Peppermint (Mentha piperita)
This traditional digestive remedy helps reduce symptoms of
holiday overindulgence: heartburn, nausea, and irritable bowel syndrome
flare-ups ~ by Laurel Vukovic
Delicious Living Magazine, December 2005
What it is
Nearly everyone loves the crisp taste of peppermint--especially during the
holidays, when candy canes decorate trees and baristax stir mint-flavored syrup
into steamy mochas. But this natural hybrid of spearmint (Mentha spicata) and
water mint (Mentha aquatica) is much more than just a refreshing flavoring.
Herbalists recommend peppermint to relieve indigestion and gas, and some
research indicates that peppermint oil in capsules may be helpful for treating
irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
For centuries and in cultures around the world, mint has been used in similar
ways: Ancient Egyptians prescribed mint to ease upset stomach, and it was served
as an after-meal digestive aid in ancient Greece and Rome. Both Chinese and
Ayurvedic medical traditions also have relied on mint to relieve digestive
distress.
How it works
Peppermint leaves contain menthol, a compound that gives the plant both it
recognizable flavor and its healing properties. Menthol helps relieve intestinal
cramps by relaxing the smooth muscles of the intestinal tract; it improves
digestion by stimulating the flow of digestive secretions and bile. Menthol is
also a nasal decongestant (that's why it's used in vapor balms). And when
applied topically, it acts as a local anesthetic.
Clinical studies verify peppermint's traditional use as a digestive aid. In a
review of all studies evaluating herbal treatments for indigestion, researchers
reported that various forms of peppermint (often in combination with other
digestive herbs, such as caraway) effectively and safely relieved symptoms in 60
percent to 95 percent of patients (Alimentary Pharmacology &
Therapeutics, 2002, vol. 16, no. 10).
Peppermint oil capsules are commonly used as a natural treatment for easing
cramping, gas, bloating, and other symptoms of IBS. In a review of clinical
studies, researchers concluded that peppermint oil appears to be beneficial for
IBS but recommended further studies (American Journal of Gastroenterology,
1998, vol. 93, no. 7). Enteric-coated capsules of peppermint oil are most
effective because they do not break down before reaching the colon.
Side effects
Peppermint leaf is extremely safe. At recommended doses, peppermint oil
capsules are also safe. Do not take pure peppermint essential oil internally
without the advice of a qualified health practitioner.
Natural Health Hut
