Thyme: big numbers per 3.5 oz (100 g), almost no trials of the herb itself

Most of the human trials of thyme we found are Spanish crossover studies in 12 to 33 adults with high cholesterol, where thyme phenols came as an extract added to olive oil. We found no trial of thyme used as a kitchen herb. In the trial of 12, 1.7 tbsp (25 mL) a day of the enriched oil for 3 weeks lowered oxidized LDL against baseline and raised fecal bifidobacteria against plain virgin olive oil. The abstract gives no size for either change. A 2024 meta-analysis of 45 intervention studies in type 2 diabetes found significant fasting glucose gains for cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, black cumin and saffron. Thyme was not among them, which may reflect few or no eligible thyme trials, so it counts as no evidence either way. On paper the herb looks rich. USDA lists fresh thyme at 160.1 mg of vitamin C per 3.5 oz (100 g), while the UK table gives 17 mg, so that figure is uncertain by an order of magnitude and is per 3.5 oz (100 g) of herb, not per culinary portion.

The numbers, per 3.5 oz (100 g)

How much is actually in it

• The composition of wild thyme varies between sources with variety, soil, harvest and lab method, and the plant can take up lead from contaminated soil. — analyses of Thymus serpyllum herb Evidence D source
  One Indian analysis per 3.5 oz (100 g) dry weight: protein 21.4 g, vitamin C 43.8 mg
• USDA lists fresh thyme at 160.1 mg of vitamin C and 17.45 mg of iron per 3.5 oz (100 g), and dried thyme at 123.6 mg of iron per 3.5 oz (100 g), figures for 3.5 oz (100 g) of the herb, not for a culinary portion. — USDA SR Legacy records Thyme, fresh and Spices, thyme, dried (n = 2 records) Evidence E source
  Fresh: vitamin C 160.1 mg (178% DV), iron 17.45 mg (97% DV), copper 0.555 mg per 3.5 oz (100 g); dried: iron 123.6 mg, vitamin C 50 mg per 3.5 oz (100 g)
• The UK table puts fresh thyme at 17 mg of vitamin C per 3.5 oz (100 g), about a tenth of the USDA figure of 160.1 mg, so the vitamin C number for thyme is uncertain by an order of magnitude. — CoFID 2021 record 13-893 Thyme, fresh vs USDA FDC 173470 (n = 2 records) Evidence E source
  Vitamin C 17 mg (CoFID) vs 160.1 mg (USDA) per 3.5 oz (100 g), 89% difference; CoFID fresh thyme also 630 mg calcium, 12.3 g fiber per 3.5 oz (100 g)

What your body absorbs

• In a crossover RCT in 33 hyperlipidemic adults, virgin olive oil complemented with thyme phenols raised thyme phenolic metabolites in the body and lowered a marker of oxidative DNA damage against baseline, to a greater extent than olive oil enriched with its own phenols. — 33 hyperlipidemic subjects (n = 33) Evidence B source
  8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine decreased versus pre-intervention, more with FVOOT than FVOO; superoxide dismutase increased, with parallel increase in thyme phenolic metabolites (sizes not given in the abstract)

What it does to your health

• In a crossover RCT in 12 adults with high cholesterol, 1.7 tbsp (25 mL) a day of olive oil enriched with olive and thyme phenols for 3 weeks lowered oxidized LDL against baseline and raised fecal bifidobacteria against plain virgin olive oil. — hypercholesterolemic humans, 25 mL/day for 3 weeks, 2-week washouts (n = 12) Evidence B source
  Ox-LDL decreased versus pre-FVOOT; bifidobacteria and protocatechuic acid increased versus VOO (P < 0.05); magnitudes not given in the abstract
• In a crossover RCT in 22 adults with high cholesterol, 3 weeks of olive oil enriched with olive and thyme phenols upregulated cholesterol efflux genes in blood cells, with CYP27A1 up against baseline at P = 0.041. — 22 hypercholesterolemic subjects, 25 mL/day for three weeks (n = 22) Evidence B source
  CYP27A1 upregulated (P = 0.041 vs baseline, P = 0.053 vs control); LXRbeta, RXRalpha, PPARbeta/delta up vs baseline (P = 0.005, 0.005, 0.038)
• In a crossover RCT in 12 men with overweight, 6 g of a 13-spice blend that included thyme in a high-fat meal reduced IL-1beta secretion from stimulated blood cells at 4 hours, while 2 g did not. — Nonsmoking men (40-65 y old) with overweight/obesity and at least 1 CVD risk factor (n = 12) Evidence B source
  IL-1beta secretion from LPS-stimulated PBMCs reduced at 240 min with 6 g spice blend vs 0 g; spice-by-time interaction P < 0.001

