the skin.
