Rosemary vs Thyme - Health impact and Nutrition Comparison

Introduction

Herbs are plants that are used for medicine, food, flavoring, for their aromatic properties and so on. They have a variety of uses. They are even used in many religions. There are uncountable species of herbs. Let’s compare two of the spices: Thyme and Rosemary. Everyone knows the Thyme - it's not just a creeping plant, but a strong healer of many diseases, even deadly ones. In ancient times they were treated with serious illnesses that did not give a person a chance to survive. It was known in ancient Greece and ancient Rome (soldiers swam in the water, infused with it, to gain strength). Also it was grown and used as a spice. The Egyptians used it instead of spirits. In the 11th century, thanks to the Benedictine monks, it was spread in Europe. This herb grows in the European part of Russia, Belarus, Armenia, partly in the Urals, Siberia and Kazakhstan, in the Crimea, along the outskirts of pine forests. In Southern Europe grows the wild thyme. More than 400 species of thyme are known, the most commonly used are Thymus vulgaris and Thymus serpillum.

Rosemary is an herb medicinal plant with a pleasant aroma. The wild rosemary is found in southern Europe. In regions with a warm climate, it grows in the open ground in one place up to 20 years, reaching a height of two meters. This plant is from the west of the Mediterranean region. The Latin name of the plant translates as "sea freshness". It, obviously, was spread throughout Europe, during the campaigns of Romans. In Rome the plant was cultivated as healing and aromatic from ancient times. Flowers and leaves of this plant are used as spices in cooking. The leaves exude a clear and bright aroma. It is a part of the classic French spicy mixture of "Provence grass" and "bouquet garnish", based on it, fragrant vinegar is prepared. Its leaves are perfectly combined with all kinds of meat. It is very important that the plant does not lose its flavor with prolonged heat treatment, so it can be added when frying, stewing or baking foods. It is added to sauces and soups, and especially well it approaches to dishes from cheese. Several leaves of plant can be added to the dessert. In addition, in cooking, rosemary oil and salt are stripped. Due to the qualities of the antioxidant, it serves as a natural food preservative. Long ago, the Greeks dedicated rosemary to the goddess Venus. It was believed that this plant makes a person happy and joyful, relieves bad dreams and keeps young.

Nutritional Content Comparison

If we compare the nutritional content of these plants, Thyme has much more advantages. It is 3 times richer in vitamins and about 2 times richer in minerals. Moreover, it is lower in glycemic index, saturated fat and sodium. They contain an equal quantity of sugars and cholesterol. What about the coverage of our needs, thyme covers 6 times more of our needs of vitamins as it contains 7 times more Vitamin C, 3 times more Vitamin B2, 2 times more Vitamin B3 and relatively more Vitamin A and B1, while Rosemary is richer only in Vitamin B5 about 2 times. It also covers 7 times more of our needs of minerals than Rosemary does. It contains more Iron, calcium, magnesium, copper, zinc and phosphorus and contains less sodium. In case of diets, Thyme is preferable for low calories, low fat and low glycemic index diets, while Rosemary is preferable for low carbs diet.

Health Impact

In folk medicine, creeping thyme is widely accepted and used. It is prescribed for neuralgia and neuroses of different etiology. With its help, successfully treat diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, atony, spasms of the intestine, flatulence. With regular administration of drugs from thyme, the patients normalize digestion, stomach pain disappears, the formation of gases decreases, and the intestinal microflora is normalized due to the disinfecting properties of the herb. Infusions and decoctions of plants are effective for bronchitis, laryngitis, tonsillitis, bronchopneumonia due to their enveloping, expectorant and antiseptic properties. They are able to increase the secretion of bronchial glands and dilute sputum. Preparations from thyme have an antimicrobial effect even with an insignificant content of phenolic compounds in it. Also, the plant is good for insomnia. It is believed that if you sleep on a pillow from this herb, then it removes the excitement and relieves the headache.

From the ancient times the healing properties of rosemary were known. It contains substances that have a beneficial effect on the brain, enhancing memory and performance, so in the past centuries, rosemary meals were recommended to during the exams. It helps in the treatment of cancer, relieves stress, normalizes the work of the nervous and cardiovascular system, and its tinctures are used for rheumatism, hypotension and thrombosis. This plant is indispensable in dietary nutrition, as it cleanses the body, normalizes the water-fat balance and restores metabolism. Adding this fragrant spice to your family's ration, you care about the health and well-being of close people, since in the winter months it can save you from colds. At home, you can use it also for cosmetic purposes - for example, rosemary baths make the skin supple and soft, relieve nervous tension and tone the body. Studies also state that compounds absorbed from rosemary aroma have a great impact on the subjective state and cognition through various neurochemical pathways.

SUMMARY

To sum up, they both have many benefits like healing the stomach pain, preventing cancer risk, enhancing the memory and so on. Nevertheless, the health benefits are incomparable as they are quite different. Although, if we compare their nutritional content, it is evident that thyme is much better for use as it contains much more vitamins and minerals than rosemary does. It is richer in vitamins 3 times and in minerals 2 times. But, as I have already mentioned they both have many health benefits, can treat from many diseases and have a positive impact on the body. So that, they both are highly recommended for a usage.