- This article is about the herb. See Mint (disambiguation) for other meanings.
The true mints are perennial herbs in the Family Lamiaceae. They are used to flavor food, candy, teas, breath fresheners, antiseptic mouth rinses, and toothpaste. All of them are included in the Genus Mentha (In common usage, just about any plant with fragrant leaves may be erroneously called a mint).
The underlying minty scent is due to menthol. Mints are generally vigorous, spreading plants that tolerate a wide range of conditions. There are hundreds of varieties but only fifteen are common. Seven of these varieties are from Australia, the others are Eurasian.
Peppermint (large leaves) and Corsican mint plants.
Some common species and varieties:
- Mentha aquatica, Water mint, or Marsh mint
- Mentha arvensis piperascens, Japanese peppermint
- Mentha citrata (syn. M. odorata), the Bergamot mint (smells like Bergamot)
- Mentha longifolia
- Mentha x piperita, Peppermint, Chocolate mint
- Mentha pulegium, the Pennyroyal
- Mentha requienii, Corsican mint
- Mentha spicata crispa , Curly mint
- Mentha spicata, Spearmint
- Mentha suaveolens (syn. M. rotundifolia), the Apple mint (smells like apples) and the Pineapple mint (a variegated variety of Apple mint)
- Mentha sylvestris, Horsemint, Wild mint
The variety sold as "pineapple mint" is particularly mild and popular.
Japanese Peppermint is a major commercial source of menthol.
Pennyroyal is a member of the genus, and resembles other mints, but has a much stronger odor and flavor. It also has potentially harmful medicinal effects. Its characteristic scent is from pulegiol.
Corsican mint is unusual in being a low, mossy groundcover (it smells like pennyroyal).
Vietnamese mint, commonly used in Southeast Asian cuisine, is not a member of the mint family.
Mint was originally used as a medicinal herb that was viewed as a cure for stomach and chest pains. Mint was brought to North America by early settlers and became commonly used as a flavoring.
Mint leaves generally refers to dried spearmint leaves of the species Mentha spicata. The dark green leaves have a pleasant warm, fresh, aromatic, sweet flavor with a cool aftertaste. In central America(Nicaragua) Mint is know as "Yerba Buena" meaning "Good Herb."
Mint leaves are used in teas, beverages, jellies, syrups, and ice creams. In Mid-Eastern cuisines, mint is used in green Thai curry. Mint is reported to be a natural method for relieving stomach aches.
Mint is native to Europe and Asia and was previously grown in convent gardens. Today, Mint is commercially cultivated in the United States and Egypt.
Mint, according to Greek myth, was named after the mythical character, Menthe. During the middle ages, besides culinary use, powered mint leaves were used to whiten teeth.
Usage
It is used as a flavouring in drinks, gum and candies. Menthol from M. is component of cosmetic and parfumes. Menthol and Essential oil of M. use in medicine as component of many drugs and very popular in aromatherapy.
See also
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