Mint
/mint/
When thinking of the mint, freshness fill the room.
Mint comes from the mentha plant. There are two types of mint, peppermint and spearmint. Peppermint is often the one used in cooking whereas spearmint is used in breath fresheners like chewing gum, tic tac, toothpaste and mouth wash.
The plants are part of the Lamiaceae family which is made up 25 species of plants and species. Many of the plants are known for their leaves and pretty flowers. There are many species of mint as spearmint, peppermint, water mint, wild mint and bergamot. For many, what comes to mind are the beautiful leafy greens.
Origin
Today, mint is grown in many parts of the world, but its origins are widespread from North America, Eurasia, Southern Africa and Australia.
It grows easily so once you plant a pot of mint, you’ll be sure to have lots of it for all your tasty culinary delights. The fresh leaves can be picked and stored for a few days, or they can be dried to use for later.
Recipes
Since mint is grown in many parts of the world, it is widely used in many cuisines.
In the Middle East, it is added to meats to make spicy chicken legs, couscous and mint. Another popular dish is tabouli salad.
In South American cuisine, chimichurri sauce can be spread over many meat dishes such as lamb, steak or pork adding a delicious flavor.
Mint leaves add a great flavor when sprinkled over salads like this orange and pomegranate blend or a watermelon, feta and mint salad.
In Indian cuisine, mint chutney is a staple to enjoy with samosas, poppadum, sandwiches or even salads. In Asian food too, mint is used in a variety of dishes such as Lamb Larb. Also, pastas use a handful of mint to spruce up the flavor in a lemon, mint linguine.
It’s one of those versatile herbs that can be used to flavor many dishes!
And it doesn’t stop there, mint is also delicious in deserts like mint gelato and mint and strawberry popsicles, peppermint candy and chocolate. Yum!
To top it off, there’s a number of drinks that mint is an important ingredient for, none more popular than a mint julep. Mojitos are another popular drink that use lots of mint.
Cures
One of my favorite teas is peppermint tea. It is very soothing and can be made with several variations, enjoyed either hot or over ice.
Mint often helps to calm an upset stomach, help with congestion for a cold, even provide relief for a headache and nausea. Mint can be enjoyed in form of a tea, used as an essential oil, or in actual leaf form. It is easily accessible in many forms while tasting great!
Other common uses for spearmint are chewing gum, mouth fresheners, toothpaste and other oral health products. It is also great to keep mosquitoes away.
Beauty products
With its fragrant soothing scent, mint is used in aromatherapy, candles, perfumes, body soap and skin cleansers.
Household
Mint is also quite popular in household products like air fresheners and cleaners to leave a clean fresh smell.
If you grown mint, think about all its wonderful uses!
Sources
https://www.britannica.com/plant/Lamiaceae
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mentha
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/mint-benefits#section9
https://food.ndtv.com/food-drinks/mint-benefits-10-incredible-health-benefits-of-mint-or-pudina-you-must-know-1842720
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