Peppermint - Mentha piperita

Peppermint is a time-honored digestive aid that’s been in use now for literally thousands of years! Current European medicinal guides list Peppermint for promoting healthy digestion and supporting gastrointestinal health. It encourages superior digestive Health by stimulating the flow of beneficial secretions and relaxing stomach muscles. Sip the refreshing brew throughout the day or right after a meal to experience its soothing, beneficial action. Peppermint also calms the nerves. A cup of peppermint tea may do wonders if you deal with daily stress and have trouble winding down.

In 2007, Italian investigators reported that 75% of the patients in their study who took peppermint oil capsules for four weeks had a major reduction in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms, compared with just 38% of those who took a placebo.

Peppermint is a herbaceous rhizomatous perennial plant growing to 30–90 cm (12–35 in) tall, with smooth stems, square in cross section. The rhizomes are wide-spreading, fleshy, and bare fibrous roots. The leaves are from 4–9 cm (1.6–3.5 in) long and 1.5–4 cm (0.59–1.6 in) cm broad, dark green with reddish veins, and with an acute apex and coarsely toothed margins. The leaves and stems are usually slightly hairy. The flowers are purple, 6–8 mm (0.24–0.31 in) long, with a four-lobed corolla about 5 mm (0.20 in) diameter; they are produced in whorls (verticillasters) around the stem, forming thick, blunt spikes. Flowering is from mid to late summer.