On Herbs - Mint

Spearmint in Our Backyard

Peppermint and Spearmint are the two herbs in the mint family.  Both have similar compounds, though spearmint is considered to be more mild.  Both are an easy-to-grow herb that I remember as running rampantly wild in my backyard as a kid.  Peppermint oil is most popular as a flavoring in peppermint candies (no kidding) and in candy canes and less familiar as an accoutrement to lamb.  Both are used for chewing gum.  We grow spearmint in the garden in our backyard where we have a steady supply of the fragrant and tasty herb year-round.  Mint (both spearmint and peppermint) is a Group A herb.  For more on group classifications see the On Herbs post by clicking here. 

The Science

The science is in - peppermint oil has been documented as helpful with digestive conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in several studies according to the National Institutes of Health.

Additional Potential Uses

 A 1996 paper by Koren Holland, Phd., at Gettysburg College in Gettysburg, PA documented plants utilized by the migrant (primarily Mexican) community for various ailments.  This study documented that the migrant community used peppermint to aid with indigestion, colds, and relief for insomnia.  Menthol is also known to increase the flow of bile to the stomach, which promotes digestion.  Externally, the migrant community indicated that peppermint oil or menthol is used in pain relieving balms, massage oils, and lineaments and that inhalation of the herb or oil are effective against excessive respiratory mucus.

My Personal Experience

I started to dabble in spearmint tea a short time ago during a flare up of IBS.  Although used in conjunction with other therapies, my IBS flare up disappeared shortly after starting a daily consumption of spearmint tea. 

Preparations

Mint Tea

Click here for the alternative road recipe page, which will include recipes for all preparations listed.

Additional Resources

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has a Natural Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) that talks about the science on peppermint oil.  Click here to read what the NIH NCCAM has to say on the subject.