Peppermint Benefits

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Health Benefits of Peppermint Peppermint is said to believe to have many benefits regarding health of the human body. Although many people relate peppermint to the extract we put in foods to give it flavor around the holidays, peppermint oil is used in aroma therapy. Some of its usage is for helping irritable bowel syndrome, indigestion, relieves headaches, and improves mental focus. Due to the many health advantages of peppermint oil, it has become a common essential oil used in modern day aroma therapy. The peppermint plant (also known as black mint, candy mint, and in commercial use Mitcham), is a perennial aromatic herb from the classification family of Lamiaceae (1). Peppermint oil is extracted from the plant and is the part used The oil from this plant can be used to deter both insect and animal pests from the home. Many people enjoy the scent and have used peppermint oil to not only keep nuisances such as mice, roaches, flies, and fleas out of their home, they have eradicated infestations for good. (4) Peppermint oil is safe to use in homes with children and pets. It is easy to find in grocery stores, in the baking aisle near other flavorings. The scent is strong, compared to other deterrents, peppermint is far more economical. The toxicity studies of the plant have received controversial results. Some authors reported that the plant may induce liver disease, while others found that it protects against liver damage caused by heavy metals. Toxicities of the plant may vary among cultivars and are dose dependent, an effect possibly related to pulegone. With the limitation that the concentration of pulegone should not exceed 1 percent, it has been concluded that peppermint oil, peppermint extract, peppermint leaves, peppermint water are safe as used in cosmetic formulations. When peppermint oil products are taken with antacid, they dissolve quickly and may cause heartburn and nausea. Due to the menthol constituent, topical use of peppermint oil around the facial or chest areas of infants and young children, especially around the nose, can induce apnea, laryngeal and bronchial spasm, acute respiratory distress with cyanosis, or respiratory

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