### Health Benefits of Spearmint Spearmint is a minty herb that’s high in antioxidants and other beneficial plant compounds. It may help balance hormones, lower blood sugar, and improve digestion. It can also reduce stress and improve memory. Here are some of the surprising health benefits of spearmint: 1. **Digestive Health**: Spearmint is commonly used to relieve symptoms of indigestion, nausea, vomiting, and gas. The compound (-)-carvone found in spearmint helps inhibit muscle contractions in the digestive tract, which can relieve digestive upsets. 2. **Antioxidant Properties**: Spearmint contains a large number of antioxidant compounds, including rosmarinic acid, flavones, and flavanones like limonene and menthol. These antioxidants help protect against and repair damage caused by free radicals. 3. **Hormonal Balance**: For women with hormone imbalances, spearmint tea may provide relief. Studies have shown that it can decrease male hormones like testosterone while increasing female hormones necessary for ovulation. 4. **Facial Hair Reduction**: Drinking spearmint tea may help reduce hirsutism, or the growth of dark, coarse hair on the face, chest, and abdomen of women. This is due to its ability to lower testosterone levels. 5. **Memory Improvement**: Some studies have shown that spearmint extract can improve memory, especially in older adults. 6. **Dental Health**: Spearmint is a popular flavoring agent in toothpaste, breath mints, and chewing gums. It has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties, which may help kill the bacteria in your mouth that cause bad breath. 7. **Blood Sugar Control**: Animal studies have shown that spearmint may help lower blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. 8. **Stress Reduction**: Spearmint tea is commonly used to relieve stress and promote relaxation. It contains menthol, which has a relaxing, sedative effect on the body. 9. **Joint Pain Relief**: Spearmint may help relieve joint pain caused by arthritis. Studies have shown that essential oils made from this mint have pain-relieving effects. 10. **Blood Pressure**: Some scientific evidence suggests that spearmint may help lower high blood pressure by acting similarly to calcium-channel blockers, medications used to treat high blood pressure. Overall, spearmint is a delicious, minty herb that may have beneficial effects on your health. It’s high in antioxidants and other beneficial plant compounds that may help balance hormones, lower blood sugar, and improve digestion. It may even reduce stress and improve memory. Spearmint tea can be enjoyed hot or iced at any time of the day.