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Article: Peppermint: More than just another pretty flavor
- Article from:
- Better Nutrition
- Article date:
- February 1, 1998
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright Intertec Publishing Feb 1998. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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Today, there are more than 25 true species of mint naturalized throughout Europe and North America that were well known to cooks and medics of ancient times. But in terms of herbal history, peppermint (Mentha piperita) is a fairly new addition to the league of botanical medicines. Peppermint, a natural hybrid cross between Mentha aquatica (water mint) and Mentha spicata (spearmint), was first described in 1696 by English botanist John Ray (1628-1705), who discovered the pepper-flavored mint growing in a field. The herb soon revealed its capacity as a stomachic, antispasmodic, antimicrobic, and, of course, as a pleasant flavoring agent. Since its inclusion in the London Pharmacopoeia in ...