When your mouth is watering over a table of cookies, cakes and other wintery sweets, nutrition probably isn’t the first thing on your mind. It’s hard to be healthy at holiday parties. Lucky for us, one common ingredient on the Christmas treat table stands apart from the rest: Peppermint. This aromatic herb is filled with vitamins and minerals including manganese, copper and vitamin C. It also boasts a number of medicinal properties. Here is a list of just five of the many health benefits of peppermint.
1. Food for Thought
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Next time you’re taking a test, suck on a piece of peppermint as you go. The peppermint oil in the candy will work to kick-start your memory, speed up your thought process and calm you down.
2. Natural DayQuil
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Drinking hot peppermint tea helps to heal sore throats and gets rid of congestion. Make sure to inhale the vapors of the tea to clear your sinuses. For a bad cough, rubbing peppermint oil on your chest is also helpful.
3. Sore No More
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Forget the ice bath! Rubbing peppermint oil onto sore muscles can help diminish pain and swelling after a hard workout.
4. Zit Zapper
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Wake up with a big pimple? Peppermint oil has been known to reduce the appearance of acne. Next time you have a blemish, try mixing a few drops of peppermint oil with your face wash.
5. Cheap Therapy
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Call your therapist and cancel this week’s appointment. Aromatherapy using peppermint oil has been proven to help reduce stress and anxiety. We think drinking this hot chocolate might do the trick as well.