Peppermint's powerful potential.

PEPPERMINT HAS BEEN A FAVORITE FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS. IT WAS CULTIVATED AND ENJOYED BY THE ANCIENT EGYPTIANS. The Romans utilized mint for its pleasing fresh scent, using it in perfumes and adding it to their bath water. It was also commonly used to stimulate the appetite. Today, mints are favorites in herb gardens and can add spicy garnish to a salad dish. But that's only part of its powerful potential.

Mints are vigorous growers, spreading rapidly by way of runners. These hardy perennials flourish in moist soils and, since mints can readily hybridize, they've developed many different species. Peppermint (Mentha piperita) is a hybrid of spearmint and watermint, The plant, which grows from one to three feet tall, boasts dark-green aromatic leaves often tinged with purple, and whorls of pale-pink flowers.

Important Medicinal Crop

Peppermint grows happily throughout Europe and North America, and is regarded as one of Germany's most important medicinal crops. The major commercial producers in the United States hail from Indiana, Wisconsin, and the Northwest.

The aerial parts of the peppermint plant may be harvested several times a year. Growers have found that reaping right before the herb blooms produces a crop with maximum leafage and the highest oil content.

Peppermint leaf is widely recognized throughout Europe for the treatment of dyspepsia, flatulence, intestinal colic, gallbladder or biliary tract disorders, and inflammation of the intestinal tract. Traditionally, peppermint tea has been used to improve digestion. Steeping one tablespoon of dried peppermint leaves in a half cup of boiled water for five to 10 minutes is all it takes. Some people add a touch of honey to help soften the strong pep permint flavor. The usual prescription involves drinking this tea three or four times a day between meals as a way to relieve an upset stomach.

Cool Flavor

Peppermint oil is steam-distilled from freshly harvested leaves or from the flowering branch tips of the plant. This oil is rich in menthol, menthone, menthyl acetate, and other pleasant-smelling terpenoids. The rich menthol flavor of peppermint gives it its characteristic cooling aftertaste. Cultivated peppermint generally offers a superior fragrance and taste compared to the wild variety.

Its potent menthol flavor is usually too dominant for general cooking, but is often used to flavor candies and chocolates. Peppermint oil has long been a popular flavoring agent for chewing gum, after-dinner mints, and breath fresheners. You'll often find peppermint in the ingredients list of medicine, mouthwash, and toothpaste.

Carminative Action

Peppermint is one of the most effective and widely used herbal carminatives commonly called upon to serve as a digestive aid and to facilitate belching. The German Commission E reports that peppermint oil generates antispasmodic activity as well as provides relief for liver and gallbladder complaints, bloating, abdominal pain, and flatulence. Peppermint oil has been shown to effectively relieve colonic spasms by relaxing the smooth muscles of the colon. Its action is comparable to that of a typical muscle relaxant.

Chronic irritable colon is a fairly common complaint among modern Americans. A significant number of patients with gastrointestinal disorders complain of spastic colon with abdominal cramping, bloated abdomen and gas, altered bowel habits, and nausea. When delivered in enteric-coated capsules, peppermint oil provides an effective treatment for irritable bowel syndrome. Most health-care professionals advise a dose of 0.2 ml. of peppermint oil taken two to three times a day.

Peppermint oil is also commonly used to treat coughs, colds, and sore throat. The astringency of its tannins, along with the anti-inflammatory action of its flavonoids, may partly explain its soothing power. Catarrh of the upper respiratory tract can be treated by inhaling steam vapor from a pot of hot water to which has been added 3 to 4 drops of peppermint oil.

Headache Cure

The external application of herbal oil extracts has relieved stress and headaches for centuries. Peppermint oil offers a cost-effective alternative to analgesic medications such as Tylenol for the treatment of tension headaches.

Well-controlled clinical studies performed with patients suffering from chronic tension headaches found that rubbing a solution of peppermint oil onto the forehead and temple area produced a significant reduction in headache intensity within 15 to 30 minutes. A few drops of peppermint oil solution may be rubbed into the skin two to four times a day. Undiluted peppermint oil should not be used

Safety Issues

Generally, there are no risks or significant side effects associated with the appropriate use of peppermint tea or oil. This herbal product has proven itself safe to use with other drugs. It should be noted, however, that pepper mint oil should not be used by anyone with serious gallbladder inflammation, obstruction of the bile ducts, or severe liver disease. Those with gallstones should consult with a physician before using peppermint oil.

It's also advisable not to use peppermint oil if you're suffering from a bad case of gastro-esophageal reflex, since the oil can aggravate the condition. Furthermore, peppermint oil should not be applied to the face and nasal area of very small children, as it may cause an unpleasant choking sensation. The same effect may be experienced if very small children consume peppermint tea. Such bronchial spasms may, in some cases, lead to respiratory failure.

Store peppermint and its oil in a cool, dry, light-protected area in your kitchen. Then it will be ready to add flavor and healing to your life.

Winston J. Craig, Ph.D., R.D., is professor of nutrition at Andrews University. Berrien Springs, Michigan.