Mint has long added its bright flavor and scent to drinks and dishes, especially in Balkan and Middle Eastern cuisines. The fresh or dried leaves are used as an ingredient, while the essential oil is extracted as a flavoring and scent. The young leaves are continuously harvested from spring through fall, but mint can also be grown indoors and so is available year-round. Mint is used in a variety of delicious baked treats, savory sauces, and drinks, from hot mint tea to cool mint juleps and mojitos.
What Is Mint?
Mint is an aromatic herb produced by various species of the mint plant (Mentha). Native to the eastern Mediterranean, mint gets its name from a mythic nymph named Minthe (Mintho). Jealous Persephone turned her into a lowly mint plant after she had an affair with Pluto, the god of the underworld. The mint plant is common and a favorite of many gardeners, so it's easy to grow your own. As an herb, it is gluten-free and suitable for vegan, vegetarian, and paleo diets.
Taste
Mint tastes sweet and produces a lingering cool effect on the tongue. Peppermint has a stronger flavor with more menthol taste. The fresh leaves have the most flavor and scent, with those much reduced in dried mint leaves.
Uses
In the home, mint has long been used as an aromatic. As a strewing herb, it was scattered around the house as a deodorizer. Today, it is commonly used in sachets and potpourris. Some soap makers add small amounts of dried mint to their soaps, while peppermint oil is sometimes used in aromatherapy to improve alertness.
How to Make Your Own Dried Mint
You can dry fresh mint, whether from your garden or bought in bunches at a farmers market. Simply cut long sprigs of mint, tie them into bundles, and hang them upside down. Once dry, remove the leaves and store them in a glass jar or sealed plastic bag. This allows you to enjoy your mint year-round.
Health Benefits
Each variety of mint has been traditionally used to treat numerous ailments, ranging from an upset stomach to nervousness. Modern medical research has focused on peppermint oil, which is now often sold as a dietary supplement capsule, medicinal tea, or topical preparation.
The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) of the National Institutes of Health notes that peppermint oil may be of use for symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) when taken in enteric-coated capsules. In combination with caraway oil, it may help indigestion.1 Topical peppermint oil has some limited evidence of being helpful for tension headaches. There isn't enough evidence to show peppermint oil or peppermint leaf is useful for any other condition.
