Garden mint -- botanically known as Mentha spicata and also called spearmint -- features toothed, bright-green leaves and a distinctive, refreshing flavor. You can use fresh spearmint as a garnish to spice up salads and add color and zest to beverages and entrees. High in dietary fiber and rich in vitamins and minerals, including potassium, spearmint is a healthy dietary choice. Peppermint -- or Mentha x. piperita, a relative of spearmint -- also has an appealing minty flavor, but is not as high in nutrients.
Potassium
Potassium, an essential mineral, is responsible for maintaining normal heart function, blood pressure and muscular contraction. According to University of Maryland Medical Center, adults should get 2,000 mg of potassium a day. Taking diuretics or experiencing prolonged diarrhea, excessive perspiration or vomiting can cause potassium deficiency, or hypokalemia. Excessive potassium, called hyperkalemia, is more likely to affect elderly people, due to decreased efficiency of excretion. Eating foods rich in potassium has been linked with healthy blood pressure levels and proper mineralization of bones. In a review published in January 2008 in "The Journal of Nutrition," a researcher noted that clinical studies have demonstrated a link between potassium-rich foods and the prevention of osteoporosis. The author of the review called for more long-term dietary studies to assess the importance of potassium-rich foods to the skeleton.
Mint
Two tbsp. of fresh mint contains .38 g of protein, .08 g of total fat, .96 g of carbohydrates, .8 g of fiber and a negligible 5 calories. Fresh spearmint leaves are low in salt, fat and calories; high in fiber; and sugar- and cholesterol-free. The website Nutrition and You reports that spearmint is rich in antioxidant phytochemicals, including carvone, cineole and limonene, a compound also found in citrus fruit. Spearmint also contains menthol, a natural analgesic and anesthetic used in commercial toothpaste. Health.LearningInfo.org credits mint with the ability to soothe the digestive tract, and adds that its content of perillyl alcohol demonstrates anticarcinogenic effects in animal studies.
Specifics
A 2-tbsp. serving of spearmint leaves contains 52 mg of potassium; the same amount of peppermint contains 18 mg. With 458 mg of potassium per 100 g, spearmint outperforms bananas, acknowledged as a high-potassium food, which contain only 358 mg of potassium per 100 g. However, because mint is normally eaten in small quantities, it only provides modest amounts of the recommended daily value. A 2-tbsp. serving of spearmint also contains 23 mg of calcium and 7 mg of phosphorus, two essential minerals that work together to form strong bones. In addition, 2 tbsp. of mint contributes .12 mg of zinc, essential for wound healing; .027 mg of copper, vital for production of red blood cells; and .127 mg of manganese, necessary for the production of superoxide dismutase, a potent antioxidant that scavenges destructive free radicals in the body.
Usage and Considerations
Purchase spearmint leaves with a strong, fresh scent and no whiff of mold or decay. Avoid leaves that have flowered or are shriveled, wilted or discolored. Rinse well with cold water, pat dry, and store in the refrigerator. You can brew a refreshing mint tea by pouring 8 oz. of hot, not boiling, water over a handful of fresh leaves. Steep for five minutes, then strain and cool. Mint has been reported to cause skin rashes; use protective gloves when handling mint if you are sensitive to it.
References
- USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference: Spearmint, Fresh (NDB 02065)
- Nutrition-and-You.com: Spearmint Nutrition Facts
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Potassium
- "The Journal of Nutrition"; The Balance of Bone Health: Tipping the Scales in Favor of Potassium-Rich Foods; S.A. Lanham-New; January 2008
- Health.LearningInfo.org: Health Benefits of Mint
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