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AYURVEDIC FOODS

MINT

Health Benefits & Uses

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1. Ayurvedic Perspective

2. Biocharacteristics & Herbal Actions

3. Similar foods and herbs

4. Impact: On tongue, nerves, elimination, etc.

5. Indications / Benefits

6. Contraindications / Aggravates

7. Comments and reviews

How Does This Ayurvedic Food Improve Wellness?

CLINICAL AYURVEDIC REVIEW

Recipes with Mint: Blueberry Mint Green Smoothie

Peppermint is distinguished by its high concentration of an aromatic, volatile oil known as mentha, which gives mint its smell. Mentha, like many aromatic oils, shocks, refreshes and numbs, with the end result of relaxing, opening and clearing tissues. It is penetrating, subtle, clear, etheric, light, and dry.

Whereas pungent spices like cinnamon and cayenne can increase swelling, heat, and inflammation, aromatic spices like mint generally disperse fluids and heat, leaving a cooling aftereffect. Its aroma when inhaled easily reaches the brain. Psychologically, peppermint inspires, refreshes and arouses with a sense of awe and letting go.

Mint clears all forms of stagnation - in the stomach, blood, gallbladder, lymph, lungs, and even emotions. It is used to clear mucus from the respiratory tract and open the sinuses. It soothes sore throats, and reduces eye redness. This ability to clear, along with its diaphoretic quality (releases heat via sweat), can alleviate early stages of fever and also bring rashes to a head for quicker healing. Applied topically as an antipruritic, peppermint alleviates itching, as well.

A renowned stomachic for dyspepsia, mint's stimulating and inspiring nature is a traditional remedy for indigestion. It is a carminative, meaning that it both prevents and facilitates the release of gas. Mint relaxes muscle tissue, especially smooth muscle tissue, making it a useful antispasmodic. It is used to calm all cases of colic, including colicky peristalsis of the intestines, vasospasm type headaches, bronchospasms, and uterine spasms.

About Mint

From tingly shampoos to teas and flowerbeds, mint is an inspiring, popular worldwide herb whose medicinal qualities are also extensive. Varieties of mint grow in nearly every country and climate. In Central and South America mint is called hierbabuena, which literally translates to "good herb." A member of the Mint family (Lamiaceae), peppermint's cousins include many other aromatic herbs like basil, rosemary, sage, oregano, and catnip.

Recipes with Mint: Raw Zucchini Noodles & Mint Walnut Pesto

Cooking Mint

Mint leaves have a pleasant warm, fresh, aromatic, sweet flavor with a cool aftertaste, an ideal addition to teas, beverages, jellies, syrups, candies, and ice creams. The Ancients believed that mint would prevent the coagulation of milk and its acid fermentation.

Mint helps digest crude fibers in meat. Mint leaves, jelly and sauces are used on lamb dishes from the Middle East, to Great Britain and in American cuisine too. Mint is also key ingredient in Touareg tea, a popular tea in northern African and Arab countries.Browse Recipes

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Is Mint Good for My Ayurvedic Diet?

Find out by taking this free, easy quiz. You'll learn your body type, and whether 'Mint' is a good fit. Complete the basic quiz in 1 minute, or go deeper with additional quizzes at your own leisure to learn more about your body.

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AYURVEDA'S GUIDE TO VITALITY & WHOLESOME NOURISHMENT

Your Ayurvedic diet is tailored to your individual body and your specific imbalances. With an Ayurvedic diet you feel joy and satisfaction because what you are eating truly nourishes and balances you. Disease results from diets and lifestyles that are incompatible with your nature. By eating a personalized diet matched to your body, you experience optimal health. See How it Works.

SERVING SIZE: 1 tsp

SPECIES: Mentha piperita

FAMILY: Lamiaceae

PREPARATION: RAW, SALAD, TEA

EAT IN: SPRING, SUMMER

Biocharacteristics of Mint

See a complete list of all biocharacteristics.

