Health Benefits Of Spearmint

Spearmint is the best known herb among all the varieties of mint, in the mint family, the others being peppermint, apple mint, orange mint, water mint, curly mint, and so on. Native to Europe and Southwest Asia, spearmint is a herbaceous rhizomatous perennial plant that grows to a height of 30 to 100 cm. The plant bears small leaves measuring 5-9 cm in length and 1.5-3 cm in width. The leaves have a mild, sweet fragrance and aroma. Spearmint is used either in its fresh or dried form for seasoning various delicacies. Read through the following lines to know more about the health and nutrition benefits of eating spearmint and also explore its nutritional value.

Nutritional Value of Spearmint

Amount of Spearmint (fresh): 2 tbsp

Total Weight of Spearmint (fresh): 11 g

Nutrients	Amount
Basic Components
Protein	0.4 g
Water	9.6 g
Ash	0.2 g
Phytosterols	1.1 mg
Calories
Total Calories	4.9
Calories From Carbohydrate	3.4
Calories From Fat	0.7
Calories From Protein	0.9
Carbohydrates
Total Carbohydrate	0.9 g
Dietary Fiber	0.8 g
Fats & Fatty Acids
Total Fat	0.1 g
Total Omega-3 Fatty Acids	38 mg
Total Omega-6 Fatty Acids	6.1 mg
Vitamins
Vitamin A	456 IU
Vitamin C	1.5 mg
Niacin	0.1 mg
Folate	11.8 mcg
Minerals
Calcium	22.4 mg
Iron	1.3 mg
Magnesium	7.1 mg
Phosphorus	6.8 mg
Potassium	51.5 mg
Sodium	3.4 mg
Zinc	0.1 mg
Manganese	0.1 mg

Nutrition and Health Benefits of Eating Spearmint

The spearmint leaves serve as an effective domestic herbal remedy for curing headaches, fevers, nausea, digestive disorders and many other minor ailments.
It provides relief to the digestive system and helps in eliminating gas.
The leaves are used as an antispasmodic, restorative, urine-inducing and vomit preventing remedy.
The essential oil extracted from spearmint leaves have anti-infective, antiseptic, carminative, anti-inflammatory and anti-parasitic properties.
The stem and essential oil that are extracted from the spearmint tree are used for effectively curing lung, pancreatic, liver and skin cancers.
Spearmint leaves increase the body’s metabolism, thus burning out the excess fat.
Spearmint essential oil relieves the symptoms of stomach aches, muscle spasms and IBS, thereby relaxing the smooth muscles.
The leaves contain rosmarinic acid that assist in relieving the symptoms of congestion and blocked nose, thus easing breathing and keeping the airways open. The leaves of the spearmint tree aid in conditions like asthma, allergic rhinitis, and so on.
Being an excellent source of beta-carotene, spearmint improves eye sight, fights against acne and helps in attaining smooth and radiant skin.
Spearmint leaves are used for treating bad breath and preventing gum diseases.
The tea prepared from spearmint leaves helps pregnant women deal with morning sickness.
Spearmint leaves effectively treat hirsutism in women. Hirsutism is a condition wherein hair grows in excess on certain parts of the body, especially on the face and breasts, due to hormonal imbalance.
Vitamin C and beta carotenes present in spearmint act as antioxidants that scavenge free radicals, preserve the integrity of cell membranes and prevent the damage caused by them, thereby reducing the risk of heart diseases, cancer and other degenerative diseases.
The leaves play an important role in maintaining the metabolic activities of the body, due to their richness in calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, zinc and manganese.
The dietary fiber present in spearmint leaves adds roughage to the content of the intestines, promotes satiety and health of the colon, and relieves constipation, hemorrhoids and diverticular disorders.

Uses

Spearmint leaves are used in various forms, such as, whole, chopped, dried and ground, frozen, preserved in salt, sugar, sugar syrup, alcohol, oil and dried.
Fresh spearmint leaves are used to flavor various delicacies like mint jelly, sauces, salads, soups, stews, curries, rice, meat, fish and vegetables dishes.
Other products that contain spearmint as a major ingredient include toothpastes, confectionery, teas, chewing gum, ice cream, mouthwashes, cough syrups, etc.

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