8 Secrets About Mint That Could Change Your Life

Everyone knows that mint tastes great, right?  It's in gum, jelly, toothpaste, mouthwashes, and mojitos.  In fact mint is usually tied to a really powerful taste that can even make terrible things pretty tasty [toothpaste is horrible without it].  But did you know that mint has some other very powerful and beneficial qualities and uses that are often overlooked?

Mint, also known as mentha, is actually a genus or group of around 15-20 plant species, including peppermint and spearmint.  

1) Antioxidant - Mint has one of the highest levels of antioxidant levels per pound of any food.  Now, you can't eat nearly as much mint as you can other things, but adding multiple different kinds of antioxidants into your diet will make for a more complete diet that helps you stay resistant to cancer.  The antioxidant compound found in mint is called, rosmarinic acid.

2) Allergies - Rosmarinic acid has been studied for its effectiveness in relieving seasonal allergy symptoms, revealing a promising natural treatment.

3) Breastfeeding - While infant breastfeeding brings amazing benefits for both infant and parent, it can also cause pain and damage to nipple. A study that was published in April 2007 in the International Breastfeeding Journal said that peppermint water is effective in preventing nipple cracks and nipple pain in first-time mothers who are breastfeeding.

4) Common Cold - Mint contains menthol, which is a natural aromatic [smell] decongestant that helps to break up phlegm and mucus in the throat and sinuses, making it easier to get it out of your body. Menthol also has a cooling effect and can help relieve a sore throat, especially when combined with green tea.  If you have a favorite tea, consider adding a half teaspoon of mint to the leaves prior to drinking.  

5) Stomach and intestinal gas and indigestion - Next time you have stomach upset, instead of reaching for the antacids and gas relief, consider using nature's natural resource, mint.  Just a half teaspoon of mint steeped with any of your other favorite teas, or even a full teaspoon steeped by itself will help to quickly solve that gastric reaction.  

7) IBS - If you have IBS, you know it.  Boy do you know it.  The good news is that mint can also help to relieve some of the intestinal discomfort.  In one double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial, 75% of patients with IBS who consumed mint twice daily for 4 weeks had at least a 50% reduction in total IBS symptoms (compared to no significant change in patients taking a placebo.

8) Skin - If you make your own lotions and oils, you probably already know that when they contain mint, there is a cooling and calming effect that can help with the discomfort associated with bites and rashes. 

If you are looking to just buy mint and introduce it into your diet or body products, you won't find a better quality or fresher product than we have right here at Family Tea.  However, if you don't want to bother with your own blending, we highly recommend our Valhalla Tea, which is a spectacular and well balanced blend of Chamomile, Mint, and several others that both soothes your mood and lifts it at the same time.