Minty magic – not just for after dinner

The history of mint stretches back to Greek mythology when Minthe, a river nymph loved by god of the dead and king of the underworld Haides, claimed superiority over his wife Persephone and in response, the angry goddess transformed Minthe into a mint plant. Well, that’s just one of several versions of the myth.

From ancient civilisations to modern-day medicine, mint has been used to scent the air in temples and homes, to symbolise hospitality and has featured in funerary rites in many cultures.

Scanning electron microscopy identified pollen grains from mint in the mummified heart of Richard the Lionheart; in ancient Greece, mint leaves were rubbed on dining tables to welcome guests; while in Europe, they were scattered across floors to cover the smell of hard-packed soil. In the late 19th century, peppermint oil was used in formulations of laudanum and morphine to mask the taste and in the Middle East, it is still customary to serve mint tea to guests on their arrival.

Mints belong to the Mentha genus of plants in the Lamiaceae family – a group of 42 species that includes 15 hybrids and hundreds of subspecies varieties and cultivars of fragrant, perennial, aromatic herbs which include wildmint, watermint, horsemint and pennyroyal. Spearmint and peppermint are the most common varieties used today.

Menthol is a substance naturally found in both these types of mint and provides a cool, refreshing sensation, which is why it’s used in toothpaste, mouthwash, breath mints, chewing gum and sprays for cooling legs and feet. Other flavourings such as cinnamon, clove and aniseed have been used in toothpaste, but mint dominates.

Spearmint versus peppermint

Spearmint (Mentha spicata) has light green leaves with toothed edges and is usually the one you find in supermarkets. It has a subtle, light flavour that’s vaguely sweet, with hints of citrus. Spearmint works well in savoury dishes and cocktails, such as a Mojito, and is used in some chewing gums.

Peppermint (Mentha × piperita) is a hybrid species, a cross between watermint and spearmint and has purple stems with dark green, pointed leaves. Because of its higher menthol content (it’s claimed peppermint contains 40 per cent menthol, versus 0.5 per cent in spearmint) peppermint packs a potent punch with spicy notes – hence the ‘pepper’ in its name. Due to this stronger flavour, peppermint goes well in desserts, pairs well with chocolate and is used in extra strong mints.

Uses and health benefits

Mint leaves can be used as a herb, either fresh or dried, in a variety of foods and drinks, ranging from teas and cocktails to sauces, jellies, salads and desserts. The leaves contain fibre, manganese, folate and vitamin A – a fat-soluble vitamin that is important for eye health and night vision. Fresh mint is also a potent source of antioxidants that help protect your body from oxidative stress, a type of damage to cells caused by harmful compounds called free radicals.

While you might normally eat only a small amount of mint, some recipes can include quite a lot of it, such as pea and mint soup or tabbouleh – a Mediterranean bulgar wheat salad packed with fresh parsley and mint.

Mints also continue to be among the most widely used herbs for medicinal purposes, with peppermint dominating in health products.

Peppermint essential oil is mainly composed of menthol, menthone, neomenthol and iso-menthone and has strong anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral and antioxidant properties. It may be used topically as a skin cream or as an ointment to soothe and cool the skin, but it should always be diluted before use. A well-known mentholated topical ointment that’s been around for decades is sold as a cold remedy but it’s not a decongestant. Its strong menthol and camphor vapours create a cooling sensation in your nasal passages, triggering receptors in your brain to make you feel that you’re breathing more openly. Along with menthol, the camphor and eucalyptus oil also work as cough suppressants.

Peppermint oil may be used in capsules to help relieve nausea, upset stomach or indigestion. After-dinner mints can signify a sense of occasion however, there’s a good reason their popularity endures. They help combat abdominal cramping by reducing the gastrocolic reflex – a reflex that causes the sudden urge to ‘make room’ for food you have just eaten! Indeed, because peppermint oil may help the muscles of the bowel wall relax, recent studies suggest a possible role for it in colonoscopy – when a doctor inserts a camera into the colon to look for issues such as polyps or bowel cancer.

Peppermint oil capsules may also help alleviate symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) such as stomach pain, gas, bloating and a change in bowel habits – such as diarrhoea, constipation or sometimes both. Capsules with an enteric coating prevent stomach acid from breaking them down, enabling the capsules to reach the intestines without being dissolved. According to the NHS, the usual dose of peppermint oil is one or two capsules taken three times a day, one hour before meals. Although several studies show that peppermint oil can improve IBS symptoms, more rigorous investigation is needed to improve our knowledge of pain relief, for example.

Peppermint is usually safe for adults when used according to instructions but shouldn’t be used by children under four or women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. Don’t take peppermint or drink peppermint tea if you have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a condition where stomach acids back up into the oesophagus or hiatal hernia. Peppermint can relax the sphincter between the stomach and oesophagus, allowing stomach acids to flow back up.

Research suggests that ‘olfactory enrichment’ (smelling essential oils) may help improve some cognitive skills and a limited number of studies suggest that peppermint oil may help improve memory, cognitive performance and alertness. Again, more research is needed.

Mint is easy to grow at home in pots on a balcony or windowsill or in the garden. You can pick a few leaves at a time and make tea or toss them into salads or other dishes. Mint leaves also provide a burst of flavour to summer berries! Try varieties such as chocolate mint (Mentha × piperita f. citrata ‘Chocolate’), Moroccan mint (Mentha spicata var. crispa ‘Moroccan’) or apple mint (Mentha suaveolens). A bonus is that the flowers might attract butterflies and bees to your garden.