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Medicinal Uses for Mint


The information that follows is excerpted from a longer post:  The Ultimate Guide to Mint.  For additional information about Mint, such as its cultivation, culinary uses, or its uses through history, please click HERE to access the complete original post.  Other individual sections are listed below:
Mint and Pills

Do not try any of these uses for mint without consulting a doctor or health care provider. Nothing in this blog is designed to replace traditional medical care.




The leaf, fresh or dried, is the culinary and medicinal source of mint.  Menthol, found only in Japanese mint and peppermint leaves, is the primary flavoring and medicinal agent produced by the plant.  It gives mint its distinctive flavor and aroma.  The compound responsible for the flavoring and aroma of spearmint is  L-carvone.  It produces some of the characteristics of menthol, but on a lesser scale.  This makes spearmint better for culinary and craft usage, but peppermint contains the most active medicinal properties of the herb.

Fresh Mint Leaves

There are many health benefits associated with mint.  Probably the most common use for it is in aiding digestion.  Mint stimulates the flow of bile to the stomach, which promotes digestion.  Mint has antispasmodic properties that are especially calming to stomach muscles.  So it relieves upset stomachs and possibly menstrual cramps. 

Mint Tea

If you feel sick to your stomach, drinking a cup of mint tea can give you relief.  The menthol oil derived from mint is also great for the nausea or motion sickness that can occur when traveling long distances by plane or boat.  The aroma of mint stimulates the salivary glands in our mouths, as well as the glands that secrete digestive enzymes, thereby facilitating digestion.  This is why mint is so often used in appetizers or as a palate cleanser.  It is eaten before the main course so the food will digest comfortably.  

Watermelon Feta Mint Appetizers

Additionally, the market is full of products like toothpaste, chewing gum, breath fresheners, candy and inhalers which have mint as their base element.  However, the medicinal implications of mint are much more far reaching than just as a flavoring agent.

Peppermint Candies

Mint is useful in the treatment of headaches and migraines.  A balm with a mint base, or basic mint oil, can be rubbed on the forehead and outside of the nose for quick relief of these.  Mint is a naturally soothing substance, so it can alleviate the inflammation and temperature rise that is often associated with headaches and migraines.  

Mint Oil

Mint cools and soothes the throat, nose, lungs and bronchial tubes, so it is great for coughs and colds.  It relieves the irritation that causes chronic coughing and the problems arising from asthma and the common cold, too.  Mint is an excellent relaxant for the respiratory system and relieves congestion, which aids in asthma treatment.  Inhalers that have mint as their fundamental component tend to be more effective than those based on aerosols.  They are much more eco-friendly, as well.  However, using too much mint can irritate the nose and throat, so use with caution.  

Vicks Inhaler--Contains Menthol and Camphor, both of which are derived from Mint

Although mint oil can relieve the nipple cracking and pain associated with breast-feeding, mint should not be used by pregnant women.  Pennyroyal oil is especially dangerous in pregnancy as it has been used as an abortifacent in the past.  Pennyroyal is a species of mint having excellent insect control properties.

Pennyroyal Field

Mint is a natural stimulant and has excellent rejuvenative properties.  If you are feeling sluggish, anxious, depressed, or simply exhausted, the smell of it alone can be enough to charge your batteries and get your brain functioning at a high level again.  It can be ingested, applied topically in a salve form, or inhaled as a vapor to give you a much-needed boost.  A popular way to get good results is to place a few drops of mint essential oil or menthol oil on your pillow at night and let it work on your body or mind while you sleep.

Mint and Coconut Body Wash

Mint juice is an excellent skin cleanser.  It soothes skin, helps to cure infections and itchiness, and can reduce pimples.  It will even reduce the symptoms of acne.  Its anti-pruritic properties can be used for treating insect bites.  The cooling sensation will relieve you of the irritating sensation to scratch, while the anti-inflammatory nature of the herb will reduce the swelling caused by the bite.  Mint oil is a powerful insect repellent, too, as the strong aroma is unappealing to most bugs.

Mosquito

A recent study explored the effects that mint has on alertness, mental retention and cognitive function.  The study found that people who frequently use chewing gum, whose major active ingredient is mint, had higher levels of retention and mental alertness than those who did not.  Apparently my daughter's assertion that she needs to chew gum continuously during school because it keeps her awake and focused is accurate and has a basis is scientific fact!

Chewing Gum

Other studies have shown that the stimulating properties of mint can help with weight loss.  As mentioned earlier, mint stimulates the digestive enzymes in our bodies.  These regulate the absorption of nutrients from food.  These enzymes are also responsible for the consumption of fat and turning it into energy that is usable by the body.  By adding mint to your diet, you are increasing the amount of fat that is being consumed and put to use, rather than allowing your body to store it as fat reserves and contributing to weight gain.

Scale--LOL!!!

Some research has been done into the effects of mint on female sterility and male potency. The abortive properties of pennyroyal oil are well-documented, but it has been noted that prolonged use of ordinary mint may actually reduce a woman's ability to conceive by interfering with the production of ova.  This is due to the germicidal and insecticidal properties of mint.  

