Benefits of Mint

To preserve this herb you can dry for later use or lay the flat dry leaves on a cookie sheet, flash freeze and seal in containers for later use.

In the Kitchen:

Tea: Steep 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried peppermint leaves in boiling water. Steep for 10 minutes. Add honey for sweetness. For "iced tea", just serve this liquid over ice. Another way to have "mint tea" is to add sprigs of the mint to a pitcher of already brewed tea and let it sit for 30 minutes or more.

Ice Cubes: Freeze whole leaves in ice cubes to add to beverages

Mint Syrup: Boil mint leaves with sugar and water to make a mint syrup to sweeten tea or any type of drink

Garnish: Use as a garnish for vegetables or drinks

Add to Vegetables: Add mint in the water used to steam your vegetables or add fresh or dried chopped mint to vegetables during their last 2 minutes of cooking time.

Mint Butter: Add chopped mint (or process in food processor) to butter and use in recipes or with boiled potatoes

Mint Rice: Add whole mint leaves in cooked rice before serving.

Salad dressing: Mix mint, vinegar, oil and lemon juice to make a refreshing salad dressing.

Minty Chocolate Chip Cookies: Mix 2 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh mint to your chocolate chip cookie dough.

Marinade: Mix with olive oil.

Mint Cheese Spread: Mix a few minced mint leaves with cream cheese for a minty spread on crackers.

Household Uses:

Bug Repellent: Repel ants and flies by growing pennyroyal mint outside your doorway or spray diluted peppermint essential oil (10 parts water to one part oil) around doorways and windows. Put mint in cupboards or drawers to repel ants. Growing mint near your garden (do not grow in your garden, as it is a very invasive plant) helps attract helpful insects such as honeybees and hoverflies.

Flea Free: Keep pets free of bothersome fleas with this homemade repellent: Bundle 2 parts fresh spearmint, 1 part fresh thyme and 1 part fresh wormwood, and tuck it inside a small pillow. Place the pillow near your pet’s bed or another favorite resting place.

Mouthwash: Steep 4 tablespoons of chopped fresh mint leaves in 1 quart of boiling water. After the liquid has cooled, strain the mouthwash and keep in the refrigerator.

Room Refresher: Keep your home smelling fresh by adding a few drops of mint essential oil to your favorite homemade or unscented store-bought cleaner. Try this simple floor cleaning solution, good for wood, concrete or tile floors: Dilute a cup of white vinegar in a gallon of water and add 3 to 5 drops of mint essential oil.

Beverage Booster: Mint is refreshing in iced beverages. Add sprigs of fresh mint to a pitcher of water or plain iced tea, let it sit for 30 minutes or more, and serve it over ice. If you enjoy cocktails, mix fresh mint into homemade juleps or mojitos.

Breathe Freshener: Chew on a mint sprig to refresh your breath.

Mint Rinse: Steep a handful of mint leaves in a pint of hot water. Strain and then cool. Use this in your bath water, as a final rinse after you shampoo your hair, a good foot soak, an after shave splash or just sprinkle on your body for a refreshing lift.

Carpet Refresher: Mix dried, crushed mint leaves with baking soda. Sprinkle this mixture over the carpet and let sit for about an hour and then vacuüm.

Medicinal Uses:

Digestive and Stomach Trouble: Peppermint tea helps calm the digestive tract. It can help with nausea, indigestion, gas and cramping

Hiccups: Try this homemade concoction to help soothe the diaphragm irritation that can cause hiccups: Pour a glass of lukewarm water, then add a couple squeezes of fresh lemon juice, a pinch of salt and a few mint leaves.

Sunburn Reliever: Menthol cools and refreshes the skin, making mint a handy herb to keep around in the summer. Use it to ease sunburn pain by making a strong peppermint tea and refrigerating the mixture for several hours. To use, gently apply to the burned area with cotton pads.

Congestion: A peppermint steam can help clear sinuses and congestion and fight infection. Bring a pot of water to boil, turn off the heat, add a few drops of peppermint essential oil and lean over the pot, draping a towel over your head. Breathe in the minty steam. Mint steams also act as a cleansing and stimulating facial.

Nausea: Peppermint essential oil can boost your mood and reduce feelings of nausea. Simply add a couple drops to a clean handkerchief and breathe in.

Fresh Feet: Mint soothes aching feet thanks to the pain-relieving properties in menthol, a compound in mint. Menthol also triggers a cooling sensation, perfect for foot scrubs. Try this one: Combine 1 cup sea salt, 1⁄3 cup olive oil and 6 drops peppermint essential oil. Scrub feet and rinse.

Headache Healer: Apply a few drops of peppermint essential oil to your temple to relieve migraines, as compounds in peppermint oil are known to calm muscle spasms. You can also make a simple compress to get rid of tension headaches: Pour 3 cups hot water over 3 peppermint tea bags. Steep, covered for 5 to 7 minutes; remove tea bags and add ice. To use, dip wash cloth into cold tea and apply to forehead.

To grow mint, get a cutting from a friend or purchase a starter plant at a nursery. (Mint doesn’t reproduce true from seed.) Mint can actually be too easy to grow—it sometimes takes over the garden—so give this attractive ground cover plenty of room to spread, or plant it in a container.

Growing mint will keep your yard and garden buzzing with beneficial insects. Mint is rich in nectar and pollen, and its small flower clusters keep these sweet treats easily accessible for helpful bugs such as honeybees and hoverflies.