INCREASES

Increases These Biocharacteristics (Gunas)

Functional Ayurveda helps you assess imbalances through 20 main biocharacteristics (gunas). Aggravating these characteristics weakens your body and causes imbalance. By knowing which characteristics are habitually imbalanced in your body, you will be able to identify and correct imbalances before you get sick. Every characteristic has an opposite which balances it (i.e. hot balances cold). You restore balance by favoring diet and lifestyle choices that increase the opposite characteristic.

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LIQUEFIED

ABOUT LIQUEFIED BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Substances that thin fluids (lower viscosity of blood plasma). These may include blood thinners or mucolytic herbs.

LEARN MORE ABOUT LIQUEFIED

MOBILE

ABOUT MOBILE BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Mobile refers to anything that stimulates the nervous system, muscles, or activity.

LEARN MORE ABOUT MOBILE

CLEAR

ABOUT CLEAR BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Clear refers to anything that cleanses or flushes out wastes, or that digests ama.

LEARN MORE ABOUT CLEAR

DRY

ABOUT DRY BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Dry is identified by lack of moisture, lack of fat, or anything that causes diuresis.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DRY

EASY

ABOUT EASY BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Easy refers to anything easy to digest, or digests quickly.

LEARN MORE ABOUT EASY

LIGHT

ABOUT LIGHT BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Lightness is identified by reduced weight.

LEARN MORE ABOUT LIGHT

TASTES

The 6 Tastes

Taste is used to sense the most basic properties and effects of food. Each taste has a specific medicinal effect on your body. Cravings for food with certain tastes indicate your body is craving specific medicinal results from food. Taste is experienced on the tongue and represents your body's reaction to foods. Sweet taste causes physical satisfaction and attraction whereas bitter taste causes discomfort and aversion. Kapha should use less sweet taste while Vata and Pitta would benefit from using more sweet taste. One of the first signs of illness is that your taste and appetite for food changes. The six tastes are sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent. Do you crave foods with any of the tastes below?

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PUNGENT

ABOUT PUNGENT BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Pungency is characterized by irritation, or sharp, spicy foods that irritate the mouth such as black pepper.

LEARN MORE ABOUT PUNGENT

DOSHAS

The Three Doshas / Body Types

According to the biocharacteristic theory of medicine, people tend to get sick, over and over again, due to habitual causes and imbalances that are unique to the person. Your body type summarizes this tendency, showing you the 'type' of conditions and imbalances that frequently challenge your health & wellness. Using body type, you can also identify remedies likely to improve your strength and resiliency. Your body type identifies physical and mental characteristics as well as your personal strengths and weaknesses. The calculation of your body type is based on your medical history.

The 3 functional body types (doshas), are Catabolic (Vata), Metabolic (Pitta), and Anabolic (Kapha). Catabolic individuals tend to break down body mass into energy. They are easily stimulated, hyperactive, underweight and dry. Metabolic individuals tend to burn or use energy. They tend to be rosy-cheeked, easily irritated, focused, driven, and easily inflamed. Anabolic individuals tend to store energy as body mass. If they store too much energy, they could gain weight easily and have congestion. Anabolic people tend to be stable and grounded.

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PACIFIES	AGGRAVATES

HAS THE FOLLOWING

Subtaste:

Aromatic

AROMATIC

Herbs or spices with volatile essential oils that present strong aromas. Aromatic oils shock, refresh and numb tissue, with the end result of relaxing, opening and clearing stagnant fluids in tissues.

SEE ALL 'AROMATIC' FOODS / HERBS

Moves Energy:

Upward

UPWARD

Upward-moving substances (Urdvha Gati Marga) include anything stimulating or activating, or that move upward in the body.

SEE ALL 'UPWARD' FOODS / HERBS

Outward

OUTWARD

Outward-moving substances stimulate circulation, push heat towards the skin, or are stimulating.

SEE ALL 'OUTWARD' FOODS / HERBS

Tissue (dhatu):

Nerves

NERVES

Marrow tissue (Majja Dhatu) includes bone marrow and nervous tissue.

