mint leaves

Fresh or dry mint have tremendous health benefits. There are several herbs that add flavor to dishes but mint elevates even the most humble vegetables to gourmet status.

Adding mint to dishes gives us all those benefits that one can ask for.

Using mint leaves in our daily food in various dishes can help us to improve our digestion, reduce body pain, inflammation and releasing body stress.

Did you know other benefits of mint leaves?

• It activates salivary glands, getting the digestive juices flowing and soothes stomach inflammation. Freshens breath (we all know this one!) and inhibits the growth of bacteria inside the mouth.
• Soothes the digestive tract and reducing the severity and length of stomach aches.
• Eases the discomfort associated with irritable bowel syndrome.
• Slows the growth of many of the most harmful bacteria and fungi.

Grandma has suggestions to use mint  leaves in 12 different ways to get mint health benefits in your daily food.

• Add to buttermilk: Take few mint leaves, add little coriander leaves, an inch of ginger, asafoetida, salt and grind it with little buttermilk. After grinding add 2 cups of buttermilk and drink. This reduces bloating and increases digestion.
• Add to rasam (Indian soup): While boiling the rasam add few chopped mint leaves and boil it for few seconds. It gives flavor to the rasam and helps for easy digestion.
• Potato (aloo bonda): While preparing potato masala for chickpea flour based bonda, add few chopped mint leaves alongwith coriander leaves for better taste and easy digestion of potato.
• Mint tea: Fresh mint -Take 2 cups of water and allow water to boil. Add few chopped leaves of mint and boil for few more seconds. Add little lemon juice before drinking. If you are using dried mint leaves – boil water for 3 to 4 minutes. Steep it. Later add lemon juice and drink.
• Mint juice: Take few mint leaves and add few coriander leaves. Grind both with little ginger in water. After grinding add little more water and strain (if you prefer). Drink the juice – to reduce fat.
• Mint in salad: Like cilantro, chop mint leaves and sprinkle on the salad. This reduces bloating and helps in easy digestion. Toss 1 can of brown lentils, rinsed and drained (alternatively, you can cook brown lentil in slow cooker), with 2 thinly sliced scallions, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1½ tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 tablespoon finely chopped mint, and salt and pepper to season. Have this to get benefit of protein and mint to reduce bloating and inflammation.
• Fruit Juices: Add mint leaves to strawberry, lemon and cucumber juice varieties. It gives good taste and helps in reducing fat from the body.
• Green chutney: Grind mint with little cumin, ginger, salt, asafoetida, little garlic clove  to a paste. Use this chutney as a spread on sandwich, as a side for bonda, or while preparing snacks.
• Mint chutney with coconut: Grate coconut, add few mint leaves, salt, asafoetida, cumin, salt into a paste with little water. You can use this chutney as a side dish for dosa, idli, chapatti. Adding mint leaves chutney helps in easy digestion and makes food taste better too.
• Ginger, mint and orange iced tea: On a busy and tiring day try this: Grate ginger add little chopped mint leaves and boil in water. Remove the liquid from stove and cool it a bit. Add ¼ cup orange juice. Throw few more chopped mint leaves. Cool it in the refrigerator and drink. Mint has power to calm a stormy stomach with sweetness and you will see the miracle!
• Add in Pineapple lassi: Prepare Indian Pineapple and Mint Lassi by blending 2 cups of chopped pineapple with 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh mint, 1½ cups cold water, ¾ cup plain yogurt, 1 tablespoon sugar and 6 ice cubes until smooth. Drink this after meal to soothe your stomach.
• Chocolate dip mint: Take fresh mint leaves,  and dip them in your favorite homemade or melted chocolate chips and let chill in the fridge until the chocolate has hardened. Take it out and have. Chocolate helps to calm the system and so is mint -adds more calmness to your system!

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Reference: Healthylife.werindia.com