Health Benefits Of Mint Leaves
The health benefits of mint
include the following:
Digestion: Mint is a great appetizer or palate cleanser, and it promotes
digestion. It also soothes stomachs in cases of indigestion or inflammation.
When your stomach feels sick, drinking a cup of mint tea
can give you relief. Also, if you are someone who travels long distances via
plane or boat, the menthol oil derived from
mint can be very soothing for nausea and related motion sickness.
The aroma of the herb activates
the salivary glands
in our mouth as well as glands which secrete digestive enzymes, thereby
facilitating digestion. These attributes are why mint is extensively
used in the culinary arts. Much
of the western world includes mint as a part of appetizers or as an element of
palate cleansers, to be eaten before the main course so the food
will digest comfortably.
Nausea & Headache: Mint leaves, especially freshly crushed leaves help you
deal with nausea and headache. The strong and refreshing aroma of mint is a
quick and effective remedy for nausea. Use mint oil or any other product having
mint flavor and your stomach issues will be alleviated. In fact, many people
keep menthol oil or mint-flavored products with them at all times to avoid
nausea. Balms with a mint base or basic mint oil, when rubbed on the forehead
and nose, gives quick relief in case of a
headache. The herb is a naturally soothing substance, so it can alleviate the
inflammation and temperature rise that is often associated with headaches and migraines.
Respiratory Disorders and Coughs: The strong aroma of the herb is very effective in clearing up
congestion of the nose, throat, bronchi and lungs, which gives relief from
respiratory disorders that often result from asthma and the common cold. As
mint cools and soothes the throat, nose and other respiratory channels, it
relieves the irritation which causes chronic coughing. This is the main reason
why so many balms are based on mint. Unlike the inhalers that are based on
aerosols, those with mint as the fundamental component tend to be more
effective and eco-friendly as well.
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Asthma: Regular use of mint is very beneficial for asthma patients, as
it is a good relaxant and relieves congestion. That being said, using too much
mint in this way can also irritate the nose and throat.
Breast Feeding: For many women, breastfeeding is a
beautiful part of raising a child, but it can seriously damage your breasts and
nipples. Studies have shown that
mint oil can reduce the nipple cracks and nipple pain that so often accompany breastfeeding.
Depression and Fatigue: Mint is a natural stimulant, and
the smell alone can be enough to charge your batteries and get your brain
functioning on a high level again. If you are feeling sluggish, anxious,
depressed, or simply exhausted, mint and its derivative essential oils can
help. It can be ingested, applied topically in a salve form, or inhaled as a
vapor, and all of those techniques can give you a much-needed boost! A popular
way to get good results in an easy manner is to put a few drops of mint
essential oil or menthol oil on your pillow at night and let it work on your
body and mind while you sleep.
Skin Care and Pimples: While mint oil is a good antiseptic and anti-pruritic material,
mint juice is an excellent skin cleanser. It soothes skin, and helps to cure
infections and itchiness. In addition to being a good way to reduce pimples, it
can even relieve some of the symptoms of acne. Its anti-pruritic properties can
be used for treating insect bites like those of
mosquitoes, honeybees, hornets, wasps, and gnats. The cooling sensation will
relieve you of the irritating sensation and the constant urge to scratch, and
the anti-inflammatory nature of mint will bring down swelling! In that same
vein, mint oil is often a basic component of bug
repellent products like citronella candles, because the strong aroma is
unappealing to most insects.
Memory Loss: A recent study explored the effects that mint has on alertness, retention, and
cognitive function. It found that people who frequently use chewing gum, whose
major active ingredient is mint, had higher levels of memory retention and
mental alertness than those who did not. The stimulant qualities of mint, once
again, have shown yet another reason to pop that stick of gum in your mouth, or
chew some leaves when you’re feeling less than brilliant!
Weight Loss: Aside from all the other health benefits of mint, it also can
help in your efforts to lose weight in a healthy way! Mint is a stimulant, as
we’ve already mentioned, but it also stimulates the
digestive enzymes that
absorb nutrients from food and consume fat,
and turns it into usable energy. Therefore, by adding mint to your diet, you
are increasing the amount of fat that is being consumed and put to use, rather
than being stored and contributing to your weight gain!
Female Sterility: There are mixed opinions regarding the role of mint in
treating this condition. Some argue that prolonged use of menthol may cause
sterility, reducing a woman’s ability to conceive by interfering with the
production of ova and killing these gametes. This is due to the germicidal and
insecticidal properties of the herb, which are beneficial for so many other health
concerns. 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 certain whether this is due to the tobacco alone or if the mentholated
aspect has anything do with it. Another group or researchers suggest that mint
may actually be used to treat sterility in females. Suffice to
say, a great deal of further research must be done on the effects of mint in
both male impotency and female sterility.
Oral Care: Improving the health of a person’s mouth is a well known
benefit of mint. Since it has germicidal qualities and quickly freshens breath,
it adds to oral health by inhibiting harmful bacterial growth inside the mouth
and by cleaning the tongue and teeth. This is why mint used to be rubbed
directly on the teeth and gums to refresh the mouth and eliminate dangerous
forms of growth. In modern times, for the same reason, mint is one of the most
common elements in toothpastes, mouthwashes, and other dental hygiene products.
Of course, the easiest way to get these results is to simply chew on the
leaves.
Allergies and Hay Fever: Season allergies and hay fever (also known as
rhinitis) affect millions of people around the world at certain times of the
year. Extracts from mint leaves have been shown to inhibit the release of
certain chemicals, which have been known to aggravate severe nasal symptoms
that are associated with hay fever and seasonal allergies.
Cancer: Current research shows that certain enzymes that can be found
in mint may help prevent and treat cancer.
Other Benefits: Besides its wide industrial use in foods like ice-cream and chocolates, as well as
in alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, cosmetics,
medicines, inhalers and breath fresheners, it is also used as a condiment and a
decorative item in culinary preparation around the world. Drinks and foods
containing mint cool you off in the summer, and it is often included in summer
cocktails for a refreshing burst of flavor. It is also a good relaxant.
One peculiar property of mint
that seems quite contrary to its traditional cooling and soothing effects is
that it induces sweating if consumed during fever, thereby breaking the fever
and speeding the rate of recovery. Mint juice can also be applied to heal and
soothe burns. It is also
beneficial in the treatment of rheumatism. Furthermore, the herb is also said
to improve the activity of the brain, although legitimate and consistent
research on its neurological impact has yet to be completed.
