Thyme is an herb with a strong, bitter flavor. You can use it in healthy recipes, such as salads, soups, lean meats, poultry, fish and roasted vegetables. Thyme is high in iron, and it may also provide benefits for your blood pressure as part of an overall balanced diet.
DASH Diet
High blood pressure, or hypertension, increases your risk for heart disease and stroke. You may be able to prevent hypertension, or lower your blood pressure if it is high, by following the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, or DASH, diet. This low-fat eating plan emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins and low-fat dairy products. Thyme is nearly fat-free. Use it to add flavor to fish and chicken as you grill or braise, not fry, them.
Low-Sodium Flavoring
Dried thyme has only 1 milligram of sodium in a tablespoon. A high-sodium diet can cause high blood pressure or prevent you from lowering your blood pressure if it is already high. Healthy adults should have no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day, and individuals with hypertension should not have more than 1,500 milligrams per day. You can lower your total sodium intake by using thyme instead of salty seasonings to flavor your food.
Dietary Fiber
Adding thyme to your diet increases your fiber intake, since each tablespoon of dried thyme has 1 gram of dietary fiber. A high-fiber diet may help lower your blood pressure, according to the Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center. Eating more fiber may also help lower your cholesterol levels and reduce your risk for heart disease. Most healthy adults should get at least 25 to 38 grams of fiber per day, but the average adult gets about 12 to 18 grams. Fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains are good sources, and you can increase the amount of fiber you get from them by preparing them with thyme.
Weight Control
Obesity increases your risk for developing high blood pressure. If you are overweight and already have high blood pressure, losing weight may help you lower your numbers, according to Mayo Clinic. To lose weight, you need to eat fewer calories than you burn. A tablespoon of dried thyme has only 7 calories, so thyme can help you reduce your total calorie intake when you use it in recipes and reduce the amount of high-calorie flavorings, such as butter.
References
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010; January 2010
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: Spices and Herbs
- Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center; Dietary Fiber; Jane Higdon; December 2005
- Mayo Clinic; High Blood Pressure (Hypertension); March 2011
- Mayo Clinic; Thyme; March 2011
