Eat More Peppermint
Latin name: Mentha piperita (Lamiaceae [mint] family)
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Peppermint is a hybrid of watermint and spearmint that was first cultivated
near London in 1750. It grows almost everywhere. It is a square-stemmed
annual that yields the popular flavoring agent. It grows from thirty-two
to thirty-six inches high and has aromatic serrated leaves. The two main
cultivated forms are the black mint, which has violet-colored leaves and
stems and a relatively high essential oil content, and the white mint,
which has pure green leaves and a milder taste. The finest-quality
peppermint is grown in the northwestern United States.
Peppermint teas are used around the world to calm queasy stomachs and
to quell indigestion. Peppermint leaves contain a volatile (essential)
oil that is 50 to 75 percent menthol. This oil is the basis of most
medicinal preparations of peppermint.
EVIDENCE OF BENEFIT
Peppermint is a general stimulant. A strong cup of peppermint tea circulates
quickly and acts more powerfully than any liquor stimulant. This herb has a
long history as digestive aid and as a treatment for the symptoms cough,
colds, and fever. It kills microorganisms that can cause food poisoning,
relieves the pain of sprains and strains, and helps freshen lingering bad
breath. It also is good for nausea and vomiting.
Benefits of peppermint for specific health condition include the following:
• Colic, food allergies, indigestion, and motion sickness.
If queasiness, nausea, a feeling of fullness, or severe vomitng is a problem,
a single cup of peppermint tea will often bring relief. Because of the herb's
antispasmodic effects, eases gas pain and heartburn.
• Crohn's disease and hepatitis. Peppermint oil helps to relieve digestive
disturbances caused by chronic hepatitis, and it stimulates the release
of bile, which helps to ease, Crohn's disease. In addition, British
physicians have found a 40 percent reduction in the incidence of spasms
caused by barium enemas when peppermint oil is given after this diagnostic
test.
• Food poisoning. Peppermint oil is effective against food poisoning,
as shown by its amazing ability to stop the growth of Salmonella bacteria.
Japanese experiments with a number of foods stored at 86°F (30°C) for two
days showed that peppernint oil stopped the growth of Salmonella and
slowed the growth of Listeria, another harmful type of microbe.
• Gallstones. During an acute attack, peppermint relieves mild spasms of
the bile duct. It also helps to dissolve gallstones and increase bile flow.
• Headache and stress. When applied topically, peppermint oil can relieve
headache. Researchers at Christian-Albrecht University in Germany found that
peppermint oil, applied to the forehead, has the same pain-relieving effect
as 1,000 milligrams of acetaminophen, or two 500-milligram Tylenol tablets.
In most subjects, regardless of age or sex or the duration of the headache,
peppermint was just as effective at relieving pain as acetaminophen.
Applying peppermint oil to the temples can also relax muscles and decrease
tension.
• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Irritable bowel syndrome a condition in
which the intestines pass food through the colon before it is fully digested,
causing cramping and diarrhea. Peppermint oil blocks the contractions of the
smooth muscles lining the intestines, reversing some of the symptoms of
irritable bowel syndrome.
CONSIDERATIONS FOR USE
Peppermint is available in menthol lozenges, peppermint oil, enteric-coated
peppermint-oil capsules, and teas.
Peppermint oil can be used in aromatheratpy.
You should never ingest pure menthol or peppermint leaves, which contain
substances that can be toxic. Pure peppermint may cause cardiac arrhythmias,
and even small doses of pure menthol can be life-threatening. When using
peppermint oil, it is important not to exceed the recommended dosage.
Larger doses may cause burning, gastrointestinal upset, and even seizures.
If you drink peppermint tea on a regular basis, take a few days' break
after a week or two.
Pregnant women with morning sickness should use diluted peppermint tea
rather than more potent forms of this herb. However, you should use it
for morning sickness if you have a history of miscarriage. People with
chronic heartburn also should avoid this herb.
Peppermint can cause depletion or interference with the heartburn
drug cisapride (Propulsid). If you are using peppermint for gallstone
relief, be sure to follow the directions under GALLSTONES in Part Two.
You should avoid it altogether if you have any other type of gallbladder
disorder.
from Prescription for Herbal Healing by Phyllis Balch, Copyright ©
January, 2002, Avery Books, a member of Penguin Putnam, Inc., used by
permission.
This is brought to you by Prescription for Herbal Healing.
The most authoritative guide to more than 200 herbs and herbal
preparations.
Phyllis A. Balch, CNC, has been a leading nutritional consultant for
more than two decades, and has spent more than twenty-five years
researching natural approaches to health and healing. She continues
to study nutrition-based therapies, procedures, and treatments in
the United States and abroad.
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Nothing in this essay is intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Peppermint has not been approved by the Food & Drug Administration for the treatment of any disease.
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