Peppermint. Useful properties of peppermint, use in cooking, cosmetology and traditional medicine

Mints are used for flavoring fruit sauces, frozen drinks, jellies, sauces, for flavoring vinegar, tea blends, bread kvass, confectionery, alcoholic beverages and tobacco products, fish products, and for pickling cucumbers. When pickling heads of cabbage, mint provides long-term storage and gives the cabbage excellent taste.

Adding mint to milk prevents souring and increases shelf life. For flavor, mint is added to tomato juice and various fruit and vegetable salads. Fresh mint leaves improve the taste of roast lamb, chicken, liver, lamb. It is added to stewed cabbage, carrots, leeks, peas.

In Europe, wines were periodically insisted on mint. And in Rus', a hot drink sbiten with honey was prepared with mint. In the East - sherbets, refreshing drinks with ice, to which mint was also added. And in Europe, mint drinks were getting thicker and finally became liqueurs, for example, sugary emerald Cremedementhe. Summer cocktails with the addition of mint are also good, for example, the Mojito, beloved by many.

Fresh mint leaves are often used in cooking to decorate dishes, including sweet ones. In the culinary arts, mint is also used as a food coloring. Since fresh mint greens wither very quickly, they must be kept in a cool place, preferably in the refrigerator. As a result of heat treatment, mint loses its freshness, so it should be added to hot dishes immediately before serving.

There are quite a few types of mint, but only a few of them are widely used in cooking. The application of each of them has its own nuances.

Peppermint

It has a refreshing bitter taste. In cooking, it finds use as a spice mainly only in the alcoholic beverage and confectionery industries, where they usually use not mint itself, but mint oil or mint essence.

At home, peppermint should be used very carefully in confectionery products, because if overheated or overdosed, it can ruin the whole thing, giving the product a bitter taste. It is introduced into cookies, gingerbread, buns, compotes, kissels, fruit drinks, tinctures, kvass. It is not suitable for making tea because of the bitter taste.

Lemon mint (melissa)

Popular in European and Arabic cuisines. Finely chopped leaves added to summer salads make them healthier, more aromatic, and tastier. Dried greens are added to vegetable, meat and fish salads in winter. Melissa goes well with game, veal, pork, lamb, fish. Vegetable, mushroom, dairy and egg dishes, as well as fruit, pea and potato soups flavored with lemon balm acquire a delicate aroma.

The spice is used in canning cucumbers, to which it gives a pleasant smell and strength. In Moldavian cuisine, lemon balm is put into a fresh filling or for a pie.

Curly mint

It does not have a cooling taste, but it has a wonderful refreshing aroma. It is widely used in home cooking in fresh and dried form. Fresh mint leaves are added to salads, soups, especially vegetables. In the cuisine of some peoples, they are put as a seasoning in milk soups. Dried mint leaves are great for flavoring meat dishes, confectionery and pastries, and sauces. In Ukrainian cuisine, it is added to fish and mushroom dishes. It is especially widely used in home canning of apples and vegetables (cucumbers, cabbage, carrots). Like some other types of mint, spearmint adds a wonderful aroma and flavor to tea.

apple mint

It has an extremely delicate aroma and taste, not accompanied by cooling. It does not give bitterness at all when heated and increased in quantity, which is radically different from most other types of mint. Apple mint is mainly used in the cooking of the peoples of Transcaucasia and Central Asia. In Georgia, it is used to make sauces, in Armenia it is added to some varieties of cheese, in Central Asian countries it is used to improve the smell and taste of lamb dishes. It is also added to sweet dishes: compotes, kissels, jelly, jams, apple fillings for pies, various confectionery.

Spicy mint (Elsgoltia)

Dried buds and flowers collected at the very beginning of flowering are used as a spice. It has a delicate pleasant aroma, reminiscent of lemon balm, but more spicy. Spicy mint is added mainly to minced meats, offal pates, homemade sausages, used for stewing lumpy meat, as well as for flavoring, appetizers, sandwiches and soups. Doses when added to minced meat can be quite significant, since Elsgoltia almost does not give any bitterness when heated. Like marjoram, spicy mint has an ennobling effect on the texture of meat.

