Mint: It Does the Mind & Body Good!

If you ask me, mint makes just about everything taste better. It also delivers some impressive benefits:

• Digestion: Mint is a great palate cleanser, and it promotes digestion. It also soothes the stomach in case of indigestion or inflammation. When your stomach feels sick, drinking a cup of mint tea can give you relief.
• Nausea and Headache: The aroma of mint leaves, especially freshly crushed leaves help you deal with nausea and headache.
• Asthma: Regular use of mint is very beneficial for asthma patients, as it is a good relaxant and relieves congestion. But using too much mint this way can also irritate the nose and throat.
• Depression and Fatigue: Mint is a natural stimulant, and the smell alone can be enough to charge your batteries and get your brain functioning well again .
• Skin Care and Pimples: While mint oil is a good antiseptic and antipruritic material, mint juice is an excellent skin cleanser. It soothes the skin and helps to cure infections and itchiness.
• Memory: A recent study examined the effects that mint has on alertness, retention and cognitive function. It found that people who frequently use chewing gum, in which the major active ingredient is mint, had higher levels of memory retention and mental alertness than those who did not.
• Weight Loss: Mint can also help us lose weight in a healthy way. Mint stimulates the digestive enzymes that absorb nutrients from food and consume fat and turns it into usable energy.

If you’d like to try a refreshing drink that delivers the benefits of mint, and is a cool relief for warm summer days, try my Mint Agave Tonic. It’s one of the FoodTrients’ team favorites. The inspiration for this drink comes from the Cuban mojito. My nonalcoholic version uses sparkling water. Mint leaves aid digestion. The agave nectar is high in fructose, which means that it does not raise your blood sugar to the same extent as other sweeteners do. For a stronger mint flavor, use more mint leaves.

MINT AGAVE TONIC

1. Place 5–7 mint leaves in each of the tall glasses. Bruise the mint leaves with a cocktail muddle, the
   handle of a wooden spoon, or the tines of a whisk to help them release their fragrant oil.
2. Mince or chiffonade the remaining mint leaves and divide them equally between the glasses.
3. Add the lime juice, agave nectar, and water in equal amounts. Stir until the agave is dissolved. Add crushed ice.