Mint Benefits For Health
Mint, the popular herb has several benefits which include proper digestionand weight loss, relief from nausea, depression, fatigue, and headache. It is used in the treatment of asthma, memory loss, and skin care problems. This well-known mouth and breath freshener is scientifically known as Mentha and has more than two dozen species and hundreds of varieties. It is an herb that has been used for hundreds of years for its remarkable medicinal properties.
The market is full of products like toothpastes, chewing gums, breath fresheners, candies and inhalers which have mint as their base element.
Mint Leaves Health Benefits
Most of us are familiar with the refreshing application of mint, but it has far more to offer than that. The health benefits of mint include the following:
Reduces Depression & Fatigue
Mint is a natural stimulant and the smell alone can be enough to charge your energy and get your brain functioning at a higher level again. If you are feeling sluggish, anxious, depressed or simply exhausted, mint and its essential oil can help. It can be ingested, applied topically in a salve form or inhaled as a vapor, and all of these techniques can give you a much-needed boost. A popular way to get good results in an easy manner is to put a few drops of mint essential oil or menthol oil on your pillow at night, and let it work on your body and mind while you sleep.
Aids in Breast Feeding
For many women, breastfeeding is a beautiful part of raising a child, but it can affect your breasts and nipples. Studies have shown that mint oil can reduce the nipple cracks and nipple pain that often accompany
Skin Care
While mint oil is a good antiseptic and antipruritic material, the juice obtained from mint is an excellent skin cleanser. It soothes the skin and helps to cure infections and itchiness. In addition to being a good way to reduce pimples, it can even relieve some of the symptoms of acne. Its anti-pruritic properties can be used for treating insect bites like those of mosquitoes, honeybees, hornets, wasps, and gnats. The cooling sensation will relieve you from irritation and the constant urge to scratch, and the anti-inflammatory nature of mint will bring down swelling. In that same vein, mint oil is often a basic component of bug repellent products like citronella candles, because the strong aroma is unappealing to most insects.
Treats Asthma
Regular use of mint is very beneficial for asthma patients, as it is a good relaxant and relieves congestion. That being said, using too much mint in this way can also irritate the nose and throat.
Weight Loss
Apart from all the other health benefits of mint, it also can help in your efforts to lose weight in a healthy way. Mint is a stimulant, as we’ve already mentioned, but it also stimulates the digestive enzymes that absorb nutrients from foodand consume fat and turn it into usable energy. Therefore, by adding mint to your diet, you are increasing the amount of fat that is being consumed and put to use, rather than being stored and contributing to weight gain.
Prevents Memory Loss
A recent study explored the effects that mint has on alertness, retention and cognitive function. It found that people who frequently use chewing gum, in which the major active ingredient is mint, had higher levels of memory retention and mental alertness than those who did not. The stimulant qualities of mint, once again, have shown yet another reason to pop that stick of gum in your mouth or chew some leaves when you’re feeling less than brilliant.
Improves Sterility
There are mixed opinions regarding the role of mint in treating this condition. Some argue that prolonged use of menthol may cause sterility, reducing a woman’s ability to conceive by interfering with the production of ova and killing these gametes. This is due to the germicidal and insecticidal properties of the herb, which are beneficial for many health concerns. Other research has claimed that men who smoke menthol cigarettes are more likely to suffer from impotence than those who smoke normal cigarettes. It is not certain whether this is due to the tobacco alone or if the mentholated aspect has anything do with it. Another group of researchers suggests that mint may actually be used to treat sterility in females. Suffice to say, a great deal of research must be done on the effects of mint in both male impotency and female sterility.
Prevents Cancer
Current research shows that certain enzymes that can be found in mint may help to prevent and treat cancer.
Oral Care
Since mint has germicidal qualities and quickly freshens breath, it adds to oral health by inhibiting harmful bacterial growth inside the mouth and by cleaning the tongue and teeth. This is why mint used to be rubbed directly on the teeth and gums to refresh the mouth and eliminate dangerous forms of growth. In modern times, for the same reason, mint is one of the most common elements in toothpastes, mouthwashes, and other dental hygiene products. Of course, the easiest way to get these results is to simply chew on the leaves.
Treats Nausea & Headache
Mint leaves, especially freshly crushed leaves help you deal with nausea and headache. The strong and refreshing aroma of mint is a quick and effective remedy for nausea. Use mint oil or any other product having a mint flavor and your stomach issues will be alleviated. In fact, many people keep menthol oil or mint-flavored products with them at all times to avoid nausea. Balms with a mint base or basic mint oil, when rubbed on the forehead and nose, give quick relief in case of a headache. This herb is a naturally soothing substance, so it can alleviate the inflammation and temperature rise that is often associated with headaches and migraines.
