Mint - a precious herb in the garden.

For centuries, mint has devoted itself to providing the world with its fragrant aroma, tangy flavor, and remarkable medicinal properties.

With its common name being mentha (mint), the mint family has many subfamily, and spearmint is one of them. Spearmint's "secret weapon" is its ability to soothe stomach discomfort. Whether it's just a few leaves in a cup of hot tea or a few sprigs to add flavor to a bowl of rice, spearmint can be very effective. A type of aromatic compound in spearmint leaves activates the salivary glands and other glands involved in digestion, causing them to secrete digestive enzymes.

Furthermore, mint helps improve irritable bowel syndrome, slowing the growth of bacteria and pathogenic fungi. Mint is also effective in treating asthma and respiratory diseases due to its ability to "cool" and soothe the throat, nose, and respiratory tract.

Mint helps improve irritable bowel syndrome, slowing the growth of bacteria and pathogenic fungi (Image: Internet)

Recent studies have also shown that mint has cancer-preventing properties because it contains a compound called perillyl, which is believed to "dissolve" the accumulation of cancerous cells in the colon, lungs, skin, etc. Mint juice is an excellent facial cleanser. Mint essential oil also has anti-ulcer properties, and this property is also used to treat insect bites such as mosquito and bee bites. Mint also has another valuable property: it helps with oral hygiene and freshens breath because it can inhibit the growth of bacteria that live on teeth and tongue.

Currently, mint is used in many different fields such as food (ice cream, wine, beer...), cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. The tobacco industry has also capitalized on this. Therefore, it's important to note: The well-known chemical present in mint is menthol, which tobacco manufacturers add to cigarettes to provide a cool, refreshing taste and aroma. There have been warnings that women who smoke heavily and consume more menthol may have difficulty conceiving, while men who smoke heavily may experience impotence. However, researchers are still unsure whether menthol is a "conspirator" in the use of tobacco smoke.

There are many "rumors" that mint can improve brain function. However, this rumor has not been proven in writing. A relative of mint, peppermint, also has a similar effect (not to be confused with the mint plant that resembles taro and is often used in Southern Vietnamese sour soup).

According to Health and Life