Ways To Use Peppermint - Learn About Peppermint Plant Uses

Chop peppermint into fresh fruit salad or cool down fiery curries with a few sprigs. Two classic pairings are mint and fresh spring peas or mint jelly with lamb. Think outside the box and add mint to other veggies such as carrots, cauliflower, or zucchini.

How do you use peppermint plant?

Select the top few inches of growth and use only clean, unblemished leaves. Crush a few by twisting them between your fingers to release the oils. Place the crushed leaves in a cup and pour with a saucer and steep at least three minutes, longer if it's for medicinal purposes. Strain and enjoy.

What can I do with peppermint leaves?

Salad Dressing: Toss chopped mint leaves into vinaigrette or creamy dressings for a flavorful burst to those green salads. Iced Drinks: A few sprigs of fresh peppermint make an especially refreshing addition to homemade iced teas, lemonades, and cocktails during the hot days of summer.

How do you harvest and use peppermint?

When to harvest: Pick mint leaves and sprigs as you need them throughout the growing season. Cut away flower stalks before they bloom for a sweeter taste. Cut the entire plant down to 2 or 3 inches above the soil at midseason and it will regrow for a second harvest.

Can you eat the leaves of a peppermint plant?

You can easily add mint to green salads, desserts, smoothies and even water. Peppermint tea is another popular way to incorporate it into your diet. However, many of the studies showing the health benefits of mint didn't involve eating the leaves with food. ... Eating fresh or dried leaves: Used to treat bad breath.

What is the difference between mint and peppermint?

The term "mint" is an umbrella term for the Mentha plant family that includes spearmint, peppermint, orange mint, apple mint, pineapple mint and more. Mint is a perennial and wide-spreading herb. ... Both spearmint and peppermint have menthol in them but peppermint contains a higher menthol content (40% versus .

Do peppermint plants keep mice away?

Mice can't stand the strong scent of peppermint, and they have a really good sense of smell, so they will avoid it at all costs. Keep this plant around as either a leaf or in oil form, and it will work wonders as an all-natural mouse repellant!

Is it good to drink peppermint water?

If you're looking for a healthy alternative to soda or sugary drinks, mint water is an excellent solution. Mint water is a simple and refreshing beverage that offers significant health benefits. It contains no sugar, no caffeine, and very few calories.

Does mint leaf help in weight loss?

Boosts metabolism: Mint stimulates digestive enzymes, which help facilitate better absorption of nutrients from food. ... A faster metabolism aids weight loss. 3. Low calories: The herb is effectively low in calories.

Is Mint good for skin?

Mint leaves work well as a mild astringent agent that helps to tone your skin naturally. It is potent to clear off the dead cells, removes the dirt from the pores and revamps your skin to a smoother, supple and well -hydrated tone. In addition, it also retains the moisture in your skin by tightening the pores.

How do I make my mint bushier?

Sprinkle the soil with a little time-release fertilizer if you wish. Water in the plants well. Finally, positioning your fingers like mine in the photo at left, pinch off the top two to four leaves on each plant. This will make the mint branch out and become bushy.

How do you dry peppermint?

Dry the mint well using paper towels or other absorbent towels. Carefully remove the leaves from the stems when the mint is dry. Place the leaves on a cookie sheet in a single layer. Warm them in the oven at 180 F or 80 C for two hours, then check them to see if they've dried out completely.

How do you keep mint fresh after picking?

Storing Fresh Mint

Wrap the mint leaves gently in a dampened paper towel. Place the mint in a plastic bag, not sealing all the way so that air can circulate. Do not wrap tightly; trapped moisture will cause the herbs to mold. Trim the ends and place in a glass filled with about 1” of water.

Can I put mint leaves in my water?

Take 3 to 4 sprigs of fresh mint, depending on taste. Remove any damaged or brown leaves and wash the sprigs very well. Put them into a carafe or water jug and fill up with water, covering the mint completely. ... The mint will keep flavoring the water for up to 3 days.

How can you tell if Mint is edible?

So one of the best ways to distinguish mints is aroma. Get some mint that you know - spearmint and peppermint, for instance, and compare. If it's really like spearmint, I would not worry and use it. Pennyroyal, also a mint, has a distinctly different aroma as well, more menthol and almost a wintergreen aroma.

What are the side effects of mint leaves?

The peppermint leaf is POSSIBLY SAFE when taken by mouth, short-term. The safety of using peppermint leaf for longer than 8 weeks is unknown. Peppermint can cause some side effects including heartburn, dry mouth, nausea, and vomiting.

What is the benefits of peppermint?

12 Science-Backed Benefits of Peppermint Tea and Extracts

May Ease Digestive Upsets. Peppermint may relieve digestive symptoms, such as gas, bloating and indigestion. ...
May Help Relieve Tension Headaches and Migraines. ...
May Freshen Your Breath. ...
May Relieve Clogged Sinuses. ...
May Improve Energy. ...
May Help Relieve Menstrual Cramps. ...
May Fight Bacterial Infections. ...
May Improve Your Sleep.

Is peppermint or spearmint better for you?

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.

Is it hard to grow peppermint?

In the garden it's prolific, attracts pollinators, and is easy to grow. If there was ever a plant that could make the blackest thumb turn green, it's mint. Give it enough water and it will happily do its thing. In USDA Hardiness Zones 3-8, it will continue to grow – and spread – year after year.

Does Irish Spring soap keep mice away?

Some people report success using soap in repelling mice. But don't just reach for whatever is sitting in your soap dish — the most successful repellents consist of strongly smelling soaps like Irish Spring. It's not clear why mice avoid deodorant soap, but it's likely they work for the same reason as peppermint oil.

Do peppermint tea bags repel mice?

Peppermint is a natural rodent repellant.

Because mice rely mostly on their sense of smell, the direct scent of peppermint tea or peppermint oil is an immediate turnoff. ... Once the tea is boiled, spread the used teabags throughout the house.

What do rats hate the most?

Among the smells that rats hate are chemical odors such as the smell of naphthalene, the stench of rat predators like cats, raccoons, and ferrets, as well as several natural scents such as the smell of citronella, peppermint and eucalyptus oils.