In the article we discuss peppermint - medicinal properties and contraindications to its use. You will learn the chemical composition of the plant, and how it is useful for women's and men's health. We will tell you how to use mint in the treatment of gastritis, pressure, runny nose and burns. Following our advice, you will learn how to prepare decoctions, infusions, oils and drops from the plant.

A little about mint - this is a herbaceous plant of the Lamiaceae family (lat. Lamiaceae). The Latin name is Mentha piperita. Other names: motherboard, breastplate.

Appearance (photo) mint

Genus Mint (lat. Mentha) unites 42 species of plants. Peppermint is a hybrid of the aquatic (lat. Mentha aquatica) and garden (lat. Mentha spicata) varieties.

Cultivation of mint is possible in gardens, on personal plots and at home. You will learn more about home growing from. It is grown on an industrial scale in the Voronezh region and the Krasnodar region.

This is an unpretentious plant that can be grown even on the windowsill. It prefers moist, loose soil. Mint is propagated by layering, cuttings and division of the rhizome.

The plant has a fibrous horizontal rhizome. The erect stem reaches a height of 100 cm. The shoots are branched, densely covered with leaves.

The leaves are opposite, pointed, oblong-ovate. The edges of the leaf plate are sharp-serrated.

Small light purple flowers are collected in semi-whorls and form spike-shaped inflorescences. Mint flowers in June-September.

The fruit consists of four nuts. The plant bears fruit very rarely.

The chemical composition of mint

What is in the medicinal herb?

• menthol;
• essential oil;
• routine;
• saponins;
• fatty oil;
• resins;
• phytosterols;
• tannins;
• ascorbic acid;
• caffeic acid;
• oleic acid;
• chlorogenic acid;
• ursolic acid;
• carotene;
• arginine;
• glucose.

Due to its rich composition, the plant has a whole range of medicinal properties..

Nutritional value and calories

100 g of mint contains 3.8 g of protein, 0.9 g of fat, 14.9 g of carbohydrates, 8 g of dietary fiber, and 78.6 g of water.

Calorie content per 100 grams - 70 kcal.

How to prepare and store

Harvest mint in June - July, cut only fully bloomed plants. Collect during the day in dry weather, when there are no dew drops on the leaves.

It is better to carefully cut the plant, and not tear it with your hands. You can harvest both whole bushes and individual leaves. Put the cut mint in the shade, in the sun it will lose most of the essential oils, and hence its beneficial properties.

Immediately after collection, rinse under cold running water, dry thoroughly on paper or regular towels for several hours. Then spread the mint in one layer on paper, dry in a shaded and well-ventilated place for 3-5 days.

Store in glass jars or linen bags. Shelf life - no more than 2 years.

How to choose a spice

When buying a spice in a store, pay attention to the packaging, it should be:

• tight, check if it is not damaged or opened;
• opaque to keep the sun out.

Also remember to check the expiration date and pay attention to whether the spice is stored in a dry place in the store, out of direct sunlight.

Beneficial features

The healing properties and contraindications of the plant lie in its composition. The main component is menthol, which normalizes the functioning of the cardiovascular, nervous, digestive and genitourinary systems.

Peppermint is used to treat diseases of the digestive system. It eliminates heaviness in the stomach, flatulence and has a choleretic effect. Effectively relieves attacks of nausea, has a calming effect on the gastric mucosa.

Also good for the liver and gallbladder. It is used to cleanse these organs of toxins and toxins, it helps to remove stones.

Mint decoctions, infusions and teas are used for bronchopulmonary diseases. The plant eliminates inflammatory processes in the bronchi and helps to remove sputum from them. Mint relieves cold symptoms and has a diaphoretic effect.

It is also used in dentistry. The plant disinfects the oral cavity. It is useful for stomatitis, gingivitis, periodontal disease.

