The Amazing Health Benefits Of Peppermint
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The Amazing Health Benefits Of Peppermint
The Amazing Health Benefits Of Peppermint
If fall revolves around pumpkin, winter is all about the peppermint. There are more than 30 species of mint, and this one — with its green leaves and purple-laced stems — reigns one of the most popular.
"I love it," says Dawn Jackson Blatner, a registered dietitian and author of "The Flexitarian Diet." Here's a look at its health benefits, along with ideas for using it this season:
What it is.
Peppermint is a common garden herb known for its primary active ingredient, menthol — which provides a cooling sensation and is used to relieve pain and irritation, while also preventing infection. (It's found in cigarettes and cigars, too.) Peppermint, a hybrid of watermint and spearmint, is a popular flavoring agent in food and drinks. Its leaves and oil are often used as medicine, treating ailments from indigestion to headaches. Another bonus: Peppermint is a strong source of important vitamins and minerals such as potassium, calcium, iron, manganese and magnesium.
It eases digestion.
Peppermint calms stomach muscles and improves the flow of bile, which is used to digest fats, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. It helps food pass through your stomach more quickly. Research suggests that enteric-coated capsules of peppermint oil can help treat irritable bowel syndrome, while also relieving symptoms such as gas, diarrhea, bloating and pain. "A lot of people are so rushed at lunchtime — just eating so fast — that they feel bloated and sick afterwards," Jackson Blatner says. "So I always suggest keeping peppermint tea in their desk drawer."
It doubles as a decongestant.
Research suggests that peppermint oil can help clear the respiratory tract and relieve cough symptoms. That's because menthol thins mucus, loosening phlegm and breaking up coughs, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Try dabbing some oil on your chest, and allow it to work its magic. Or stick with peppermint tea, which is considered a natural cough remedy. Peppermint also helps soothe sore throats.
Other medical purposes
Peppermint is touted as a calming and cooling product, and when applied to the forehead and temples, it's said to help reduce headache symptoms. It's also used as a topical cream to treat skin conditions such as poison ivy, hives and rashes. And while more research is needed to draw firm conclusions, some studies hint that peppermint could have an anti-cancer effect — one of its natural chemicals appears to stop cancerous tumors from growing in animals.
Skin care
Talk about a multipurpose herb: Peppermint can have a place in your beauty regimen, too. Try this peppermint candy cane sugar scrub, which The Idea Room blog touts as a way to "add some moisture and soften up winter-dry skin." All you need is white granulated sugar, almond or coconut oil, and a few drops of peppermint essential oil. If your feet are begging for some holiday love, try this peppermint foot scrub, which is "perfect for the mother-to-be or the soccer mom who is constantly on the go."
Drink it up.
Jackson Blatner swears by peppermint tea. "I'm always looking for an after-meal tradition, and when I was growing up, it was eating a box of cookies as a family after dinner," she says. "Now, it's doing a mint tea, which also helps me digest my meal." She cautions that some teas are a blend of peppermint and spearmint, so double check labels to make sure yours is indeed peppermint-based — that way, you still reap the health benefits provided by the menthol. And don't think this is a winter-time only treat, either. "If you become obsessed with it like I am, iced peppermint tea is just the best thing on a hot day," Jackson Blatner says.
Serving ideas
Peppermint is a bit strong for most culinary purposes, so you'll likely cook with the milder spearmint or curly mint instead. Crush the leaves and add them to whipped cream as a topping for desserts, or make mint sauce to cover your meat dishes. Use it as a flavoring base in ice cream, or stir it into soups — pea and mint soup, perhaps, or mint carrot soup. "If you&'re thinking about bases for smoothies, use peppermint herbal tea," Jackson Blatner says. "It has no calories, but it does have that digestive benefit."
That scent
Jackson Blatner doesn't necessarily need to eat peppermint — so long as she can smell it. "I have a mint candle in my house, and there's something interesting about that potential effect" she says. Borrow a move from her book and opt for peppermint-flavored candles. Perhaps even better than the pleasant scent: Aromatherapy research suggests that peppermint increases memory and alertness.