Safety, limits and interactions

• The FDA lists both thyme (Thymus vulgaris) and wild or creeping thyme (Thymus serpyllum) among spices generally recognized as safe for their intended use in food. — US food law (21 CFR 182.10) Evidence E source
  GRAS status as spice/natural seasoning; table rows: Thyme, Thymus vulgaris L.; Thyme, wild or creeping, Thymus serpyllum L.

What people believe that the data does not support

• Health claims for wild thyme in the EU, for throat and digestion, are only on hold and were never assessed by EFSA, and a urinary-system claim was judged too general. — EU health claim applications for Thymus serpyllum Evidence D source
  On-hold claims ID 3716, 4166 (respiratory) and 4491 (digestive); none authorized

Who this works differently for

• A 1996 case report describes a man with three systemic allergic reactions after eating oregano and thyme, with skin tests suggesting cross-sensitivity across the mint family. — one patient, ten control patients for skin tests (n = 1) Evidence D source
  Specific IgE detected to all Labiatae herbs tested; controls negative
• Among 150 Polish herb workers compared with 50 urban residents, thyme farmers showed the highest rate of sensitization to microbes in herb dust, pointing to a work risk rather than a dietary one. — 150 people occupationally exposed to herb dust (47 thyme farmers) vs 50 urban dwellers (n = 200) Evidence C source
  Pantoea agglomerans precipitin positivity 30.6% (48.3% concentrated sera) vs 12.0% in reference group, p < 0.01

What is still unknown

• A 2024 meta-analysis of 45 intervention studies in type 2 diabetes found significant fasting glucose improvement for cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, black cumin and saffron, and thyme was not among them. — T2DM subjects in interventional studies (n = 45 studies in meta-analysis) Evidence B source
  Significant fasting glucose improvement only for cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, black cumin and saffron; none reported for thyme
• A 2024 review of wild thyme found no reported drug interactions and no overdose cases, but notes there are no data on interaction risk because only one intervention study exists. — literature on Thymus serpyllum preparations Evidence D source
  No drug interactions reported; interaction risk unstudied

The bottom line

In 33 adults with high blood lipids, olive oil complemented with thyme phenols raised thyme phenolic metabolites in the body and lowered a marker of oxidative DNA damage against baseline. It did so to a greater extent than olive oil enriched with its own phenols, again with no effect sizes in the abstract. In 22 adults the same oil at 1.7 tbsp (25 mL) a day for 3 weeks raised the activity of cholesterol efflux genes in blood cells. CYP27A1 rose against baseline (P = 0.041) and fell just short of significance against the control oil (P = 0.053), a gene signal in place of a clinical outcome. In 12 men with overweight, a high-fat meal with 6 g of a 13-spice blend cut IL-1beta release from stimulated blood cells at 4 hours, and 2 g did not. Thyme was one of the 13 spices, so nothing in that result can be credited to thyme alone. Dried thyme is listed at 123.6 mg of iron per 3.5 oz (100 g) and fresh at 17.45 mg. Those are legacy USDA records with no measured sample spread and no standard portion, so no dataset here says how much iron a sprinkle gives. Wild thyme varies between analyses with variety, soil and harvest, and the plant can take up lead from contaminated soil. No claim for wild thyme is authorized in the EU, and those about throat and digestion are on hold, never assessed by EFSA. US food law lists garden thyme and wild thyme among spices generally recognized as safe for their intended use in food. That status covers seasoning, and thyme oil sits on a separate list. We have no card on pregnancy or children for thyme. A 2024 review of wild thyme found no reported drug interactions and says interaction risk is unstudied, because only one intervention study exists. A 1996 case report describes a man with three systemic allergic reactions after eating oregano and thyme, with specific IgE to every mint family herb tested. That is one case, but it suggests that someone who reacts to oregano or another herb of that family may react to thyme too. In a Polish study of 150 herb workers, thyme farmers were the most often sensitized to microbes in herb dust, a risk from breathing dust at work.

