Peppermint: 10 properties and health benefits of this plant

This herb has been used for centuries as a cooking ingredient and in remedies.

Surely the best known properties of peppermint are aromatic and gastronomic. However, this plant has a large number of medicinal benefits that have been used for centuries.

In this article you will find several properties of peppermint, as well as some of the main characteristics of this plant..

What is peppermint?

Peppermint is an aromatic plant of the genus Mentha. In fact, its scientific name is Mentha Spicata, which comes from Latin "spica" and means "spear". It receives this name because of the shape of its leaves, whose stem reaches 30 cm in height.

In the extract of its leaves are found different natural chemical compounds that have important effects on our organism.. It is a plant of easy cultivation and of European, Asian and African origin that has been used for several centuries, especially for its medicinal properties.

It is also a plant that can be easily acquired and added to the daily diet. Among the nutrients and minerals it contains are fiber, vitamin A, magnesium, iron and folate..

10 properties of peppermint

Due to the multiple properties it possesses, mentha spicata has received the name "peppermint". Among the most popular are its aromatic and gastronomic benefits, however, it also has many medicinal properties. We will see below which are the main ones.

1. Diabetes prevention

One of the properties that has been recently investigated is the activity of menthol in the regulation of lipids circulating in the bloodstream. the regulation of lipids circulating in the bloodstream.. In experiments with rats with induced diabetes, ingestion of peppermint extract reduced cholesterol and triglyceride levels, which may indicate an important diabetes-preventive property.

2. Antioxidant activity

It helps to regulate the cellular oxidation process, due to the bioactive substances present in peppermint leaves. This antioxidant action allows in turn prevent inflammation processes and, in a regular intake combined with other healthy lifestyles, can help prevent chronic degenerative diseases (such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases).

3. Antispasmodic and analgesic effects

The ingestion and also the cutaneous use of peppermint oil has muscle relaxant properties. This in turn allows cushioning painful sensationsThis is attributed to the action of menthol. For the same reason it is recognized as having analgesic properties.

4. Antibacterial properties

Peppermint has shown different modes of action on bacteria and eukaryotic cells, exhibiting different bactericidal properties. This may be due to the presence of phenolic compounds that act as prooxidants, which counteract the activity of bacteria. In addition, one of the effects of peppermint leaves has been to modulate the activity of the immune systemand therefore it has been related to an anti-parasitic effect.

5. Promotes digestion

Peppermint can be effective in relieving stomach upset and indigestion. The latter are generally caused by the prolonged stay of food in the stomach during its passage through the digestive tract.

In this sense, the ingestion of peppermint oil with meals has proven to be effective in increasing the speed at which food passes through the digestive tract.which means that it promotes digestion.

6. Relieve irritable bowel symptoms

Another property related to the previous point is the relief of the characteristic symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, such as stomach pain and excessive gas. Menthol helps to relax the muscles of the digestive tract, which helps to alleviate some of these symptoms.

7. Relaxing properties

As with other natural infusions, peppermint has important properties as a relaxant on a psychological level. This is because it can cause a noticeable reduction of nervous tension after ingesting it in a hot tea. Likewise, menthol oil, used in the form of an ointment, has relaxing and refreshing properties. For the same reason it is used in important muscular tensions, as in the relief of cramps.

8. Relief of burns

Related to the previous point, menthol oil ointment (especially when mixed with other elements such as olive oil) can soothe minor burns. This is also related to its cooling properties..

9. Relieve cold symptoms

Peppermint is often thought to have a decongestant property. In fact, several over-the-counter pharmaceutical treatments contain menthol, a primary extract of peppermint oil. However, menthol itself does not have a decongestant action. The soothing effect is caused by the cooling sensation of the mint when inhaled.

10. Invigorating effect

Recently, the inhalation of peppermint essential oils has been related to brain functions, especially in short-term information retention. It has also been proposed that improves alertness and decreases fatigue.It could therefore be considered an invigorating agent. However, more studies are needed for these results to be conclusive.