Don’t be fooled, grappler. Thyme is no mere herb.
In ancient times, thyme had many uses:
- Adorning the tombs of deceased pharaohs
- Burned as incense in Greek temples
- Bathed in by Roman soldiers to energize them and give them courage
- Gifted to knights by maidens as a blessing in medieval times
I’m joking.
It’s just an herb.
But seriously, they really did do all of that. And thyme pretty much rocks.
General Information
Thyme is native to the Mediterranean, southern Europe, and parts of Asia.
If my studies of the history of the world via YouTube and internet memes serves me right, that’s pretty much where a ton of rad dudes came from: Hercules, Odysseus, Achilles, and whoever Dwayne Johnson is playing in his next movie.
Clearly, it was because of thyme.
And at some point somebody figured out you could also eat it (who knew?).
We recommend eating the tiny green plan (more on that below) as opposed to bathing in it prior to your next tournament. Or burning it at the academy. That might freak people out.
Benefits
The majority of the benefits of thyme come from the oil within the plant.
While not necessarily backed by a ton of science (who listens to those nerds anyways?), there are a lot of anecdotal benefits of thyme:
- Used to keep teeth healthy
- Cleans with antibacterial properties
- Prevent baldness in men via application to the scalp
- Prevents digestive problems
- Treats respiratory ailments and coughs
- Ridiculously delicious
- Smells a-mazing
When to eat Thyme
Morning: Thyme tea – both refreshing and delicious (recipe below)
Evening: After training, you can enjoy thyme in either a meal of grilled potatoes (http://grapplergourmet.com/guide-to-grilled-potatoes/) or in your next batch of roasted vegetables (http://grapplergourmet.com/bulk-roasting-vegetables/)!
How can my training benefit from Thyme (Thyme for Jiu Jitsu!)
Thymol, one of the oils in thyme, significant increases healthy fats found in cell membranes of the brain, kidneys, and heart (all of which you need for BJJ… I think).
Thyme also contains numerous antioxidant properties and since a lot of supplement marketing tell us those are important, I’m inclined to believe them without question.
You can also use its antiseptic properties to help heal your wounds by rubbing it on yourself.
Again though, that’s freaking weird.
So let’s just stick to eating it.
Recipe
Conclusion
So either thyme is going to turn you into Samson from the Old Testament, or it’s just a green plant. Personally, I’m pumped to take on an entire army armed with only a donkey’s jawbone
Or at least last more than 2 rounds during open mat.
So let’s go with that.
Grab a bit of thyme tea in the morning and add some more to your dinner at night for all of the health benefits of thyme. It’ll prepare you for a long evening of helping your kids during homework thyme, training during jiujitsu thyme and watching adventure thyme! (Weakest. Puns. Ever.)
Note: 2 cups of thyme tea and 26 cups of coffee (http://grapplergourmet.com/review-of-coffee/) were consumed in the writing of this article.
About the Author
Brendan Hufford is a purple belt in Jiu Jitsu under Miguel Torres and a black belt in going inverted for no reason. He’s also obsessed with the 80s, the Chief Happiness Jedi at Ok! Kimonos (http://www.okkimonos.com), and the mad scientist behind GiReviews.Net (http://www.gireviews.net).