Written By: Vivian BenjaminMentha Mentha or as it is commonly called mint is a medicinal herb that comes from the family Lamiaceae. This edible herb contains approximately 60 species, with spearmint and peppermint being the most notably used. Mints are aromatic, perennial herbs that grow between 10 to 120cm tall and spread over the environment. They are mostly cultivated in wet environments and moist soils. The mint leaves are oblong and arranged in opposite pairs. The leaf colours are usually dark green, grey-green, purple and blue. These medicinal herbs flowers are white to purple. Mentha is generally found in Asia, Europe, Australia, the US and Africa. Humans have incorporated mints in their daily lives since ancient civilization nevertheless; it was not until 1696, English botanist John Ray described mint in his book. A Little Bit about the History of Mint Mint was found to be used in Egypt for medicinal purposes during the 1550 BC. Apart from that, mint was also used by the royals in Babylon to treat digestive problems during the 1800 BC. In Greece, it was mainly used for hygienic purposes and to treat bad breath. In addition to that, mint herb was also used in embalming practice and as a perfume in Europe. Ancient Greeks and Romans used mint herb to treat nausea and vomiting. Mint in Alternative Medicine Mint can be classified as a medicinal herb that has been used since the dawn of time. Many people still use this herb to treat respiratory illnesses, reduce swelling, ease pain, treat headaches, manage rheumatism and treat liver disease. In Ayurveda practice, this aromatic herb is utilized to aid in gastrointestinal problems, lower blood pressure, improve mood, manage pain and skin care. On the other hand, Traditional Chinese Medicine incorporates mint to promote blood circulation, expel wind, soothe rashes, heal sore throats, relieve itching, reduce anxiety, improve eyesight, manage headaches and treat dizziness. Let’s now dive a little deeper into what evidence-based research findings say about mint herb. 7 Health Benefits of Mint Herb 1. Antioxidant properties Humans are all exposed to environmental hazards due to poor diet, pollution, stress, and unhealthy lifestyles. All these hazards immensely affect the body system. Free radicals are widely known to destroy the cells inside your body. Antioxidant destroys this free radical to help maintain healthy cells. Studies have concurred that not only do antioxidant helps against the damage done by free radical but also prevent chronic diseases. Several studies done on the mint herb demonstrate that this medicinal herb contains a high level of antioxidant properties, which can prevent chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular disease. 2. Reduce inflammations Inflammation plays a key role in the development of many illnesses such as cancer, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, and many more. It is the process where your body fights off and removes harmful stimuli, through your immune system so healing can take place. It can be either acute or chronic. Chronic inflammation materialises after several months to years of continuous acute inflammation, which leads to developing chronic diseases. Several studies done on mint display that this aromatic herb reduces symptoms of chronic inflammatory skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis. Apart from that, research done on mint also finds that this herb helps reduce swelling in the human body. 3. Anti-microbial properties Microbial infection can happen to anyone around the world. Exposing yourselves to unclean environments and practising unhygienic habits leads to microbes invading your body. This affects the physical and mental health of a person. Studies done on mint herb portray that this medicinal herb inhibits the growth of various Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Besides that, mentha has been evidenced to impede fungal growth by Candida species. 4. Prevents cancer Cancer is a chronic illness and the leading cause of death worldwide with approximately 10 million deaths in the year 2020. The most common cancer is breast cancer, lung cancer, colon and rectum cancer and prostate cancer. Numerous studies on mint show that this aromatic herb exhibits promising anti-cancer effects on breast cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, colon cancer, brain tumours and leukaemia. 5. Aid in gastrointestinal issues Digestion is a vital process that takes place in your body. This body function helps the body absorb nutrients to improve health and well-being. You have to nourish your gastrointestinal system to promote good digestion. Various studies demonstrates that mint aid in indigestion, and upset stomach, relieve flatulence and reduce nausea and vomiting symptoms that is caused by gastrointestinal problems. 6. Managing stress and anxiety Stress affects anyone at any time in their lives. It is characterized as a physiological, psychological and behavioural response by individuals in reaction to a certain situation. Stress happens as a result of the reduced number of neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine, dopamine and serotonin. Anxiety can happen due to stress and impact your physical and mental health dramatically. You can live life to the fullest when you care for your mental health. Mint has been incorporated into aromatherapy and used as an essential oil thanks to its aromatic scent. The scent of mentha has been evidenced to calm the mind and improve the mood. 7. Reduce bad breath Your mouth is exposed to bacterial activities because of the food and drinks you consume daily. Not caring for your oral health leads to plaque formation and bacterial growth inside the teeth, resulting in dental cavities and bad breath. Drinking mint tea or chewing on mint leaves has been evidenced to reduce microbial invasion and bad breath inside the mouth, thanks to its anti-microbial properties. Mint in Culinary Arts Where can you find mint in food and beverages? Mint can be found as flavouring in food and drinks such as in chewing gums, candies, cookies, sauces, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
There are various methods to incorporate mint into your daily life – make a tea, add it to a salad or make a mint paste to apply to bread or as a side dish to rice or pasta. Check out my 5 minutes mint chutney, a classic Indian side dish. All in All Mentha or mint is a distinguished medicinal herb that has been utilized since ancient civilization. This aromatic herb has been used in alternative medicine to treat many illnesses and symptoms. Nutrition Takes explores the uses of mint herb historically, in alternative medicine and modern medicine (evidence-based). Alternative medicine and Western (scientific) methods all have differing views and outcomes on Mentha however; mint is a green leafy herb that contains numerous vitamins and minerals that can nurture you from the inside and outside. Share in the comments section regarding your journey with Mint. Alternatively, if you haven’t heard about this aromatic herb I hope you can find valuable information and healthy tips on incorporating Mentha in Nutrition Takes. Don’t forget to share the experience. Let’s all live a happy and nourishing life. References 1. Wei, H., et al. (2023); Mentha arvensis and Mentha piperita; Vital Herbs with Myriads of Pharmaceutical Benefits; Horticulturae; 9(2): 224. 2. Wenli Sun et al (2021); Mint: Herbal Plants as Natural Medicines; Nutrition and Food Sciences Research; 8(3); 59-65. 3. Ishrat Fatima et al (2023); Mint (Mentha): A Herb and Used as Functional Medicine; International Journal of Traditional and Complimentary Medicine; 6(3): 38-52. 4. Thomas H.R et al (2022); Phenolic compounds and antimicrobial properties of mint and Thyme; Journal of Herbal Medicine; 36: 100604. 5. Saqib S. et al (2022); Mentha: Nutritional and Health Attributes to Treat Various Ailments including Cardiovascular Disease; Molecules; 27(19); 6728. 6. Silva H (2020); A Descriptive Overview of the Medical Uses given to Mentha Aromatic Herb throughout History; Biology; 9:484.
2 Comments
Philo
26/11/2023 08:36:45 am
Thanks to the author for the highlights of mint leaves. I often use mint leaves in my dishes without knowing its health benefits. Small mint leaves with great medicinal values . In future I would like to add mint leaves in most of my dishes. Once again thanks to Vivian. God bless.
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Vivian Benjamin
26/11/2023 09:14:12 am
Hello Philo, thank you for the lovely comments. I'm so happy you already use mint leaves in your cooking, It's great to know that your holistic nutrition journey is going well. Let's live a healthy and joyful life. Take care.
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