The Top 5 Health Benefits of Mint

Mint isn’t just cool for taste—it’s also good for your body. As an herb with over a dozen subspecies, mint has become a staple flavor in society by making its appearance in peppermint candies, spearmint gum, and even in chocolate confections. However, mint has also served us in a variety of other ways. This is especially true when it comes to taking care of our oral health. Most toothpaste and mouthwashes contain mint because it freshens the breath and leaves the mouth feeling squeaky clean. But, did you know mint has various other health benefits as well?

1. Mint has ANTIBACTERIAL properties.

Bacteria is everywhere in our bodies, including in our mouths and intestines. Some bacteria help us digest food and fight off diseases, but other bacteria do exactly the opposite by causing sickness and infection. Therefore, it is important to keep harmful bacteria from growing with antibacterial substances. Mint has two antibacterial compounds called carvone and limonene. Researchers believe these compounds reduce the risk of harmful, disease-causing bacteria and help boost your immune system. In fact, chewing mint leaves can even help kill harmful bacteria in your mouth, reducing your risk of plaque build-up.

2. Mint helps improve digestion.

Since the salivary glands are activated when you consume mint, digestive enzymes are also kick-started into action. After this happens, your digestive system can perform at a high-functioning level, meaning it works quickly and keeps your indigestion problems at bay. Furthermore, peppermint and a few other types of mint with a higher concentration of menthol have been known to soothe stomach cramps and other digestive issues. This is because menthol prevents stomach spasms when ingested.

3. Mint might boost brain function.

Although research is still limited, many scientists believe mint helps improve cognitive function, which makes people more alert while decreasing their levels of frustration, fatigue, and anxiety. Studies were conducted on individuals who had inhaled aroma from the plant’s essential oils, and those people were found to have significant boosts to memory as well. Therefore, researchers not only believe mint helps keep people alert, but they also believe it can improve memory function.

4. Mint functions as an anti-inflammatory.

Because mint relaxes and soothes the body, it indirectly aids in anti-inflammation. When the body is relaxed, it is less inclined to send signals to certain areas of the body to flare up. This property has contributed to helping against asthma as well. Most doctors agree that when taken with prescription asthma medication, mint can relieve the blockage in the nasal passageway.

5. Mint is packed is nutrients.

Without obtaining the proper nutrients, your body can’t thrive. Although most people don’t eat mint in large quantities, it still has plenty of nutrients that boost healthful eating habits. Studies show that mint is high in Vitamin A, which is essential for eye health. It also contains calcium, fiber, and iron.

While Alka-White cannot deliver all the benefits of mint above, it can drastically improve your oral health by giving you fresher breath, acting as an antibacterial agent by reducing the risk of cavity-causing bacteria and decreasing the acidity in your mouth.

Sources:

https://www.lybrate.com/topic/benefits-of-mint-and-its-side-effects

https://www.chatelaine.com/health/diet/five-reasons-to-add-medicinal-mint-to-your-diet/