The humble mint has a big effect

There is a kind of food that will make you feel cool as soon as you think of it, and that is mint. It smells fresh, tastes refreshing, and has a sweet aftertaste... Its unique flavor and aroma are impressive. Mint is not only a "jack of all trades" that has successfully entered the pharmaceutical, food, cosmetics, and spice industries, but also a health-preserving food that is both a medicine and a food. Today I will tell you the categories of mint and teach you how to make your own mint delicacies.

These mints are for eating

There are more than 30 species of mint, and the following are the ones we often eat.

Spearmint

Spearmint is one of the most common species of mint. It can be used as medicine and food. Because of its dark green leaves and sunken and wrinkled veins, it is also called green mint or wrinkled mint. It has a special and pleasant fragrance and is called spearmint. This kind of mint is often used to make chewing gum, toothpaste, perfume, etc., and is also a common condiment.

Peppermint

Peppermint, also known as spicy mint, is a hybrid of green mint and water mint. Its leaf edges are deeply serrated and have a distinct minty smell. Peppermint leaves can be used as a vegetable, either cold or stir-fried, or used to make tea.

Lemon Mint

Lemon mint, also known as citrus mint, is a smooth, dark green plant that often has purple hues. Rub the leaves and you'll smell a lemon scent. It has medicinal properties and is sometimes used to make tea.

Where does the coolness of mint come from?

When mint leaves or mint products enter the mouth, the whole mouth and even the esophagus will be filled with a cool feeling. This is not because it lowers the surrounding temperature, but a little trick of menthol.

The reason why the human body can feel low temperatures is all due to the cold receptors in the skin and mouth: the TRPM8 nerve receptor, which has another name - "cold and menthol receptor 1". As the name suggests, its main function is to receive cold temperature stimulation and menthol stimulation, making the body feel "cold".

Simply put, the menthol receptors are the same as the receptors that sense coolness, and the temperature of the mouth does not decrease by eating mint.

Mint Food DIY

There are many ways to eat mint. Here are three simple ways to eat it, so you can enjoy the coolness and deliciousness at home.

Lemon Mint Tea

Ingredients: lemon, mint leaves, boiled water.

Method: Wash the mint leaves and soak them in boiled water for 1 hour. You can make mint tea or add a little lemon slices and honey.

Refreshing mint porridge

Ingredients: 30 grams of fresh mint, 100 grams of japonica rice.

practice:

1. Wash the japonica rice and cook it into porridge, and boil the fresh mint leaves into soup;

2. When the porridge is almost done, add mint soup and appropriate amount of rock sugar, cook for another 1-2 minutes, and eat after cooling.

Mint Omelette

Ingredients: 10 grams of mint, green onion, 3-4 eggs, light salt soy sauce, salt, and cooking oil.

practice:

1. Wash and chop mint and green onion;

2. Beat the eggs into a bowl and stir with chopsticks;

3. Add the chopped mint and green onion to the egg mixture, add 1 teaspoon of light salt soy sauce and 0.5 grams of salt, and stir well;

4. Heat the pan until warm, add appropriate amount of oil, and pour in the mint egg liquid;

5. When the surface of the egg liquid solidifies, turn it over and fry until both sides are golden brown before removing from the pan.

Tips

It should be noted that since mint itself has the effect of stimulating nerves and refreshing the brain, try not to take it at night to avoid affecting sleep quality.