Peppermint
PEPPERMINT
Mentha × piperita
Common Name
Peppermint
Family
Lamiaceae
Actions
Analgesic, anti-emetic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anti-oxidant, antispasmodic, aromatic, carminative, diaphoretic, nervine, stimulant
Energetics
Cooling and drying (with a secondary warming effect when taken as a warm tea)
Edible Uses
Peppermint is edible. It is often used as a tea or to flavor other medicinals, candies, and food. It can also be juiced for benefits.
Native To
Eurasia
Geographic Distribution
Cultivated worldwide
Botanical Description & Identification
Peppermint is a perennial plant which can grow up to 3 feet in height. Its stems are smooth and square and its leaves are dark green veins that appear red. The plants spread by an underground root system and not by seeds, however it is a plant which produces flowers. The flowers are purple and bloom from mid to late summer. They set with whorls around the stem and about 1/4 inches in length. The leaves of peppermint have a pointed tip and are covered in short and fuzzy hair-like material. The leaves grow from 1-3 inches long. Today there are several different varieties of peppermint.
Key Constituents
Volatile oils, vitamins, minerals, flavonoids, tannins.
Sustainability Issues
None known.
Harvesting Guidelines
Harvest by cutting the top 3-4 inches of the stem making sure to cut above the next set of leaves for easier re-growth.
Uses
**BENEFITS OF PEPPERMINT:
Peppermint is known to:
*Relieve cold and respiratory symptoms
*Ease menstrual symptoms
*Spark wound mending
*Relieve muscle spasms & associated pain
*Ease colic
*Relieve shingles associated pain
*Clear sinuses
*Soothe allergy symptoms
*Soothe intestinal pain
*Relieve headaches and migraines
*Speed up skin regeneration
*Relieve nausea & vomiting
*Relieve heartburn
*Reduce symptoms of stress & anxiety
*Improve mood
*Ease symptoms of fever
*Cool the body
Peppermint is useful in the following more common disorders and diseases:
Gastroenteritis, indigestion, flatulence, nausea, menstrual cramping, muscle spasms, appetite suppression and stimulation (after the suppression has worn off), headaches, spastic colon, IBS, Crohn's disease, insect bites, allergic skin, dermatitis, arthritis, gout, neuralgia, sciatica, persistent coughs, fevers, chronic pain associated with Lyme and other similar conditions, sore throat, toothaches, cancer, anorexia
Most common uses:
Peppermint is used all over the world as a flavoring in food however medicinally it is known to be used most commonly as a tea for bloating, gas, headaches, and relaxation when ill or stressed. As a cooling oil it also also often used to relax nerve pain around the body and cool down the associated heat from inflammation, and used as a temporary fix to pain - though it is not known to stimulate actual repair.
Fun Facts:
Peppermint is:
* So potent that a pound of peppermint oil can flavor up to 40,000 sticks of gum or
about 1,500 tubes of toothpaste (assuming the gum or toothpaste is using the real
stuff!)
* Grown and produced as a flavoring more often in the United States than anywhere
else in the world, and not solely produced for the United States.
* Named after the Greek myth of Hades and Minthe. It involves an affair, and
a curse with a twist. Look it up!
* An herb that can quickly become an invasive in the garden. Best to plant it
away from other plants or to maintain it very regularly.
* Only released when the leaves are chopped or torn.
* An herb whose oil is most potent just before the it is about to flower.
References
Apelian, N., & Davis, C. (2019). The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies: The Healing Power of Plant Medicine.
Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "pine". Encyclopedia Britannica, 4 May. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/plant/pine. Accessed 13 May 2024.
Culpeper, N., & Foster, S. (2019). Culpeper's complete herbal. Illustrated & annotated edition. New York, Sterling Publishing Company.
The Herbal Academy Herbarium and Materia Medica. Copyright: The Herbal Academy.
Hoffman, D. (1987). The Herbal Handbook: A User's Guide to Medical Herbalism.
Hoffmann, David. (2003). Medical Herbalism. Rochester, VT: Healing Arts Press.
Holmes P. Aromatica: a clinical guide to essential oil therapeutics – Vol. I. Singing Dragon, London, 2016.
Holmes P. Clary sage. The International Journal of Aromatherapy, 1993; 5(1): 15-17.
Tisserand R, Balacs T. Essential oil safety. Churchill Livingstone, Edinburgh, 1995.
McIntyre, Anne. (1996). Flower Power. New York, NY: Henry Holt and Company, Inc.
McIntyre, A. (2019). The Complete Herbal Tutor: The Definitive Guide to the Principles and Practices of Herbal Medicine.
Mortenson, Eric. “Powerful peppermint oil, an Oregon specialty crop, flavors the family that makes it.” The Oregonian. January 2019.
Wood, M. (2008). The Earthwise Herbal: A Complete Guide to Old World Medicinal Plants.
Safety
Peppermint may decrease lower esophageal sphincter pressure. Therefore, people with GERD or GI ulcers should use with caution and careful assessment.
Dose