Sources

1. thy-r2-10 · systematic review
   The nutritional composition of T. serpyllum herba varies between literature sources and studies, probably due to different varieties, genetic, environmental, ecology and harvest conditions of the plant, as well as the analytical methodology ... Some studies indicate that T. serpyllum can accumulate trace elements and heavy metals, like lead (Pb), if the soil is contaminated (69–72) (Table 2).
   Front Nutr, 2024 · checked 2026-09-28
2. thy-r2-11 · USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy, dataset
   Thyme, fresh (FDC 173470, SR Legacy, Spices and Herbs): vitamin C 160.1 mg per 100 g = 178% DV; iron 17.45 mg = 97% DV; copper 0.555 mg = 62% DV; Spices, thyme, dried: iron 123.6 mg, vitamin C 50 mg; Foundation samples 0
   USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy, FDC 173470 · checked 2026-09-28
3. thy-r2-12 · CoFID 2021, dataset
   CoFID 2021 13-893 Thyme, fresh: Vitamin C 17 mg, Calcium 630 mg, AOAC fibre 12.3 g per 100 g; USDA FDC 173470 Thyme, fresh: vitamin C 160.1 mg per 100 g
   CoFID 2021 (Public Health England), code 13-893, OGL v3.0 · checked 2026-09-28
4. thy-r2-01 · randomized crossover trial
   Compared to pre-intervention, 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (a marker for DNA damage) decreased in the FVOO intervention and to a greater extent in the FVOOT with a parallel significant increase in olive and thyme phenolic metabolites.
   J Agric Food Chem, 2016 · checked 2026-09-28
5. thy-r2-02 · randomized crossover trial
   RESULTS: FVOOT decreased seric ox-LDL concentrations compared with pre-FVOOT, and increased numbers of bifidobacteria and the levels of the phenolic metabolite protocatechuic acid compared to VOO (P < 0.05).
   Eur J Nutr, 2017 · checked 2026-09-28
6. thy-r2-03 · randomized crossover trial
   The FVOOT intervention upregulated the expression of CYP27A1 (P = 0.041 and P = 0.053, versus baseline and the control intervention, respectively), CAV1 (P = 0.070, versus the control intervention), and LXRβ, RXRα, and PPARβ/δ (P = 0.005, P = 0.005, and P = 0.038, respectively, relative to the baseline).
   Nutrients, 2019 · checked 2026-09-28
7. thy-r2-04 · randomized crossover trial
   The spice blend consisted of basil, bay leaf, black pepper, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, ginger, oregano, parsley, red pepper, rosemary, thyme, and turmeric. ... CONCLUSIONS: A HFCM containing 6 g spice blend attenuated HFCM-induced postprandial IL-1β secretion in men with overweight/obesity.
   J Nutr, 2020 · checked 2026-09-28
8. thy-wf6-01 · 21 CFR 182.10
   Spices and other natural seasonings and flavorings that are generally recognized as safe for their intended use, within the meaning of section 409 of the Act, are as follows:
   21 CFR 182.10, Spices and other natural seasonings and flavorings · checked 2026-09-29
9. thy-r2-09 · systematic review
   For T. serpyllum, there are “on-hold claims” for respiratory (soothing for mouth and throat; ID 3716 and 4,166) and gastrointestinal health (improvement of digestive function; ID 4491) for being used in supplements.
   Front Nutr, 2024 · checked 2026-09-28
10. thy-r2-06 · case report
    OBJECTIVE: We describe three systemic allergic reactions caused by oregano and thyme in the same patient. ... CONCLUSIONS: Plants belonging to the Labiatae family seem to show cross-sensitivity on the basis of clinical history and in vitro and in vivo test results.
    Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol, 1996 · checked 2026-09-28
11. thy-r2-07 · case-control study
    The risk of sensitization seems to be greatest among thyme farmers, who showed the highest positive response.
    Ann Agric Environ Med, 2004 · checked 2026-09-28
12. thy-r2-05 · systematic review and meta-analysis
    RESULTS: This systematic review retrieved 6958 studies, of which 77 were included in the qualitative synthesis and 45 were included in the meta-analysis. Our results showed that cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, black cumin, and saffron significantly improved the fasting glucose levels in T2DM subjects.
    Nutrients, 2024 · checked 2026-09-28
13. thy-r2-08 · systematic review
    No special warnings or precautions for use are required, and no drug interactions have been reported (32). ... There is no data available with regard to interaction risks since there is only a single intervention study.
    Front Nutr, 2024 · checked 2026-09-28