Mint for women

The benefits of peppermint for women's health are its beneficial effect on the condition of the skin and hair. The plant has nourishing, strengthening and protective properties.

Mint is used in gynecology for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. A decoction of the plant is added to sitz baths. Such procedures have analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects.

Mint for men

Plant-based medicines increase potency and normalize blood circulation in the pelvic organs. Mint has a negative effect on men's health only with a regular overdose. The herb is useful in moderation - 1-2 glasses of mint tea per week.

A decoction of the herb is used externally to wash the feet. This procedure helps eliminate unpleasant odors and reduces sweating.

Application in cooking

Fresh and dried mint leaves are used in cooking. The spice is added to sauces, salads, drinks. The grass is combined with lamb, poultry, cheeses, fruits and vegetables.

Peppermint oil is used in the confectionery industry. It is added to pastries, creams, desserts.

Application in cosmetology

Peppermint essential oil is used in cosmetology

Peppermint extract is used in the cosmetics industry. It is added to creams, lip balms, masks and hair shampoos.

Peppermint regulates sebum production, tightens pores and purifies the skin. Plant-based cosmetics are used to care for oily and combination skin.

Mint is suitable for any type of hair. Peppermint shampoos and balms nourish dry hair, reduce oily scalp and improve the appearance of curls.

Mask for the face

Mint nourishes and tones the skin. A decoction of the plant is used to wipe the face in the morning and evening. Peppermint oil is combined with other ingredients and masks are prepared based on them. Such products are suitable for problematic and oily skin.

Ingredients:

1. Yellow clay - 1 tablespoon.
2. Peppermint essential oil - 2 drops.
3. Almond oil - 2 teaspoons.
4. Lemon oil - 1 drop.
5. Water - 1 tablespoon.

How to cook: Dilute the clay with water, stir until smooth. Add oils and stir.

How to use: Wash your face, blot excess liquid with a dry cloth and apply a mask. Wash off with warm water after 15 minutes, when the clay dries. After the procedure, moisturize the skin with cream.

Result: The mask increases the blood supply to the skin, eliminates inflammation and reduces the fat content of the epidermis.

Hair Mask

A decoction of the plant is used to rinse the curls after shampooing. Mint extract is added to ready-made hair care cosmetics or homemade masks are made on its basis. They are suitable for oily hair types.

Ingredients:

1. Peppermint oil - 2 drops.
2. Jojoba oil - 20 ml.

How to cook: Heat jojoba oil in a water bath to 36-37 degrees, add mint oil, mix. The amount indicated in the recipe is for medium length hair.

How to use: Rub the resulting mixture of oils into the scalp with massage movements. Comb your hair with a fine-toothed comb to distribute the mask throughout your hair. Wrap your head with polyethylene, warm with a towel and keep the product for 2 hours. The mask can be left on all night. Next, rinse your hair with water and lemon juice (1 teaspoon of juice per 1 glass of water) and rinse with shampoo.

Result: The mask prevents hair loss, accelerates their growth and improves appearance.

Application in traditional medicine

In home medicine, decoctions, infusions, drops and oil are made from mint.

In folk medicine, mint leaves are used as medicinal raw materials. Raw materials are harvested during the flowering period of the plant. For the therapeutic use of medicinal herbs, infusions, decoctions, and oils are prepared on its basis.

Like any other medicinal plant, mint has its own consumption rate, the excess of which leads to negative consequences. The daily norm of fresh mint leaves - up to 15 g, mint drinks - no more than 2 glasses.

You have learned about the uses and contraindications of peppermint. Let us consider in more detail the recipes for the preparation of medicines based on plants.

Decoction for gastritis

A decoction of medicinal herbs normalizes the digestive tract, cleanses the body of decay products and increases appetite. The drink is used to prevent and treat gastritis and other stomach disorders.

Ingredients:

1. Leaves of the plant - 1 tablespoon.
2. Water - 500 ml.

How to cook: Pour boiling water over mint leaves, put in a water bath and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, warm with a towel and leave for at least 15 minutes.

