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EDIBLE PROPERTIES OF PEPPERMINT
Peppermint in the kitchen
Besides its medicinal properties, the edible propertiew of peppermint as a spice are well known. The main mints used in cooking are spearmint (Mentha viridis = Mentha spicata) and peppermint (Mentha x piperita).
Of these the most noteworthy and most used in cooking for its distinctive spicy flavor is peppermint. In addition to its medicinal properties, peppermint brings its aromatic and refreshing touch combined with itspeculiar pun gency.
The culinary use of this plant is very old, since it is known that it was used by the Romans and Greeks to flavor meals and wines.
In the current kitchen pepper mint applications are varied. Commonly used with vegetables, soups and salads with both hot and cold dishes. But one interesting use is to combine it with protein-rich dishes, both animal and vegetable.
Properties of peppermint as a spice
We know that proteins are a group very hard to digest food for humans, leading to the production of intestinal flatulence.
In the case of meat, the difficulty of digestion of animal protein is added to the fact that some people have problems to digest fattty foods. In vegetable dishes, it is worth noting the digestive problems that commonly causes vegetable intake – For more information on “Digestive problems of legumes”
Peppermint, because of its carminative and choleretic properties, not only helps to expel flatulence but it favors the better digestion of fats. For this reason it is so common to accompany meat dishes with beans, chickpeas, soybeans, beans, peas, lentils, or stew meat or lamb chops with peppermint leaves. Equally useful result to make digestive pasta dishes, potatoes, that cheese,
Peppermint also appears in many sweet foods (ice cream, cream, custard, chocolate mint, liqueurs, syrups, jellies, etc.) or sweets (candy, gum, cookies, etc). No less important is its use with other medicinal preparations, flavoring teas to make them more tasty and digestive (Tea with peppermint is very common in India) Peppermint also takes part of many aromatic preparations such as Thai curry, mint sauce or mint vinegar.
Peppermint is commonly used in the Mediterranean cuisine, British cuisine, the cuisine of Egypt, Afghanistan or India.
More information on peppermint
