Magic Mint

Mint is such a beautiful plant with its thick, dark green leaves and is probably one of the most used plants in the market. Think about it - how many varieties of mint tooth paste can you think of? How about varieties of breath mints, gums and candy canes? Or drinks, both hot and cold, alcoholic and non-alcoholic, creams, even lip balms? The list goes on and on, and so are the benefits!

(Picture taken from underwoodgarden.com)

Digestion: You see a basket full of mints as you leave a resturaunt stuffed to the brim. It's not there just for the taste. The menthol within the mint actually promotes digestion. It does this by activating the salivary glands as well as digestive enzymes. It also lines the stomach in protection of the acids at work when digesting, thus preventing those painful stomach aches. This is no new discovery - it has been done for ages. It's even mentioned in the Bible! Also, buy a pack of Altoids. On the paper covering, there's a short history of Altoids. King Henry III wanted a minty snack, and his subjects made it for him. The cool thing, it is the same exact recipe!

Nausea: Mint is a very strong smelling plant. According to Organicfacts.net, simply smelling mint will curb that nauseating feeling. I personally have never done this so I can't vouch for it, but there is no harm in trying it!

Preserving food: Mint has the ability to preserve food. Perhaps some of the unique mint drinks we have now are due to this. The Greeks and Romans would add mint to their milk to prevent spoilage. It prevented spoilage because mint has antiseptic properties, meaning it hinders the growth of harmful bacteria and fungi that accumulates over time in dairy products. Random tidbit!

Respiratory: Mint is both cold and soothing and helps open up air passages of your body, such as the nose for congestion and the lungs. When colonists arrived to the New World, they witnessed Native Americans using their mint to cure chest pain and pneumonia. The colonists would take the mint back to their home land, and that's where the thousands of variations of mints we have now began to form.

The opening of air passages also assists in asthma, and is often recommended for this reason.

Skin Care: Okay, so back in my awkward teen years, it was suggested to me to put tooth paste on my acne when I went to bed. I never did it because it sounded so crazy, but now I can see why I was suggested to do so.

Mint is known as an anti-septic, which was mentioned earlier as a substance that can destroy or inhibit the growth of bacteria and fungi. It is also an anti-pruritic that inhibit the itching sensation. Having both of these properties must aid in the killing of bacteria that forms in the pores and dries them out. Next time you get a big pimple before an important meeting or date, go ahead and apply that toothpaste!

So with mint's digestive properties, it is used a lot in the culinary world. Let's see how we can use it.

Grilled Shrimp in Lettuce Leaves in Serrano-Mint Sauce

by Bobby Flay

This is a quick fix and eat it immediately! It's a great recipe for Spring Break, which is rolling up.

Ingredients: 1 pound large shrimp (about 36), peeled and deveined
3 tablespoons canola oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
12 leaves green curly leaf lettuce
Serrano-Mint Sauce, recipe follows
Chili oil, for drizzling, optional
Fresh cilantro leaves
Directions: Preheat the grill to medium-high. In a large bowl, toss shrimp in oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the shrimp for 1 to 2 minutes on each side or until just cooked through. Be careful not to overcook the shrimp, or they will be tough and rubbery. Remove from the grill.
Place about 3 shrimp in each lettuce leaf. Drizzle with the Serrano-Mint Sauce and with a little chili oil, if desired. Sprinkle with a few cilantro leaves. Roll up the lettuce leaves, and eat immediately.
Serrano-Mint Sauce:
1 cup tightly packed mint leaves, plus more for garnish
2 serrano chiles, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fish sauce
Salt
Place all ingredients, except for salt, in a blender. Pulse until smooth. Season, to taste.

Having said Spring Break is coming up, maybe Mint Iced Tea would be a fun way to incorporate mint!

Take a pot and boil 8 ounces of water. While the water is boiling, add six mint tea bags. You can take them out when you feel the flavor is strong enough. If you'd like to sweeten it up a bit, you can make a mint syrup. You do this by adding water and desired amount of sugar (probably about 1/4 cup) and mint into a small saucepan. Just add the syrup to your drink and enjoy!

There are tons of other ways to use mint. There are fruit salsas, salads, rubs for meats, etcetera etcetera. Get to work!