How to use: Take ½ cup 3 times a day.

Result: The drink reduces the acidity of gastric juice, eliminates inflammation and pain.

Infusion of pressure

Ingredients:

1. Dried herb - 1 teaspoon.
2. Water - 200 ml.
3. Honey - 1 teaspoon.

How to cook: Grind the leaves, pour boiling water, cover and let it brew for 20 minutes. Dissolve a spoonful of honey in your drink.

How to use: Take 1 tablespoon of drink 3 times a day.

Result: Infusion reduces blood pressure, calms the nervous system and normalizes sleep.

Oil for burns

This oil is used as an antiseptic for the treatment of skin diseases and the restoration of the epidermis after burns. The remedy eliminates inflammation and accelerates the healing of the skin.

Ingredients:

1. Dried mint - 100 gr.
2. Vegetable oil - 200 ml.

How to cook: Cut the raw materials, put them on the bottom of a glass container, pour oil heated to 37 degrees and close the lid tightly. Infuse the remedy for 8 weeks. Shake the oil periodically. Strain the finished product through cheesecloth and store in the refrigerator.

How to use: Apply the oil on the damaged areas of the skin and leave until completely absorbed.

Result: The tool accelerates regeneration, softens the skin and prevents scarring.

Cold drops

Mint drops are used to treat a runny nose and relieve inflammation of the upper respiratory tract. They effectively eliminate hoarseness. Menthol is an ingredient in pharmaceutical preparations for the treatment of the common cold.

Ingredients:

1. Plant leaves - 10 gr.
2. Water - 300 ml.

How to cook: Grind mint leaves, pour boiling water over them, cover and leave for half an hour. Strain the finished product through a double layer of gauze. Store in refrigerator.

How to use: Place 2 drops in each nostril.

Result: Drops facilitate breathing, relieve inflammation and swelling of the sinuses.

For more information about mint, see the video:

Application for weight loss

Mint is used for weight loss. Tea is brewed and added to food during the cooking process. The smell of mint reduces appetite, and the chemicals in its composition soothe the nervous system. By removing the overexcitation of the central nervous system, the feeling of hunger is also dulled. The process of losing weight becomes less disturbing.

Mint cleanses the body of toxins. And if you add a piece of ginger to tea, the drink will help speed up your metabolism.

To prepare tea, a few mint leaves are brewed in a glass of boiling water or green tea, drink 1-3 cups a day. Do not overdo this drink if you have low blood pressure or bradycardia.

Contraindications and side effects

Before starting treatment with mint-based products, you should consult with a specialist. The doctor will prescribe the appropriate dosage and course of administration. An overdose of mint leads to drowsiness.

Contraindications to the use of herbal medicines:

• low blood pressure;
• During pregnancy and breastfeeding;
• children's age up to 6 years;
• individual intolerance.

You learned about the benefits of peppermint medicines and contraindications to their use. Let's summarize.

What to remember

1. Mint is widely used in cooking, cosmetology and home medicine, and is also used for weight loss.
2. Useful properties of mint and contraindications to its use are in the composition of the plant.
3. Plant-based products have antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic effects.
4. Before using mint as a medicine, you should consult a specialist, especially during pregnancy.

The smell and taste of mint is very pleasant. And what a fragrance - simply unique! Mint is a perennial herb. There are a lot of types of mint, the most common of them are: peppermint, curly, apple. Mint has a wide range of medicinal and culinary uses. It is used both fresh and dried.

Mint has many useful properties, as it contains biologically active substances, tannins, essential oils, various acids, phytoncides and vitamins. The main properties of mint: soothing, analgesic, vasodilator, disinfectant, choleretic, antitoxic, tonic.

For medical purposes, peppermint is used, various herbal preparations are produced from it. These are well-known tinctures, mint tablets, ointments. Validol, for example, contains the main component of mint essential oil - menthol.

