What is The Use and Power of "Peppermint"
Abstract: Peppermint is a hybrid mint, a cross between watermint and spearmint. Indigenous to Europe and the Middle East, the plant is now widely spread and cultivated in many regions of the world. It is occasionally found in the wild with its parent species.
Types of Mints:
Listed below are some of the more commonly grown varieties of mint for the garden:
Some people use peppermint oil as part of their beauty and hair care regimen. Its fragrance is pleasant and popularly found in shampoos, skin creams, and other products.
While peppermint oil may be known for some skin care benefits, it’s also good for your hair and scalp. It may help with dryness, itching, or other scalp problems.
The benefits of peppermint essential oil can be described as:
These include:
Applying diluted peppermint oil onto the forehead has been found to be effective in the treatment of a tension headache.
An article in the American Family Physician describes it as having relaxing effects on smooth muscle and providing some relief for people experiencing colonic spasm during a barium enema.
The authors quote two trials demonstrating that a topical application of peppermint oil can help relieve the symptoms of a tension headache. One of them found peppermint oil to be as effective as Tylenol or paracetamol for pain relief.
Types of Mints:
Listed below are some of the more commonly grown varieties of mint for the garden:
- Peppermint
- Spearmint
- Pineapple mint
- Apple mint (Woolly mint)
- Pennyroyal
- Ginger Mint
- Horsemint
- Red Raripila mint
- Catmint Chocolate mint
- Orange mint
- Lavender mint
- Grapefruit Mint
- Calamint Licorice mint
- Basil mint
- Chewing Gum mint
- Watermint Corn or Field mint
Peppermint use oil on hair
While peppermint oil may be known for some skin care benefits, it’s also good for your hair and scalp. It may help with dryness, itching, or other scalp problems.
The benefits of peppermint essential oil can be described as:
- antimicrobial
- insecticidal and pesticidal
- analgesic and anaesthetic
- vasodilating (and vasoconstricting)
- anti-inflammatory
What are the Health benefits of peppermint?
Irritable bowel syndrome
 |
| Peppermint has shown positive results in relieving the symptoms of IBS. |
Scientific studies have suggested that peppermint, in various forms, can help treat the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
These include:
- Pain
- Bloating
- Diarrhoea
- Gas
Headaches and migraines
 |
| mostly migraines have in this body part |
Applying diluted peppermint oil onto the forehead has been found to be effective in the treatment of a tension headache.
An article in the American Family Physician describes it as having relaxing effects on smooth muscle and providing some relief for people experiencing colonic spasm during a barium enema.
The authors quote two trials demonstrating that a topical application of peppermint oil can help relieve the symptoms of a tension headache. One of them found peppermint oil to be as effective as Tylenol or paracetamol for pain relief.
Colds and flu
 |
| Flu |
Menthol, the main chemical component of peppermint, is an effective decongestant. Decongestants shrink the swollen membranes in the nose, making it easier to breathe.
Menthol is also an expectorant. Expectorants loosen and bring up mucus from the lungs. Expectorants help people with coughs.
Kligler and Chaudhary, reviewing the effectiveness of peppermint oil for various purposes, warn that "peppermint oil has been used to trigger menstruation and should be avoided during pregnancy."
Researchers from the Fatemeh Zahra Fertility and Infertility Health Research Center in Iran concluded that mint did not make any difference to nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.
Menthol is also an expectorant. Expectorants loosen and bring up mucus from the lungs. Expectorants help people with coughs.
Nausea and vomiting during pregnancy
 |
| Peppermint |
Many pregnant women who experience nausea during pregnancy say they have experienced benefits from using peppermint in its various forms. However, studies have either been inconclusive or contradictory.
Kligler and Chaudhary, reviewing the effectiveness of peppermint oil for various purposes, warn that "peppermint oil has been used to trigger menstruation and should be avoided during pregnancy."
Researchers from the Fatemeh Zahra Fertility and Infertility Health Research Center in Iran concluded that mint did not make any difference to nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.
