Peppermint (Mentha piperita) has a high menthol content, & is often used as a flavouring in tea, ice cream, confectionery, chewing gum, & toothpaste. The oil also contains menthone & menthyl esters. It is the oldest & most popular flavour of mint-flavoured confectionery. Peppermint can also be found in some shampoos & soaps, which gives the hair a minty scent & produces a cooling sensation on the skin. It is also known as Wild Mentha balsamea & is a hybrid between watermint & spearmint. It is a native of Europe but is now in cultivation all round the world where it can sometimes be found growing wild with its parent species. Traditional Uses & Constituents of Peppermint: - Peppermint, like many spices & herbs, is believed to have medicinal properties when consumed. It is said that it helps against upset stomachs, inhibits the growth of certain bacteria, & can help smooth & relax muscles when inhaled or applied to the skin. Other health benefits are attributed to the high manganese, vitamin C & vitamin A content; as well as trace amounts of various other nutrients such as fibre, iron, calcium, folate, potassium, tryptophan, magnesium, omega-3 fatty acids, riboflavin, & copper. History of Peppermint: - According to some (athough this editor can’t find reference to it) Pliny writing in his Natural History, states that the Greeks & the Romans both used peppermint to crown themseves at feasts & festivals as well as garlanding their dining areas with the herb & that food & wines flavoured with the herb were much favoured. The same is said of Parsley however & attributed to the same source (amongst others) so its hard to know if both stories are true but it would be nice & fragrant to think so! Alas its hard to know if Peppermint in the form we know even existed in his day as it is almost universally acknowledged that it wasn’t hybridised until the 18th Century in London. Peppermint Cut Or Powdered Herb - Mentha Piperita