Peppermint tea is an excellent diaphoretic and diuretic, good for colds and swelling. And in the heat, mint infusions and mint teas will help you. Do you want to relax? Drink mint tea.

It should also be said that mint, like any medicinal plant, has contraindications for taking medicines from it, teas, decoctions. It can cause an undesirable effect for people who have a tendency to lower blood pressure.

Garden mint, curly, apple, long-leaved and field mint are actively used in cooking. It is added to confectionery, for example, to gingerbread (mint gingerbread), as well as to liqueurs (mint) and various wines, sauces (English mint sauce).

Desserts are prepared with mint, for example, ice cream, as well as salads, main courses, and drinks. Mint goes very well with young lamb meat. Desserts, salads, main courses, drinks are decorated with fresh mint leaves.

And a couple more tips:

1. Do you want milk to stay fresh longer and not sour? Add a mint leaf.
2. If you have a toothache - put a mint leaf on the aching tooth, this will ease your suffering.

8 Best Mint Recipes

Mint sauce for young lamb

Ingredients:

• Mint - 1 bunch (large),
• Vinegar - 100 ml,
• Sugar - 2 tbsp. spoons,
• Salt - a pinch.

Cooking:

This one is being prepared sauce fast enough. It is necessary to separate the mint leaves from the sprigs, place them in a blender along with sugar, vinegar and a pinch of salt, grind to a sauce state. It is necessary to prepare such a sauce 2-3 hours before serving, so that it is infused.

Mint sauce for fish

Ingredients:

• Mint (leaves) - 1 handful,
• Canned peas (frozen or fresh) - 250 g,
• Cream (fat content 22%) - 200-250 ml.

Cooking:

Put green peas without liquid into the blender bowl, pour cream, add mint leaves and beat everything well. If the peas are fresh or frozen, then they must be lightly boiled in cream, then beat with a blender with mint leaves.

For a spicy sauce, if desired, you can add a little salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Salad "Health"

Ingredients:

• Figs - 100 g,
• Dried apricots - 100 g,
• Raisins - 50 g,
• Nuts - 50 g,
• Mint - 5 branches,
• Natural yogurt - 250-300 g,
• Honey - to taste.

Cooking:

Rinse dried apricots, raisins and figs, if necessary, soak in water. Then dry the dried fruits. Cut dried apricots and figs into several pieces. Chop nuts (you can take any to taste, for example, walnuts). Separate the mint from the twigs, leave a few leaves for decoration, chop the rest. Combine all salad ingredients and mix, put in a salad bowl.

For dressing natural yogurt combine with the right amount of honey, mix well or beat with a mixer. Pour the resulting dressing salad. You can chill the salad before serving.

Strawberries with cheese and mint

Ingredients:

• Strawberries - 125 g,
• Blue cheese - 50 g,
• Mint - 2 branches,
• Honey - 1 tbsp. spoon.

Cooking:

Rinse strawberries, dry, cut in half or into 4 parts. Cheese cut into medium cubes. Separate the mint leaves from the twigs. Put strawberries and cheese in a salad bowl, mix, pour over honey and sprinkle with mint leaves.

Other Mint Recipes

Dorada stuffed with mint leaves and lemon

Mint, useful properties and recipes

Ingredients:

• Dorada - 1 pc.,
• Mint (leaves) - 1 handful,
• Lemon - 3 slices,
• Olive oil - 1 tbsp. spoon,
• Spices.

Cooking:

Very easy recipe and delicious dish. Grate the prepared fish carcass with salt and pepper (you can also cook other fish, for example, sea bass), grease inside and out with olive oil. Put mint leaves and lemon slices inside the gilthead. Cook for a couple of minutes 20-30.

Chicken breast rolls with mint and honey

Ingredients:

• Chicken breast - 2 pcs.,
• Mint - 2 bunches,
• Garlic - 2-4 cloves.
• Honey - 1-2 tbsp. spoons,
• Melted butter - 2 tbsp. spoons,
• Spices.

