Garden mint: A wonder herb
Garden mint is the herb perhaps everyone is aware of. Its botanical name is Mentha spicata. It is herb with multiple uses right from our kicthen upto the medicine industry. Its unique flavour and colour adds a refreshing touch to every kind of drink or food to which it is added. The oil of mint has special role in aroma therapy. In India apart from its commercial cultivation by farmers it is also a part of kitchen garden in many houses.
It is known as Pudina in Hindi and it is a special ingredient in many kinds of chutneys (a kind of fresh sauce or dip prepared to be used as a part of snacks, lunch or dinner). While binging on Pakoras or vegetable cutlets one cannot imagine to relish the taste without Mint chutney. It is also used as a part of refreshing drinks like lemon water with a touch of mint. Mint bubble gums and mint candies are the favourite thing for many kids. They very much enjoy the aroma and cool flavour down their throats while chewing mint candies. Mint is also a part of salad with food.
Mint is also used for cosmetic purposes like in creams or face packs that women use in the facial procedures at home or at beauty parlours. It imparts freshness and coolness to the skin. It is also used as flavouring agent in toothpastes.
Mint is very popular in ethnomedicine as well as modern herbal and ayurvedic medicine. It is used in the treatment of diarrhoea and other gastric disorders and as liver tonic. At homes grand mothers give decoction of mint for treatment of many ailments. People in villages also use it for treating digestive upsets in animals.
There are many kinds of mints that can be grown in kitchen garden or cultivated in fields according to the need and purpose.
Mint............THE REFRESHING WONDER HERB!
Like it on Facebook, Tweet it or share this article on other bookmarking websites.