Mint is grows all over the world and has many as 600 different varieties. i has long been used as a culinary and medicinal herb . History Mint is originally native of the Mediterranean, and was spread by the romans throughout their empire. The name mint comes from a nymph named Minthe or Menthe, who was the lover of Hades, god of the underworld. Hades’ wife Persephone was jealous so she turned Minthe into a ground-clinging plant and trampled on her. Although Hades was unable to change Minthe back into a nymph, he gave her the ability to sweeten the air when her leaves and stems were crushed. Mint has long been a symbol of hospitality, which can also be traced back to Greek mythology. Two strangers walking through a village were ignored by most of the villagers until eventually an old couple offered them a meal. The couple rubbed the table with mint leaves to freshen and clean it for their guests. The strangers were in fact the gods Hermes and Zeus in disguise, who in their appreciation rewarded the couple by turning their humble home into a temple. According to the Bible mint was so valuable it was used as tithes by the Pharisees along with anise and cumin. It has been found in Egyptian tombs. In the 14th Century mint was known for its healing properties and was used to whiten teeth. Culpepper used mint to treat almost 40 different ailments. Properties Mint contains a wide range of minerals, is rich in Vitamin A and C and contains small amounts of Vitamin B2. It is also a powerful antioxidant. To make a strong concoction and enjoy the curative properties of the herb, dried mint leaves are boiled in water to soothe the digestive tract and help relieve severe stomachache. Herbal mint tea cleanses the stomach and helps to eliminate toxins from the body. Taken on a regular basis and included in a healthy diet, mint reduces the growth of fungus and bacteria. Mint also has antifungal properties that help cure asthma and allergies. Mint is a natural stimulant, and the smell alone can be enough to charge your batteries and get your brain functioning on a high level again if you are feeling sluggish, anxious, depressed, or simply exhausted. Mint juice is an excellent skin cleanser. It soothes skin, and helps to cure infections and itchiness, as well as being a good way to reduce pimples, and it can even relieve some of the symptoms of acne. Its anti-pruritic properties can be used for treating insect bites like those of mosquitoes, honeybees, hornets, wasps, and gnats. The cooling sensation will relieve you of the irritating sensation to scratch, and the anti-inflammatory nature of mint will bring down swelling Our mint At Naturellement Chouette we have planted spearmint (mentha viridis), for its pungency. We can be as mean to it as Persephone was, it just keeps coming back for more! We use our mint in VAM and Herbosel, and we also make little mint bags which are perfect to put into the hands of children who suffer from travel sickness. They can rub the soft material and release the refreshing aroma of mint, a quick and effective remedy for nausea. With one of our 20g sachets of mint you can make your daily cup of medicinal mint tea and refill the little mint bags when they lose their aroma!
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