When most people think of peppermint, they picture candy canes, peppermint patties, and toothpaste flavoring. But peppermint is so much more than a flavor–it’s an actual living plant and has so many ways it can aid in our health! And this peppermint monograph is a great place to learn about these helpful actions.
In this peppermint monograph, we are going to get into the details of the medicinal qualities of this herb. First, we’ll talk about peppermint’s energetics, tastes, medicinal plant parts, herbal actions, body affinities, constituents, and cautions. Then, we’ll get into what conditions we look to peppermint for help with, how we prepare it, and which herbs we pair it with. Plus, you’ll get the chance to download the PDF version of this peppermint monograph for free!
Disclaimer
This article is for educational purposes only and shouldn’t be used as a replacement for medical attention or diagnosis. It’s recommended to talk to a doctor before beginning any herbal regimen, especially if you are taking pharmaceutical medication. Because every body is different, the following information may or may not apply directly to you.
Peppermint (Mentha x piperita)
Peppermint is in the mint family (Lamiaceae) as you can probably guess from its appearance and taste! This plant is actually a hybrid of spearmint (Mentha spicata) and water mint (Mentha aquatica) and, therefore, can’t be seed saved. However, just because this plant is a hybrid, doesn’t mean that it’s a recent invention! There are records suggesting the existence of peppermint that date back all the way to Egypt in 1550 BCE that include historical medicinal uses like curing hiccups.
Peppermint Monograph
In this peppermint monograph, we are going to get into detail about how herbalists come to know this plant. First, we’ll talk about its energetics, tastes, herbal actions, body affinities, constituents, and cautions. Then, we’ll get into how we work with peppermint in practice, how we prepare it, what herbs we pair it with, and where we source it.
Energetics & Tastes
Peppermint is the herb of contradictions. When it comes to its taste, peppermint has a distinct cooling, minty, aromatic, and pungent flavor. However, its energetics are a bit confusing. First, peppermint has both relaxing and stimulating qualities. Also, peppermint is both warming and cooling. How can this be?
Stimulating or Relaxing?
Answer: Both! But how? Actually, stimulation and relaxation aren’t opposites! The true opposite of relaxing would be tonifying (or tightening) and the true opposite of stimulating would be calming (or a reduction of activity). Because of peppermint’s carminative action (more on that below), it stimulates (activates) blood flow to the digestive system. This extra nourishment from the circulatory system helps soothe and relax its tissues.
Warming or Cooling?
Again: Both! One of peppermint’s most active constituents, menthol, stimulates the cold receptor sensory cells in our mouths, giving us a fresh and cooling feeling. However, these same constituents also stimulate blood flow to the area it makes contact, warming the area up!
Medicinal Plant Parts
When we’re working with peppermint, we are working with its aerial parts, including its leaves and flowers.
Herbal Actions
When we work with peppermint, how is it actually interacting with our bodies and what actions does it perform?
Carminative
Peppermint stimulates blood flow wherever it’s applied. When taken internally, peppermint stimulates blood flow to the GI tract. This extra blood flow brings nourishment and warmth to the core.
Choleretic
Peppermint gently stimulates the liver to produce and secrete digestive fluids, helping aid in overall digestion.
Antispasmodic
Primarily because of its carminative action bringing blood flow, nourishment, and warmth to the GI tract, peppermint helps soothe spasms and tension in the core.
Antiemetic
Besides ginger, peppermint is the most popular herb to help soothe nausea. This powerful anti-emetic can help bust nausea caused by many things, including illness, motion sickness, and food poisoning. Plus, in cases where someone really doesn’t like ginger, peppermint can step in to take its place.
Anticatarrhal
Peppermint is well known for helping break up phlegm and mucous in the throat and nose. This action can be particularly useful when you’re dealing with wet coughs or congestion.
Anti-inflammatory
Peppermint can help reduce inflammation, again, primarily through its carminative actions. When applied directly to an area (or in the GI tract when taken internally) the extra blood flow to the tissues helps nourish and soothe inflamed areas.
Diaphoretic
Because peppermint is so stimulating to the cardiovascular system, it can help open up blood vessels throughout the entire body and disperse heat. This action is particularly helpful when trying to break a prolonged and uncomfortable fever.
Antimicrobial
Peppermint has some strong volatiles (as you can sense when you smell the plant). These constituents are made by the plant to help them fight off inflections. Therefore, these constituents can help us fight off infections, too. However, it’s important to remember that volatiles are only antimicrobial to the area in which they are applied (drinking peppermint tea won’t help directly fight off a lung infection unless you’re really inhaling the steam from that tea).
Rubefacient
When rubbed on the skin, peppermint stimulates blood flow to the area in which it’s applied, causing redness. Therefore, peppermint can help reduce pain and inflammation topically.
Body Systems Affinities
Now that we’ve gone over peppermint’s herbal actions, let’s talk about which parts of the body it has an affinity for.
The Digestive System
Peppermint loves the digestive system and primarily works here. As mentioned, peppermint acts on the tissues it’s applied to. Therefore, when consuming peppermint, it acts on the GI tract.
