Spearmint: Health benefits and more
Spearmint, or Mentha spicata is a pleasant-smelling species of mint found in health-food products, toothpastes, mouthwashes, and cosmetics. It is often used in medicine for its claimed therapeutic properties.
Spearmint contains vitamins, antioxidants, and vital nutrients. Its aroma is very similar to that of peppermint. It contains less menthol than peppermint, but it is rich in limonene, dihydrocarvone, and cineol. It has a sweeter taste than peppermint.
Like other herbs of the mint family, spearmint has a square-shaped stem. Its leaves are around 5 centimeters to 9 centimeters long and 1.5 centimeters to 3 centimeters wide. The tips of the leaves are pointed, like spears, hence its name.
Possible health benefits of spearmint
Fresh spearmint can be used in a variety of recipes.
Many health benefits have been attributed to spearmint, whether consumed fresh or used as an essential oil.
Some people use spearmint to help alleviate symptoms of nausea, indigestion, gas, headache, toothache, cramps, and sore throat.
It is also applied topically, to the skin, to help reduce swelling due to nerve or muscle pain.
A report published in the journal Food Chemistry indicates that spearmint extract has "good total phenolic and flavonoid contents" and "excellent antioxidant activity."
Spearmint essential oil has antifungal properties, according to a study presented at the 2011 International Conference on Environmental and Agriculture Engineering.
Spearmint may help to relieve symptoms of digestive problems, by relaxing the stomach muscles, reducing symptoms of nausea, and other digestive problems.
Research published in Phytotherapy Research suggests that drinking two cups of spearmint tea a day, for 5 days could reduce the level of androgens in women with hirsutism. A second, 30-day study, of 41 women with polycystic ovary syndrome, produced similar results.
Hirsutism in women causes hair to grow on the face, breasts, and stomach. It can lead to a great deal of distress. The hair grows because of excessively high levels of the "male" androgen hormones.
Spearmint and rosemary extracts have recently been found to improve memory. Prof. Susan Farr, from Saint Louis University School of Medicine, has suggested that if antioxidants from spearmint and rosemary are made into an enhanced extract, they may help to improve learning and memory. This could help with age-related cognitive decline.
Other health conditions that spearmint may be effective at treating include:
- Mint provides vitamins and helps digestion.
- Sore throat
- Arthritis
- Cramps
- Toothache
- Bad breath
- Common cold
- Diarrhea
- Muscle pain
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Stress.
Some research has suggested that four cups of spearmint tea a day has a negative effect on the male libido, but a rodent study has indicated that this is not true.
Spearmint's nutritional profile
The nutritional value of 100 grams of fresh spearmint is:
- Energy - 44 kilocalories
- Carbohydrates - 8.41 grams
- Fat - 0.73 grams
- Protein - 3.29 grams
- Iron - 11.87 milligrams
- Manganese - 1.118 milligrams
- Copper - 0.240 milligrams
- Potassium - 458 milligrams
- Riboflavin - 0.175 milligrams
- Pyridoxine - 0.158 milligrams
- Vitamin C - 13.3 milligrams
- Cholesterol - 0 milligrams
- Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) - 0.061 milligrams
- Vitamin B6 - 0.041 milligrams
- Folate (vitamin B9) - 3 μg
- Vitamin C - 4.6 milligrams