Saturday, February 14, 2015

Health Benefits of Mint




Peppermint has greenish-purple lance-shaped leaves while the rounder leaves of spearmint are more of a grayish green color. Mint leaves has anti-inflammatory properties. It helps soothe skin infections. Mint juice acts as an excellent skin cleanser. Mint has a very strong aroma, it gets to stimulate your brain functioning and helps cure nausea. Applying fresh mint leaves on the forehead relieves headache. Mint leaves are a great remedy to relieve the pain caused during menstrual cramps.

Mint leaves has anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties and so it fights against tooth decay and bad breath and is widely used in mouth fresheners. Mint is an herb that is synonymous to freshness. It is loaded with antioxidants and phytonurients and hence helps keep stomach cramps and acidity at bay. Mint also has small amounts of fiber, vitamin A and potassium.

Mint is a very good remedy for upset stomach and other associated signs like vomiting, nausea, excess gas, acid indigestion and bloating. Mint is packed with antioxidants and phytonurients that do wonders for your stomach. The menthol present in Mint helps the enzymes necessary for digestion and helps the process along, by acting on the smooth muscles of the stomach. These muscles when activated work more efficiently relieving indigestion.

Mint has a potent phytochemical that can prevent various types of cancers. It has also been shown to protect against cancer formation in the colon, skin, and lungs. Its benefits in this particular area are still under the scanner when it comes to humans.

The strong antioxidants present in mint leaves, gives your skin a natural glow and re-hydrate dull and dry skin. Mint has a high content of salicylic acid which helps prevent pimples, blemishes and even helps get rid of blackheads. Juice from Mint leaves act as anti-pruritic agent and has the ability to soothe and calm an itchy or infected skin.

Mint oil has served as a natural astringent, and people have used it to treat pimples, wounds and rashes for a long time. You can even use it to help heal bites from mosquitoes, wasps and bees. Because mint contains vitamin A, it may strengthen skin tissue and help reduce oily skin.

Mint leaves are packed with anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. They are so great to for your oral health. It kills bacteria in the mouth preventing tooth decay, beats bad breath and keeps your tongue and teeth clean naturally. Just chew on a few leaves on mint regularly to keep dental diseases at bay.

Mint leaves purify the blood and have an anti-spasmodic effect on the soothe muscles of our body, it is a great remedy to relieve the pain of menstrual cramps. It also relieves nausea associated with the condition. Just brew a hot cup of mint tea and sip it several times through the day. It will make you feel calmer and soother your uterus too.

Mint is also very beneficial for patients suffering from IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome). It helps the muscles in the stomach relax and promotes overall digestion. Drink a cup of mint tea after every meal by either boiling the leaves along with a few green tea leaves or on their own for maximum benefits.

Mint leaves are packed with nutrients such as calcium, phosphorous, vitamin C, D, E and small amounts of vitamin B complex. All these compounds put together improves the body’s immune system, keeping it safe from infections and inflammation.

Mint extract is also used to beat stress and rejuvenate the mind. Breathing in the fumes of mint helps relax the body and calm the mind, freeing it of stress. It releases a small amount of serotonin in the brain that also helps beat depression. If you are feeling low, add a little mint leaves or mint extract to your bath water, or use mint extract on a vaporizer to get some relief.

Mint is very effective in clearing up congestion of the nose, throat, bronchi and lungs, which gives relief for 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. Mint has a very strong aroma which helps open up the airways and allows relaxed breathing. It is also an expectorant and helps the expulsion of phlegm, allowing the patient recover faster.

Besides these major health benefits mint is widely used for industrial purposes like ice-cream and chocolates and chewing gums, beverages, cosmetics, medicines, inhalers and breath fresheners.

Here are some quick serving ideas:

  • A cup of fresh mint tea can help to soothe your stomach and your nerves.
  • Toss cubes of cooked eggplant with chopped mint leaves, plain yogurt, garlic and cayenne.
  • Chop fresh mint leaves and scatter them over a tossed green or grilled chicken salad.
  • For a quick and easy salad, combine fennel, onions, oranges and mint leaves.
  • Give fruit salad a unique perk by adding some fresh mint leaves to it.
  • Add chopped mint leaves to soups that feature tomatoes as the freshness of the mint complements the sweet acidity of tomatoes very well. 





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