Notable Constituents
- volatiles 1.5% (Menthol 35-55%, menthone 10-40%)
- flavonoids (luteolin, menthoside)
- phenolic acids
- triterpenes
Cautions When Working With Peppermint
Peppermint has a strong relaxant effect on the esophageal sphincter (the muscle that prevents stomach contents from going up into the esophagus). That means if you have a tendency toward heartburn, then peppermint can worsen this issue for you. There are plenty of people who deal with heartburn who effectively work with this herb, but be careful to observe whether a peppermint regimen worsens heartburn for you.
Peppermint in Practice
Now that we have an understanding of peppermint’s actions, let’s get into the practice portion of this peppermint monograph. Here are the conditions peppermint is best indicated for.
Cold & Flu Symptoms
Peppermint has a variety of actions that can help us when we’re feeling sick. For example, this herb can help break up phlegm, ease sinus congestion, soothe nausea, reduce fevers, relax tension, relieve headaches, and lessen digestive discomfort. Plus, its seemingly contradictory energetics means that this herb can be helpful for lots of people with a variety of constitutional types.
Digestive Discomfort
When we are faced with any form of digestive discomfort, peppermint is a safe herb to reach out to. Whether it’s nausea, indigestion, cramps, pain, or even flatulence, peppermint can help ease the situation. Peppermint is a regular addition to gut heal tea blends.
Ways to Prepare Peppermint
Now that we’ve outlined most of the peppermint monograph, let’s talk about how we prepare it.
Peppermint Tea
Peppermint is best prepared into a short or long hot infusion tea. The longer you steep the tea, the more digestive actions you’ll get from it. Be sure to make the tea strong and cover it up while it steeps!
Peppermint Tincture
Another great way to work with peppermint is in tincture form. If preparing you’re own peppermint tincture, we sure to use fresh herb so that you retain as much volatile content as you can.
Peppermint-Infused Honey & Wine
Tasty treats are herbalism, too! Infused honeys and wines are my favorite ways of working with this plant. When infusing wine with peppermint, I recommend using a white wine and working with dry herb material. When infusing honey, be sure to make sure it’s real honey (there are lots of fakes out there!) and work with fresh peppermint. Honey infusions only really work by pulling the water out of the plant. Therefore, there needs to be water for it to pull out!
Peppermint Capsules
Sometimes when dealing with lower GI issues, it’s helpful to work with capsules, especially coated, slow-release capsules. Peppermint constituents can get damaged in the upper GI tract and sometimes not make it to where you need it to. In this case, a coated peppermint capsule can really help.
Peppermint in Food
Food is medicine! At least, it can be and it should be. Including peppermint in your food is a great way to work more of it in. I like adding peppermint to smoothies, desserts, jams, and summer salads. If you’re looking to work with peppermint for serious medicinal help, food isn’t the best method just because it’s difficult to get enough of it for it to be effective. However, adding peppermint to food is a great way to supplement an overall peppermint regimen!
Peppermint Herbal Pairings
There are so many herbs that pair well with peppermint! Not only do these herbal pairings taste great together, but they emphasize the herbal actions of each other.
Sourcing Peppermint
When looking to source peppermint, I recommend growing it yourself if you can. That’s because it’s super easy to grow! It’ll happily grow in a bucket on the porch. Because peppermint is a hybrid, you won’t be able to seed save. You’ll also want to avoid planting it anywhere it could take over because it will if given the chance! You can buy peppermint seeds here.
If growing peppermint yourself isn’t an option right now, then I recommend finding a local herb farm to buy it from. By purchasing from local herb farms, you ensure high quality and support your local economy. You can also buy herbs from your local apothecary.
If you are looking to buy herbs online, then I highly recommend checking out Mountain Rose Herbs. This company not only has the most consistently high-quality herb material I’ve found, but they also have a series of checks and balances to ensure their products are produced with social and environmental sustainability in mind. Through the Mountain Rose Herbs website, you can buy peppermint leaves, peppermint leaf powder, peppermint essential oil, and more.
Free Peppermint Monograph
The Best Herbalism Books
There are hundreds of herbalism books available on the market. A quick Google search can be really overwhelming! Especially when the top search results from Amazon and Goodreads seem to be unreliable.
In this article, I’ve gathered all of my favorite herbalism titles in one place to share with you. If you don’t know where to start, that’s ok! The books are organized by type and I’ve written descriptions to let you know which I suggest in which situations. Plus, all of the books here are trustworthy, so you can follow your curiosity and pick which books stand out to you!
More Herbal Monographs
Want to learn about more herbs? In my online Materia Medica, you will find all of the herbs I have written about. Here, you can click on any herb you want to learn about and you’ll get a thorough herbal monograph that’s always being updated, just like this one. Plus, you can download the free monograph for every herb! Learn more here.
Summary: Peppermint Monograph
See? Peppermint is so much more than a flavoring! In this peppermint monograph, you learned about its energetics, tastes, plant parts, herbal actions, body affinities, constituents, and cautions. Then, you learned how we work with peppermint in practice, how we prepare it, and which herbs we pair it with. Plus, you got the chance to download the free PDF version of this peppermint monograph for you to refer back to when you need it.
What are your favorite ways to work with this plant? Are there any ways of working with peppermint you’re excited to try? Right now, I’m drinking a warming cup of peppermint tea! Put your thoughts in the comments, I would love to hear from you!
Thanks for reading and happy crafting!
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