Cooking:

Cover the chicken breast with plastic wrap, beat it so that you get a flat pancake. Grate with spices.

Fresh mint leaves are saturated with biologically active substances, among which essential oil predominates. It is characterized by pronounced therapeutic properties - antispasmodic, antiseptic, sedative. But the high concentration of menthol in the essential oil also determines the list of contraindications to the use of a fresh plant. Whether it is possible to eat fresh mint should be determined by the attending physician, who must take into account the presence in the patient's history of pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract and organs of the urinary system.

Chemical composition

When brewing fresh or herbal medicinal raw materials, not all biologically active substances pass into infusions, teas and decoctions. A significant part of the essential oil, bioflavonoids, phytoncides, bitterness is destroyed under the influence of high temperature. Therefore, the use of fresh mint has its undoubted advantages. The inclusion of fragrant leaves in the diet will replenish the reserves of such useful compounds in the body:

• vitamins - ascorbic, folic, nicotinic acids, retinol, pyridoxine, cyanocobalamin;
• trace elements - zinc, iron, molybdenum, potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus.

In the process of infusion, they lose their biochemical properties and polyunsaturated fatty acids, as well as fat-soluble vitamins: retinol, ergocalciferol, tocopherol. This causes the tea to lack the ability to remove harmful triglycerides from the blood vessels. And the use of freshly plucked leaves allows you to clear arteries, veins, capillaries from cholesterol blocks. Therefore, when asked by patients about whether it is possible to eat fresh mint, cardiologists answer in the affirmative.

Beneficial features

Fresh mint leaves have a pronounced sedative effect. The ability of mint to normalize the work of the central nervous system is used to eliminate:

• psycho-emotional instability;
• depressive states;
• increased anxiety.

Due to the high concentration of menthol, the fresh plant exhibits arrhythmic and hypotensive effects due to the expansion of blood vessels. And the presence in the composition of a large number of phytoncides determines the antimicrobial and antispasmodic properties that help to quickly get rid of the painful symptoms of cystitis.

Respiratory infections

Fresh leaves contain a lot of menthol, which has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and disinfectant effects. After eating a couple of leaves, breathing is facilitated, congestion and flow from the nose disappear. And the mucolytic properties of mint are used to thin and evacuate thick sputum, which provokes bouts of excruciating dry cough. Essential oil from fresh leaves destroys pathogenic pathogens of bronchitis, tonsillitis, laryngitis and removes toxic products of their growth and reproduction from the upper respiratory tract.

Gastrointestinal diseases

Fresh mint should not be introduced into the diet of people diagnosed with gastritis with low acidity or ulcerative lesions of the digestive tract. But with excessive production of gastric juice by the glands, the plant will be very useful. The use of fresh leaves will serve as an obstacle to damage by caustic acid to the mucous membranes. Gastroenterologists recommend using the plant to relieve nausea and excessive gas formation, often due to the predominance of fatty and fried foods in the daily menu. And the use of fresh mint during bacterial intestinal infections helps to normalize digestion and peristalsis.

Warning: This method of treating dyspeptic disorders is not suitable for pregnant and breastfeeding women. The essential oil of fresh mint penetrates through all biological barriers and enters the child's body, provoking a decrease in blood pressure.

Residents of many countries, the question of whether it is possible to eat fresh mint will surprise. The plant is an indispensable ingredient in European and Mediterranean cuisine. Several leaves give freshness to vegetable and fruit salads, serve as an additive to alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails. Chopped mint is sprinkled with side dishes of rice, stewed cabbage, boiled carrots with olive oil.

Cooks like to decorate pastries, desserts, creamy and popsicles with fresh leaves. It is rare that a cheese plate is served to guests without mint, emphasizing the delicate taste and aroma of this product.

Tip: If a mixture of fresh herbs (mint, basil, oregano) is sprinkled on braised fatty lamb and beef, then there will be no problems with digestion.

All materials on the site are presented for informational purposes only. Before using any means, consultation with a doctor is MANDATORY!