Mint - A Truly Peppery Herb

In Greek mythology, we find mention of mint in the tale of Hades, who transformed his lover, a nymph, into a fragrant plant to save her from his wife. Ancient Greek women rubbed their bones and joints with mint ointment. The Romans also called it St. Mary's Herb and used it to flavor wine and various sauces. The Roman poet Ovid considered mint a symbol of hospitality, as two villagers, Baucis and Philemon, would first scrub their tables with mint before dining. Mint mixed with honey refreshed the Romans' breath and suppressed the smell of alcohol. Jews scattered mint on the floors of synagogues. In 1597, Gerard wrote: "Mint was strewn in places of rest and peace, at feasts and celebrations." In the past, the Japanese wore fragrant pendants made from mint. In Europe as well as in India, mint was used to purify the air in temples and dwellings. In the Middle East, green tea with mint is still prepared to welcome guests, much as it was in ancient Greece.

Peppermint belongs to the mint family (Latin: Lamiaceae). It is a perennial frost-resistant herb that grows to a height of 30cm, maximum 1m. In our region, it is the most well-known wild-growing herb.

We can grow mint outdoors as well as indoors. The mint plant spreads very quickly, so growing in containers is advisable. It has a dark green hairy stem on which dark green leaves grow. Mint leaves have glands on the underside that secrete essential oil. By rubbing them between your fingers, we get a menthol scent that is both spicy and cooling.

The underground part of the mint plant consists of several white rhizomes, 5-30cm in length. We grow mint in warm, moist locations, mostly in partial shade. It likes moist, well-drained soil rich in nutrients.

We sow peppermint from seeds. We plant small seedlings in beds spaced 30 cm apart. Mint blooms with purple flowers that are arranged in whorls and form spikes. The fruits of mint are nutlets. We harvest the leaves and tops of mint before the plant fully blooms, from July to September in dry weather. The most suitable time is in the early afternoon when the plant contains the most essential oil. Harvesting should be done several times a year when it grows to a height of 25-30cm. We cut mint with a sickle. We dry harvested mint leaves in thin layers at temperatures up to 35°C so they don't turn brown. We store the dried mint mixture in paper or fabric bags and use it within 2-3 months of harvest. After that, we can plant another batch of seeds.

Mint leaves contain 1-3% essential oil with 50% menthol content, 4-11% menthol esters, 7-25% menthone, menthone piperitone, cineole, and more. We combine it with other herbs such as sage, hyssop, and savory.

Effects of mint: Peppermint has spasmolytic and antiseptic effects, thus destroying bacteria. It is used to treat inflammation of the oral mucosa, to suppress inflammation of the upper respiratory tract, for skin infections, and for digestive problems and flatulence. It has a cholagogue effect on the gallbladder and relieves pain. It relaxes stomach cramps, stops vomiting, and relieves colic. Menthol causes reflective dilation of coronary vessels in angina. Menthol is added to medicinal ointments that relieve pain and symptoms of skin diseases such as itching, burning, etc. In folk medicine, mint is used for dizziness, insomnia, and epilepsy. Most often, we prepare tea from it.

We prepare mint tea by pouring 150ml of hot water over 3 teaspoons of peppermint. Let the mixture steep for 10 minutes and then strain. We drink it several times a day, always preparing it fresh.

In phytotherapy, an infusion is prepared from mint by pouring 200ml of boiling water over 2 teaspoons of the herb and letting it steep for 20 minutes. Then we strain it.

We add mint to sauces, vinegar, prepare syrup from it, and add it to chocolate. We garnish salads, potatoes, beverages, and punches with it. Mint is part of the popular mixed drink mojito (mochito).