Read more: http://health.usnews.com/health-news/health-wellness/slideshows/everything-you-need-to-know-about-peppermint#ixzz2onslUebM
If fall revolves around pumpkin, winter is all about the peppermint. There are more than 30 species of mint, and this one — with its green leaves and purple-laced stems — reigns one of the most popular.
"I love it," says Dawn Jackson Blatner, a registered dietitian and author of "The Flexitarian Diet." Here's a look at its health benefits, along with ideas for using it this season:
What it is.
Peppermint is a common garden herb known for its primary active ingredient, menthol — which provides a cooling sensation and is used to relieve pain and irritation, while also preventing infection. (It's found in cigarettes and cigars, too.) Peppermint, a hybrid of watermint and spearmint, is a popular flavoring agent in food and drinks. Its leaves and oil are often used as medicine, treating ailments from indigestion to headaches. Another bonus: Peppermint is a strong source of important vitamins and minerals such as potassium, calcium, iron, manganese and magnesium.
It eases digestion.
Peppermint calms stomach muscles and improves the flow of bile, which is used to digest fats, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. It helps food pass through your stomach more quickly. Research suggests that enteric-coated capsules of peppermint oil can help treat irritable bowel syndrome, while also relieving symptoms such as gas, diarrhea, bloating and pain. "A lot of people are so rushed at lunchtime — just eating so fast — that they feel bloated and sick afterwards," Jackson Blatner says. "So I always suggest keeping peppermint tea in their desk drawer."
It doubles as a decongestant.
Research suggests that peppermint oil can help clear the respiratory tract and relieve cough symptoms. That's because menthol thins mucus, loosening phlegm and breaking up coughs, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Try dabbing some oil on your chest, and allow it to work its magic. Or stick with peppermint tea, which is considered a natural cough remedy. Peppermint also helps soothe sore throats.
Other medical purposes
Peppermint is touted as a calming and cooling product, and when applied to the forehead and temples, it's said to help reduce headache symptoms. It's also used as a topical cream to treat skin conditions such as poison ivy, hives and rashes. And while more research is needed to draw firm conclusions, some studies hint that peppermint could have an anti-cancer effect — one of its natural chemicals appears to stop cancerous tumors from growing in animals.
Skin care
Talk about a multipurpose herb: Peppermint can have a place in your beauty regimen, too. Try this peppermint candy cane sugar scrub, which The Idea Room blog touts as a way to "add some moisture and soften up winter-dry skin." All you need is white granulated sugar, almond or coconut oil, and a few drops of peppermint essential oil. If your feet are begging for some holiday love, try this peppermint foot scrub, which is "perfect for the mother-to-be or the soccer mom who is constantly on the go."
Drink it up.
Jackson Blatner swears by peppermint tea. "I'm always looking for an after-meal tradition, and when I was growing up, it was eating a box of cookies as a family after dinner," she says. "Now, it's doing a mint tea, which also helps me digest my meal." She cautions that some teas are a blend of peppermint and spearmint, so double check labels to make sure yours is indeed peppermint-based — that way, you still reap the health benefits provided by the menthol. And don't think this is a winter-time only treat, either. "If you become obsessed with it like I am, iced peppermint tea is just the best thing on a hot day," Jackson Blatner says.
Serving ideas
Peppermint is a bit strong for most culinary purposes, so you'll likely cook with the milder spearmint or curly mint instead. Crush the leaves and add them to whipped cream as a topping for desserts, or make mint sauce to cover your meat dishes. Use it as a flavoring base in ice cream, or stir it into soups — pea and mint soup, perhaps, or mint carrot soup. "If you&'re thinking about bases for smoothies, use peppermint herbal tea," Jackson Blatner says. "It has no calories, but it does have that digestive benefit."
That scent
Jackson Blatner doesn't necessarily need to eat peppermint — so long as she can smell it. "I have a mint candle in my house, and there's something interesting about that potential effect" she says. Borrow a move from her book and opt for peppermint-flavored candles. Perhaps even better than the pleasant scent: Aromatherapy research suggests that peppermint increases memory and alertness.
Read more: http://health.usnews.com/health-news/health-wellness/slideshows/everything-you-need-to-know-about-peppermint#ixzz2onslUebM
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