Let's Talk About: Peppermint

Mint Honey by Modern Scribe Photography

If you want something quick and easy to grow that will spread like wildfire and provide you with a bounty of uses, might I suggest you plant a bit of mint?

Rapidly growing and even considered invasive by many, Peppermint has been part of medicinal gardens as long as we've had organized agriculture.

Menthol comes from peppermint, and it is a powerful medicinal ally! It isn't only good as a flavoring and a breath freshener, but that is how most folks are familiar with peppermint.

The wonder of mint goes way beyond candy canes. It can be used for many different things, both internally and externally:

Your Stomach

• When you've had too much to eat and you feel bloated and crampy, mint is great for releasing the extra pressure. In layman's terms, it will make you fart and burp like a human orchestra, much to the delight of giggling fools, like myself. 

• If you are prone to suffer from bad digestion, heartburn, nausea, or constipation, mint might be a suitable, gentle ally to ease your pain. I bet that you thought that the mints given out at restaurants was a subtle hint from the waitress about the oniony and garlicky food scenting your breath, didn't you?

• This is also the reason that mint jelly or mint sauce is traditionally served with lamb, as it tends to be gamey and tough. The peppermint aids in the digestion by increasing bile flow, which in turn helps to break down the meat.

Your Head

• Feeling Anxious? Panicked? Sweating under the collar and freaking out? A cup of mint tea, or even just a big sniff of mint essential oil is great for calming the mind. Breathe it in, hold your breath for four seconds, breathe out and let yourself relax.

• Stimulate your brain! Exam study sessions might stay with you longer if you have mint at hand. The crisp smell of spearmint or peppermint seems to sharpen focus and offer a sense of clarity during stressful times.

Your Hot Blood

• Mint is considered a "refrigerant" for your body...did you ever wonder why it's such a common thing to have a spring of mint in your iced tea? It doesn't just flavor your drink - it keeps you cooler in the hot summertime haze.

• This wonderful property also makes it an addition to a tea for lowering fevers. Mint also serves as a wonderful disguise for "stronger" flavors like horehound, valerian, and hops, making beneficial decoctions easier to share with those with less... um... sophisticated palates.

Your Aching Body

• Peppermint oil is used in balms and salves for it's analgesic and cooling properties. I can be both stimulating to the skin and it's blood flow, but cool any inflammation in the muscles. This makes it great for arthritis, especially when combined with camphor.

Your Home

• Since it is so strongly scented, mint is often a deterrent for mosquitoes. 

• If you forget your mint spray and get bitten, freshly crushed mint leaves or a salve can help with the itching!

• Dried, crushed mint leaves tend to be a deterrent for ants that try to invade your space. You can use tea bags as sachets in cabinets with pest problems.

I have Mint Honey available in The Pixie's Pocket shop, which is a quick and easy way to add it to tea, toast, or anything else you may fancy! If you wish to purchase dried mint, essential oils, hydrosols, or even seeds, please support your local organic retailers, or try Mountain Rose Herbs.