SEE ALL 'NERVES' FOODS / HERBS

Subdosha:
Vayu Prana, Vayu Udana, Vayu Vyana
Affinity:
Heart Circulation Blood
Family:
Lamiaceae

HERBAL ACTIONS
(see all)

Medicinal Benefits, Uses & Herbal Actions of Mint
Experiences are Personal
Experiences vary according to the person and constitution. Individual results may vary. The list of herbal-actions below has not be approved by the FDA and should not be used to treat a medical condition.

Digestion:

Carminative

STRONG CARMINATIVE

Stimulates the release of gas. Helpful for bloating or cramping abdominal pain. Propels food downward. Carminatives typically expel gas by relaxing the muscles of the intestines.

SEE ALL 'CARMINATIVE' FOODS / HERBS

Appetizer

APPETIZER

Herbs that cleanse the palate & stimulate hunger or desire to eat.

SEE ALL 'APPETIZER' FOODS / HERBS

Digestive

DIGESTIVE

Herbs that encourage healthy digestion.

SEE ALL 'DIGESTIVE' FOODS / HERBS

Spleen Tonic

SPLEEN-TONIC

An herb that strengthens spleen function by improving strength of the blood. Spleen tonics Builds agni, brighten the person's appearances & firms up tissues.

SEE ALL 'SPLEEN-TONIC' FOODS / HERBS

Stomachic

STOMACHIC

An herb that increases appetite or settles a nauseas or nervous stomach. These generally increase the digestive fire, therefore relieving symptoms of sluggish or difficult digestion.

SEE ALL 'STOMACHIC' FOODS / HERBS

Cleanse & Detox:

Burns Toxins

BURNS-TOXINS

An herb that detoxifies by helping your body metabolize toxins, as opposed to eliminating them.

SEE ALL 'BURNS-TOXINS' FOODS / HERBS

Mind, Stress & Sleep:

Stimulates Crown

STIMULATES-CROWN

Creates a feeling of awareness or tension in the area at the top of the head.

SEE ALL 'STIMULATES-CROWN' FOODS / HERBS

Stimulates Front Of Brain

STIMULATES-FRONT-OF-BRAIN

Creates a feeling of awareness or tension in the area in the forehead. Activates the frontal lobe - the area responsible for motor function, emotional expression, thinking, and decision making.

SEE ALL 'STIMULATES-FRONT-OF-BRAIN' FOODS / HERBS

Antidepressant

ANTIDEPRESSANT

Herbs that lift feelings of depression, benefit the mind and improve mental function.

SEE ALL 'ANTIDEPRESSANT' FOODS / HERBS

Dopaminergic

DOPAMINERGIC

Dopamine lifts mood, but also reduces prolactin, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), and lutenizing hormone (LH).

SEE ALL 'DOPAMINERGIC' FOODS / HERBS

Analgesic

ANALGESIC

Pain reliever, reduces pain without eliminating sensation. Also known as anodyne.

SEE ALL 'ANALGESIC' FOODS / HERBS

Anxiolytic

ANXIOLYTIC

Herbs that help people suffering from anxiety or panic. They promote a state of calm and often improve sleep. Most anxiolytic herbs are also nervines.

SEE ALL 'ANXIOLYTIC' FOODS / HERBS

Nervine

NERVINE

Balances the nervous system. They can help with stress, memory, early alzheimer's, and even chronic pain. Often they are aromatic in nature.

SEE ALL 'NERVINE' FOODS / HERBS

Energy Vitality:

Refreshing

REFRESHING

Stimulates and wakes up the body, leaving it feeling cool, fresh, and energized.

SEE ALL 'REFRESHING' FOODS / HERBS

Stimulates Energy

STIMULATES-ENERGY

This category groups thyroid and adrenal stimulating herbs.

SEE ALL 'STIMULATES-ENERGY' FOODS / HERBS

Skin Care & Beauty:

Refreshes Skin

REFRESHES-SKIN

Flushes the lymphatic system to cool, awaken, and revive the skin.

SEE ALL 'REFRESHES-SKIN' FOODS / HERBS

Diaphoretic

DIAPHORETIC

An herb that induces sweating, often by dilating blood vessels close to the skin.

