Fresh mint leaves and their health benefits are delicious. Mint has a bright yet subtle flavor when added to foods and drinks that cannot be beaten.
Many people forget that cooking with herbs is a perfect way to add a lot of flavor to dishes. Herbs are loaded with vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. In fact, you can give food an impactful nutritional boost through the addition of fresh herbs, such as mint, which is an easy way to sneak in more vitamins and minerals into your diet.
With that being said, mint is often overlooked. Parsley, cilantro, and basil are often the go-to herbs for cooking. But mint should also make an appearance in your food as much as possible. There is a surprising amount of ways you can use mint in cooking.
In this post, we are going to take a look at the top mint health benefits and why mint is such a healthy and nutritious herb to include in your diet regularly.
Mint Health Benefits, It can help IBS
Mint and tummy trouble go hand in hand. IBS is a digestive disorder that is quite common. People who suffer from IBS have symptoms like gas, bloating, stomach pains, and bowel issues and changes. It can be challenging to live with on a regular basis.
Since mint helps with digestive issues, peppermint and peppermint leaf oil is a great herbal remedy. Mint contains menthol and this compound can help alleviate IBS related symptoms. It helps to relax the muscles in the digestive tract that have become irritated.
Mint health benefits and indigestion
Similar to fresh mint and peppermint oil helping with IBS related symptoms, mint is also perfect for helping with occasional indigestion. Mint can soothe an upset stomach and help move food through the digestive tract and stomach more efficiently, so you are much less likely to suffer from any indigestion related to food.
Mint health benefits to improve cold symptoms
Feeling a pesky cold coming on? If so, you may want to grab some fresh mint leaves. Even though it may sound surprising that mint can help with cold symptoms, it is actually an awesome wholesome way to help with the symptoms of a common cold.
Mint can help with symptoms such as congestion and stuffiness. The menthol in mint can help clear up nasal passages, so you can breathe easier and more freely.
Mint and brain health and function
Last but certainly not least, mint can help improve your brain health and brain functioning. Some studies suggest that inhaling the aroma from mint, especially in oil form, can improve brain functioning.
The study found that students who smelled peppermint oil before they took the test had quite apparent improvements in the memory and recall when taking the test. Although there needs to be more studies done on this subject to completely confirm results, there is hope that mint is great for brain health overall.