How Can You Tell The Difference Between Spearmint And Peppermint Leaves?

This means peppermint is going to have a more intense “minty” flavor that spearmint. So if you grab a leaf of your garden mint and taste it, if it has a really strong minty aftertaste, you are dealing with peppermint. If you have a lighter flavor that borders on sweetness, you’re most likely tasting spearmint.

What does spearmint look like?

This highly aromatic plant is valued for its culinary, medicinal, and cosmetic use. Spearmint resembles peppermint, though spearmint plants have bright green leaves that are pointed, and lavender flower spikes that grow up to 4 inches (10 cm.) long.

What do peppermint leaves look like?

Peppermint has square stems, stalked, smooth, dark green leaves, and blunt oblong clusters of pinkish lavender flowers. As with other mints, the plant can spread aggressively by means of stolons (underground stems).

Are there poisonous mint plants?

Perilla mint has a shallow taproot and fibrous roots. Perilla mint causes more cattle deaths in Tennessee than any other toxic plant. Perilla is very poisonous to cattle and other ruminants, as well as horses. All plant parts are toxic, especially the flowering structures.

How do I know what kind of mint I have?

To distinguish between them, you’ll have to take a nibble. A strong menthol aftertaste means peppermint, while a sweet, light flavor means spearmint. Use young spearmint leaves in cooking, peppermint leaves for tea and other drinks. The climate in which the mint is growing can also help you identify it.

Which is better for you spearmint or peppermint?

Peppermint tea contains a higher content of Vitamin A and C than spearmint tea. However, spearmint tea contains twice the iron content. Additionally, peppermint contains nearly double the calories of spearmint.

Can you eat spearmint leaves?

Are the leaves just for flavor or can you eat them? Mint is a member of the Lamiaceae family, consisting of about 15 to 20 species, such as spearmint and peppermint, all of which are perfectly fine to eat raw or cooked. Mint leaves are a favored herb that people use, dried or fresh in many dishes and infusions.

What can spearmint leaves be used for?

Some people use spearmint to help alleviate symptoms of nausea, indigestion, gas, headache, toothache, cramps, and sore throat. It is also applied topically, to the skin, to help reduce swelling due to nerve or muscle pain.

Are mint leaves peppermint or spearmint?

Mint extract is a mixture of spearmint and peppermint, whereas peppermint extract is just that. Mint brings a bright, bold flavor to recipes. On the savory side, spearmint is usually the mint of choice, however when it comes to sweet, peppermint is the herb of choice as it pairs well with chocolate and citrus flavors.

What color is spearmint?

light green
Spearmint earned its name from the species of mint plants with a light green hue. One of the few colors that evokes a flavor with its name, many may also associate it with chewing gum. Its hex code is #45B08C. Like many greens, the color finds its origin in nature and evokes the same warmth of other earthy colors.

How do I identify a peppermint plant?

To make a positive identification, look for square, purplish stems with dark green, toothed leaves and reddish veins. In mid-to-late summer, violet flowers appear in whorls (little clusters) around the stem. These flowers, along with the leaves, are harvested just as the flowers begin to open.

How can you tell if mint is edible?

The best way to tell if it’s edible is by seeing how it smells. For instance, peppermint and spearmint have a strong wintergreen aroma.

What is the strongest smelling mint plant?

Mentha graveolens|strong-smelling mint/RHS Gardening.

Does mint have poisonous look alikes?

There is at least one poisonous doppelganger, and it can even hybridize with edible mints, making unknown breeds of mint-like plants unsafe: Pennyroyal. So, it sounds like, for safety reasons, you should not eat unknown mint-like plants. I cook with Pennyroyal. In the proper amounts.

Is it OK to swallow mint leaves?

Fresh spearmint also contains small amounts of vitamins A and C, as well as the minerals iron and calcium. Mint is safe for most people and consuming it doesn’t typically cause side effects. Allergies to mint are uncommon. In people who are allergic to mint, an interaction with the herb can trigger asthma symptoms.

Which mint is toxic?

Perilla mint
Farming. Perilla mint is highly toxic when consumed by cattle, other ruminants, and horses. The entirety of the plant is toxic, with the flowering structures being especially potent. Perilla mint is more likely to be consumed in the fall, because of a seasonal decrease in forage availability.

Can I drink spearmint tea everyday?

Spearmint extract has most often been used by adults at a dose of 900 mg by mouth daily for up to 90 days. Spearmint tea has most often been used as two cups daily for up to 16 weeks. Speak with a healthcare provider to find out what dose might be best for a specific condition.

Does spearmint stop hair growth?

Drinking spearmint tea may help reduce hirsutism, or growth of dark, coarse hair on the face, chest and abdomen of women. In fact, it’s a common herbal remedy for unwanted hair growth in Middle Eastern countries ( 12 ).

Does spearmint keep bugs away?

Some varieties of mint, such as peppermint (Mentha piperita) and spearmint (Mentha spicata), also have insect repellent properties.

When should you not eat mint leaves?

Like many herbs, mint can adversely affect some people. People with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) should not use mint in an attempt to soothe digestive issues. According to a 2019 review , mint commonly acts as a trigger for GERD symptoms.

What happens if we drink mint water daily?

Drinking mint water can help you stay hydrated and may even help you lose weight — if it replaces higher calorie beverages in your diet. Some people also find mint water helps ease side effects of indigestion like gas and bloating.