SEE ALL 'DIAPHORETIC' FOODS / HERBS

Antipruritic

ANTIPRURITIC

Antipruritics are herbs that inhibit itching that is often associated with itching skin conditions such as sunburns, allergic reactions, eczema, psoriasis, chickenpox, fungal infections, insect bites, or contact dermatitis (as in poison ivy exposure.)

SEE ALL 'ANTIPRURITIC' FOODS / HERBS

Immune System:

Antifungal

ANTIFUNGAL

Herbs that destroy fungus.

SEE ALL 'ANTIFUNGAL' FOODS / HERBS

Immune Calming

IMMUNE-CALMING

Herbs that interrupt an allergic reaction or calm the immune system, useful in allergies and autoimmune conditions.

SEE ALL 'IMMUNE-CALMING' FOODS / HERBS

, Mast Cell Stabilizer

Heart & Circulation:

Vasodilator

VASODILATOR

A vasodilator is an herb that widens the blood vessels by the relaxation of smooth muscle cells within the vessel walls, thereby increasing circulation systemically or to a local area.

SEE ALL 'VASODILATOR' FOODS / HERBS

Reproductive Health:

Anti Prolactin

ANTI-PROLACTIN

Reduces prolactin, a female hormone that suppresses the uterus, fertility, menstruation.

SEE ALL 'ANTI-PROLACTIN' FOODS / HERBS

Strength, Muscle Health:

Antispasmodic

ANTISPASMODIC

Herbs that reduce or inhibit muscle spasms or cramping, such as in asthma, menstruation, hear palpitations, migraine, or IBS.

SEE ALL 'ANTISPASMODIC' FOODS / HERBS

Other:

Anti Aging, Coumarin, Detoxicant

Constituents:

Rosmarinic Acid

ROSMARINIC-ACID

Inhibits autoantibodies from binding to TSH receptors in the thyroid.

SEE ALL 'ROSMARINIC-ACID' FOODS / HERBS

Iron

IRON

Iron is necessary for the transport of oxygen in red blood cells.

SEE ALL 'IRON' FOODS / HERBS

Foods with a Similar Nature to Mint

Rosemary

Rosemary has these Actions in Common

Antidepressant, Burns-toxins, Digestive, Spleen-tonic, Vasodilator, Antifungal, Detoxicant, Immune-calming, Stimulates-energy, Analgesic, Antispasmodic, Diaphoretic, Nervine, Stomachic

LEARN MORE

Allspice

Allspice has these Actions in Common

Vasodilator, Antidepressant, Burns-toxins, Digestive, Stimulates-front-of-brain, Antispasmodic, Carminative, Spleen-tonic, Stomachic, Analgesic, Appetizer, Detoxicant, Stimulates-energy

LEARN MORE

Dill

Dill has these Actions in Common

Digestive, Stimulates-energy, Appetizer, Detoxicant, Nervine, Stomachic, Burns-toxins, Diaphoretic, Spleen-tonic, Vasodilator, Antispasmodic, Carminative

LEARN MORE

Basil

Basil has these Actions in Common

Antispasmodic, Burns-toxins, Diaphoretic, Nervine, Anxiolytic, Carminative, Digestive, Spleen-tonic, Antidepressant, Appetizer, Detoxicant, Immune-calming

LEARN MORE

Turmeric

Turmeric has these Actions in Common

Mast-cell-stabilizer, Antifungal, Burns-toxins, Digestive, Spleen-tonic, Antipruritic, Carminative, Immune-calming, Vasodilator, Analgesic, Antispasmodic, Detoxicant

LEARN MORE

Mustard Seed

Mustard Seed has these Actions in Common

Antispasmodic, Detoxicant, Spleen-tonic, Vasodilator, Analgesic, Burns-toxins, Diaphoretic, Stimulates-energy, Antipruritic, Carminative, Digestive, Stimulates-front-of-brain

LEARN MORE

Caraway Seeds

Caraway Seeds has these Actions in Common

Burns-toxins, Digestive, Stimulates-energy, Analgesic, Carminative, Immune-calming, Stomachic, Antispasmodic, Detoxicant, Spleen-tonic, Vasodilator

