It is useful in the garden as groundcover, where it can be short-lived, but is easily propagated from cuttings. It is an aromatic perennial evergreen herb with culinary, medicinal, and ornamental uses. The origin of the word thyme perhaps goes back to either the Greek word, “thumus” which means “courage”, or from the Greek word “thymos” meaning “to perfume”. The herb is native to the western Mediterranean region from the Iberian Peninsula to Italy (northern Italy, southern France (including Corsica), eastern Spain and the Balearic Islands). It is a species of flowering plant in the mint family Lamiaceae and belongs to the genus Thymus which is part of the mint family and closely related to oregano-another powerful herb. The herb is commonly known as common thyme, German thyme, garden thyme, thyme, winter thyme, German winter, narrow-leafed French, Greek gray, broad leaf English and mother of thyme. Marjoram also belongs to the same family as Cuban oregano and makes a good replacement because of their similar flavor profile.ġ teaspoon dried Cuban oregano can be substituted with 1 teaspoon dried marjoram.Ĭuban oregano is known by various names depending on the country in which it is used.Ĭommon English names include Mexican mint, Indian borage, Spanish thyme, French thyme, soup mint, country borage, broad leaf thyme.Īlso known as Karpooravalli, Omavalli, Ajwain leaves, doddapatre, kapparillaku.Thyme scientifically known as Thymus vulgaris is an upright, woody-based perennial which is primarily grown as a culinary herb in herb gardens. Regular oregano makes a very good substitute as they both smell similar, but the quantity used should be a little more than required to balance the strong flavor.ġ teaspoon of dried Cuban oregano can be substituted with 1 teaspoon dried oregano. Substitute for Cuban oreganoĬuban oregano has a more pungent and musky aroma with lemony tones and hence it’s mostly used in Caribbean dishes. ![]() They can also be made into a fresh pesto or chopped and added to salsa. Being a tropical herb, it is mostly used to marinate meats, stuff the poultry, and also to flavor a few other vegetable dishes.įresh leaves have the maximum flavor and they are often made into fritters by dipping into batter and deep frying. It is used in both fresh form and dried form. Culinary uses of Cuban oreganoĪs the name suggests, it is most often used in Cuban cuisine, African cuisine, and Indian cuisine. Whereas Cuban oregano has big, thick, and fuzzy leaves which look more like succulents. The leaves of regular oregano are small and regular in thickness, somewhat similar to marjoram. Cuban oregano vs OreganoĮven though both Oregano and Cuban oregano belongs to the same family, they are from different species. ![]() Hence it also helps in managing other side effects of diabetes.Ĭuban oregano leaves are also used in treating some scalp-related and hair-related problems like premature graying and dandruff. It is also used to treat diabetic patients as it effectively regulates blood sugar levels. Simply chewing a leaf or two will help in maintaining dental hygiene and prevent other oral problems. The leaves can also be steeped into a tea or made into a soup as it is both refreshing and aids in better digestion.Ĭuban oregano also acts as a good mouth wash. ![]() It is one of my grandmother’s favorite home remedies for cold or cough. The steam from these leaves gives instant relief from chest congestion.Īs a kid, I always remember chewing a fresh leaf of Cuban oregano with a pinch of rock salt. In Ayurveda and folk medicine, the leaves are mainly used to treat respiratory illnesses such as sore throat, cold, cough, flu, asthma. Benefits of Cuban oreganoĪll the parts of the plant like leaves, bark, seeds, flowers, and root are used in traditional medicines. Then it traveled from Spain to the Americas, hence the name Spanish thyme. But many believe that it has traveled from eastern Africa to coastal India, and then to Europe. Mexican mint Cuban oregano origin?Ĭuban oregano can be found in eastern Africa and coastal India for more than centuries. It is also known as Mexican mint, Indian borage, or Spanish thyme.Īlthough it has oregano in its name, it is completely different from the oregano (Mediterranean) that we find on the shelves of American supermarkets. Cuban oregano, Coleus amboinicus is a succulent herb that belongs to the same family as mint, thyme, and rosemary.
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