Mint and Wood Mortar and Pestle

 Other research has claimed that men who smoke menthol cigarettes are more likely to suffer from impotency than those who smoke normal cigarettes.  It is not known if this is due to the tobacco itself used in production of these cigarettes, or the mentholation of that tobacco. Another group of researchers suggest that mint may actually be used to treat sterility in females.  Further research into these claims is obviously quite necessary.

Dried Mint Leaves

The improvement of oral health is a well-known benefit of mint.  Because it has germicidal qualities and quickly freshens breath, mint adds to oral health by inhibiting harmful bacterial growth inside the mouth and by cleaning the tongue and the teeth.  Traditionally, mint was rubbed directly on the teeth and gums to refresh the mouth and eliminate dangerous bacteria.  In modern times, it is why mint is one of the most common elements of the majority of toothpastes, mouthwashes, and other dental hygiene products.  The easiest way to get these benefits is to simply chew on a few mint leaves fresh from your garden.

Toothpaste on Toothbrush with Mint


Seasonal allergies and hay fever affect millions of people each year.  Extracts from mint leaves have been shown to inhibit the release of certain chemicals that aggravate the severe nasal symptoms that are associated with hay fever and seasonal allergies.  

Vicks--an old stand-by for colds and allergies

Certain enzymes found in mint may also help prevent or treat some forms of cancer.  This claim is presently under research.

Swirly Cancer Ribbons

Despite the fact that mint has significant cooling and soothing effects for the most part, if consumed during a fever, mint will cause sweating and actually break the fever and speed recovery.  Other uses for mint include the healing and soothing of burns and as a treatment for rheumatism.  
Mint Spa Items

Several recipes for potpourri and cosmetics made with mint, follow below.  
And you thought mint was only for ice cream!  I hope this gives you some additional information about the uses of mint.  Please leave any questions or comments below.

 Peace and Love Always,








Four Kinds of Mint Drying


Sources:  
Bremness, Leslie. RD Home Handbook: Herbs. Pleasantville: Reader's Digest Association, 1990. Print.

Brown, Deni. The Herb Society of America Encyclopedia of Herbs and Their Uses. New York: Dorling Kindersley, 1995. Print.

Clevely, Andi, and Katherine Richmond. The Complete Book of Herbs. New York: Smithmark, 1994. Print.

Cunnningham, Scott. Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs. St. Paul: Llewellyn Publications, 1992. Print.

Gips, Kathleen. Flora's Dictionary: The Victorian Language of Herbs and Flowers . Chagrin Falls: TM Publications, 1995. Print.

Kowalchik, Claire, and William H. Hylton, eds. Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs . Emmaus: Rodale, 1987. Print.

Kruger, Anna. An Illustrated Guide to Herbs. Stamford: Longmeadow, 1993. Print.

Shaudys, Phyllis. The Pleasure of Herbs. Pownal: Storey Communications, 1986. Print.

Shaudys, Phyllis V. Herbal Treasures. Pownal: Storey Communications, 1990. Print.

Ware, Megan. "Mint: Health Benefits, Uses and Risks." Medical News Today. Ed. Helen Webberly. Medical News Today, 16 Feb. 2016. Web. 10 Oct. 2016.
Photo Credits:
Medicinal Header Image:  Photo Credit:  Large bundle of mint in mortar on a marble background, mint sauc by zefirchik06

Mint and Pills:  Photo Credit:  Mint and pills isolated on white background by sommai

Loose Mint Leaves:  Photo credit: SummerTomato via Visual Hunt / CC BY

Mint Tea:  Photo Credit:  Mint tea. horizontal by Rozmarina

Watermelon Feta Mint Appetizers:  Photo Credit: http://feastingnotfasting.com/watermelon-feta-mint-skewers-balsamic-glaze/

Peppermint Candies:  Photo credit: sea turtle via Visual hunt / CC BY-NC-ND

Mint Oil:  Photo Credit:  mint oil by Vesna Cvorovic


Pennyroyal Field:  Photo Credit:  Wetlands Blossoms, Pennyroyal by Born1945 via Attribution Engine

Scale:   Photo credit: jeff_golden via VisualHunt.com / CC BY-SA

Mint and Wood Mortar and Pestle:  Photo Credit:  Composition with wooden mortar and mint leaves by Africa Studio

Dried Mint Leaves:  Photo Credit:  Spoon and a bowl with fresh mint plant by creativefamily

Toothpaste with Mint:  Photo Credit:  Toothbrush with toothpaste and fresh leaves of mint by Dmitriy


Cancer Ribbons (Swirly):  Photo Credit:  All cancers world day ribbon background pattern by cienpies 

Mint Spa Items:  Photo Credit:  Spa Items by nogandosan

4 Kinds of Mint Drying:  Photo Credit:  4 sorten minze und stoffherzen by Team 5

Medicinal Header Image:  Photo Credit:  Large bundle of mint in mortar on a marble background, mint sauc by zefirchik06

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