LEARN MORE

Thyme (fresh)

Thyme (fresh) has these Actions in Common

Anti-prolactin, Burns-toxins, Digestive, Stimulates-energy, Antispasmodic, Detoxicant, Immune-calming, Vasodilator, Appetizer, Diaphoretic, Spleen-tonic

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Cloves

Cloves has these Actions in Common

Antispasmodic, Carminative, Digestive, Analgesic, Anxiolytic, Detoxicant, Spleen-tonic, Antifungal, Burns-toxins, Diaphoretic, Vasodilator

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Sage

Sage has these Actions in Common

Analgesic, Appetizer, Diaphoretic, Spleen-tonic, Anti-prolactin, Burns-toxins, Digestive, Stimulates-energy, Antidepressant, Detoxicant, Immune-calming

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Herb Supplements with a Similar Nature to Mint

Holy Basil Leaf (Tulsi)

Holy Basil Leaf (Tulsi) has these Actions in Common

Burns-toxins, Stimulates-front-of-brain, Detoxicant, Stomachic, Diaphoretic, Vasodilator, Antidepressant, Immune-calming, Antifungal, Mast-cell-stabilizer, Antispasmodic, Nervine, Anxiolytic, Stimulates-crown, Appetizer, Stimulates-energy

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Wild Ginger

Wild Ginger has these Actions in Common

Carminative, Detoxicant, Diaphoretic, Digestive, Analgesic, Immune-calming, Antispasmodic, Spleen-tonic, Appetizer, Stimulates-energy, Burns-toxins, Vasodilator

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Lemon Balm

Lemon Balm has these Actions in Common

Nervine, Anti-prolactin, Stimulates-energy, Antidepressant, Vasodilator, Antispasmodic, Anxiolytic, Carminative, Diaphoretic, Dopaminergic, Immune-calming

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Deodar (Himalayan Cedar, Devadaru)

Deodar (Himalayan Cedar, Devadaru) has these Actions in Common

Analgesic, Stimulates-energy, Antidepressant, Vasodilator, Antispasmodic, Carminative, Digestive, Immune-calming, Mast-cell-stabilizer, Nervine

LEARN MORE

Yarrow

Yarrow has these Actions in Common

Immune-calming, Analgesic, Stomachic, Anti-prolactin, Vasodilator, Antifungal, Antispasmodic, Carminative, Detoxicant, Diaphoretic

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Breath of Fire / Shining Skull (Kapalbhati Pranayama)

Breath of Fire / Shining Skull (Kapalbhati Pranayama) has these Actions in Common

Stimulates-crown, Stimulates-energy, Antidepressant, Stimulates-front-of-brain, Antispasmodic, Anxiolytic, Detoxicant, Digestive, Nervine

LEARN MORE

Bellows Breath (Bhastrika Pranayama)

Bellows Breath (Bhastrika Pranayama) has these Actions in Common

Nervine, Stimulates-crown, Stimulates-energy, Antidepressant, Stimulates-front-of-brain, Antispasmodic, Anxiolytic, Detoxicant, Digestive

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Dong Quai

Dong Quai has these Actions in Common

Analgesic, Vasodilator, Anti-prolactin, Antispasmodic, Carminative, Digestive, Immune-calming, Nervine, Stimulates-energy

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Hops

Hops has these Actions in Common

Diaphoretic, Digestive, Immune-calming, Nervine, Analgesic, Anxiolytic, Carminative, Detoxicant

LEARN MORE

Yogaraj Guggulu

Yogaraj Guggulu has these Actions in Common

Nervine, Vasodilator, Analgesic, Antispasmodic, Anxiolytic, Burns-toxins, Carminative, Detoxicant

LEARN MORE

Mugwort

Mugwort has these Actions in Common

Digestive, Stomachic, Analgesic, Antispasmodic, Appetizer, Carminative, Detoxicant, Diaphoretic

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Impact of Mint

In each clinical research trial below, students from the Joyful Belly School of Ayurveda ate the selected food for 3 days and reported the pharmacological effects. See other clinical research trials for diet & herbs at Joyful Belly.