Can you eat mint leaves?
By
Dr Agustín Hernández
| Reviewed by
Dr Agustín Hernández
The contents of this article are fact-based except otherwise stated within the article.
Author bio
Dr Agustín Hernández is a molecular biologist specialising in fungi and with a passion for food. He has worked in plant sciences and microbiology but also in health-related aspects such as cancer. He writes and reviews content on these topics.
Highlights:
- PhD with work done at the Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Bristol (UK) with work on a corn/maize fungal pathogen.
- The equivalent of a Master’s by Research by the University of the Basque Country (Spain) working in fungal lipids.
- Bachelor in Biological Sciences from the University of the Basque Country (Spain)
- Group leader at Universidade de São Paulo and Universidade Federal de São Carlos (Brazil).
In the UK he worked at IACR-Long Ashton Research Station, a scientific complex dedicated to agricultural products, under the supervision of lipid expert Dr David T. Cooke and plant nutrition expert Dr David T Clarkson.
He has held postdoctoral positions in Belgium (Katholieke Universiteit Leuven) and Spain (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas) and worked for one year at the laboratory of plant physiologists Ray A. Bressan and P.M. Hasegawa in the Department of Horticultural Sciences of Purdue University (IN, USA).
He is the author of more than 30 scientific papers and contributed to many scientific meetings. Also, he has supervised master’s and PhD students in molecular biology.
In addition to wet-lab work, he has a passion for theoretical enzymology, informatics and writing. He is also an active reviewer for journals like MDPI Nutrients, MDPI Agronomy, and Frontiers in Plant Sciences.
Relevant Published Work & citations:
You can view some of Dr Agustín Hernández’s work below and links to his professional profiles.
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7884-8023
Google: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=XE7kuiEAAAAJ&hl=en
Researchgate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Agustin-Hernandez-4/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/agustin-hernandez-lopez
Reviewer bio
Dr Agustín Hernández is a molecular biologist specialising in fungi and with a passion for food. He has worked in plant sciences and microbiology but also in health-related aspects such as cancer. He writes and reviews content on these topics.
Highlights:
- PhD with work done at the Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Bristol (UK) with work on a corn/maize fungal pathogen.
- The equivalent of a Master’s by Research by the University of the Basque Country (Spain) working in fungal lipids.
- Bachelor in Biological Sciences from the University of the Basque Country (Spain)
- Group leader at Universidade de São Paulo and Universidade Federal de São Carlos (Brazil).
In the UK he worked at IACR-Long Ashton Research Station, a scientific complex dedicated to agricultural products, under the supervision of lipid expert Dr David T. Cooke and plant nutrition expert Dr David T Clarkson.
He has held postdoctoral positions in Belgium (Katholieke Universiteit Leuven) and Spain (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas) and worked for one year at the laboratory of plant physiologists Ray A. Bressan and P.M. Hasegawa in the Department of Horticultural Sciences of Purdue University (IN, USA).
He is the author of more than 30 scientific papers and contributed to many scientific meetings. Also, he has supervised master’s and PhD students in molecular biology.
In addition to wet-lab work, he has a passion for theoretical enzymology, informatics and writing. He is also an active reviewer for journals like MDPI Nutrients, MDPI Agronomy, and Frontiers in Plant Sciences.
Relevant Published Work & citations:
You can view some of Dr Agustín Hernández’s work below and links to his professional profiles.
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7884-8023
Google: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=XE7kuiEAAAAJ&hl=en
Researchgate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Agustin-Hernandez-4/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/agustin-hernandez-lopez
In this brief guide, we will answer the question, “Can you eat mint leaves?” we will analyse the health benefits of the mint leaves, and provide information on the nutritional composition of mint leaves.
Can you eat mint leaves?
Yes, you can eat mint leaves. In fact, mint leaves have long been used medicinally to treat a variety of conditions like cold, cough, asthma, fever, obesity, jaundice and digestive problems (1).
Besides being added in balms, drinks, inhalers, ointments and toothpaste, mint leaves are also used in cooking to add flavor to a dish.
What is the nutritional profile of mint leaves?
Mint leaves are a rich source of antioxidants and phytonutrients. They are rich in vitamin A, C, and B-complex, phosphorus, calcium, and have antibacterial properties.
Mint leaves are a good source of iron, and manganese (2), which may play a role in improving hemoglobin levels and promoting brain activity.
They are low in calories and comprise the least amount of protein and fat so they can be added to a weight loss diet plan easily.
One hundred grams of fresh spearmint provides (3):
- 3.3 g of proteins
- 8.4 g of carbohydrates
- 6.8 g of dietary fibre
- 13 mg of vitamin c
- 199 mg of calcium
- 60 mg of phosphorus
- 458 mg of potassium
How are mint leaves used in cooking?
Mint leaves have been traditionally used to season dishes, salads and soups in mediterranean and near-east asian countries. Also they are used to flavor teas, like in Morocco, or directly make infusions.
In modern recipes, you can use mint leaves to make chutney, mint margarita, mint soup, mint water, or use them as a garnish. Mint is also used as an ingredient in alcoholic drinks like juleps and mojito.
How to use mint leaves to improve health?
Mint or its essential oil has been studied scientifically for their beneficial effects on digestive problems (4), respiratory diseases (4), diabetes, memory and learning (1) and even to improve the body’s immunological response (5).
In traditional medicine, the range of uses is very wide. In general, mint is prepared as infusions and decoctions.
Diarrhea is treated with mint leaves and stems in Iran and Nepal (1). Digestive problems and stomach ache are treated with infusions of mint in Morocco, Iran, Pakistan and Nepal (1,6).
Respiratory disorders, like cough and sore throat, are also treated with mint traditionally in South Africa, Turkey and Morocco (1,6).
Diabetes is treated with mint in traditional medicine from Iran and Morocco (1,6).
Many other uses have been found for mint, like treatment of jaundice in Bulgaria, India and Italy (1) or even skin diseases and toothache in Morocco (6).
There are many other traditional uses of mint (1). However, although registered in ethnobotanical studies, traditional uses may be unsupported or with limited support from experimental science.
Are there any risks when taking mint leaves?
Although mint leaves are usually safe to consume, some health authorities recommend not to do it in excess by pregnant women or when breastfeeding. Food amounts are considered safe, though (7).
Although some mild general adverse effects have been reported in some cases for the most common species of mint (Menta spicata) (8), other studies found no effect of mint on pregnancy (9).
Conclusion
In this brief guide, we have answered the question, “Can you eat mint leaves?” with an analysis of the possible health benefits of eating mint leaves, and the nutritional composition of mint leaves.
References
1. Mahendran G, Verma SK, Rahman LU. The traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology of spearmint (Mentha spicata L.): A review. J Ethnopharmacol. 2021 Oct 5;278:114266. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejogrb.2010.02.001
3. Spearmint-FoodData Central [Internet]. [cited 2023 Apr 12]. Available from: https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/173475/nutrients
7. Spearmint: MedlinePlus Supplements [Internet]. [cited 2023 Apr 12]. Available from: https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/natural/845.html
