Dried mint is wonderful sprinkled into salads or spooned into dressings—I always add a teaspoon to the staple Middle Eastern chopped salad of finely diced cucumbers, tomatoes, and onions, sharpened with a squeeze of lemon juice and lots of extra virgin olive oil.
Can you eat dried spearmint leaves?
Mint is the name for over a dozen plant species, including peppermint and spearmint, that belong to the genus Mentha. These plants are particularly known for the cooling sensation they impart. They can be added to foods in both fresh and dried forms.
Can you use dried mint leaves?
Fresh mint leaves add a cool, refreshing flavor along with health benefits to several recipes. Mint tea is popular in Asia and the Middle East for its digestive benefits. Besides herbal tea, dried and fresh mint sprigs are also used as garnishes for soups, desserts, and cocktails.
How long does dried spearmint last?
Store the dried mint in a cool, dark area for up to 12 months for optional freshness. After that, it will begin to deteriorate in quality. Top Tip: in the immediate days after drying the mint, check on the leaves for any sign of moisture in the container.
How do you make spearmint tea with dried leaves?
In a saucepan, bring water to a boil. Remove from the heat. Add spearmint leaves and let stand 5 minutes. Strain tea into a teacup or mug.
Are spearmint leaves good for you?
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.
Is dried spearmint the same as dried mint?
While the dried mint sold commercially is spearmint, the leaves used for tea are most often peppermint. The two species feature different flavor compounds, and we found that they’re not interchangeable.
What is dried mint good for?
Dried mint is wonderful sprinkled into salads or spooned into dressings—I always add a teaspoon to the staple Middle Eastern chopped salad of finely diced cucumbers, tomatoes, and onions, sharpened with a squeeze of lemon juice and lots of extra virgin olive oil.
Is dried mint as good as fresh?
Ultimately, the choice is yours. Fresh, chopped mint will taste more fragrant in a dish like lamb tagine, but dried will work just fine in most recipes. Give them each a try, and see which works best for you.
How do you preserve spearmint?
Chop the mint leaves (remove stems) and place 1-2 teaspoons into each compartment of an ice cube tray, filling about halfway. Top off with water and freeze. Once the cubes have frozen, remove and store in an airtight freezer bag or container in your freezer, up to 3 months. Don’t forget to label and date.
What can I do with too many mint leaves?
- Mint Tea. The easiest thing to do with large handfuls of fresh mint is to make mint tea.
- Mint Syrup/Candied Mint. This twofer is a great way to preserve mint.
- Mint Sugar. Mint sugar is a great thing to sweeten your tea, rim your cocktail glass, and use in sugar cookies or other baking.
- Mint Salt.
- Mint Extract.
What can I do with extra mint leaves?
So if you have more mint on your hands than you know what to do with, here are seven deliciously refreshing recipes with mint!
- Mint Tea. Add a sprig or two to a mug and cover in hot water.
- Mint Ice Cubes.
- Chocolate Dipped Mint Leaves.
- Watermelon Salad.
- Mint Pesto.
- Hugo Cocktails.
- Chickpea, Barley, and Zucchini Ribbon Salad.
Do dried herbs go out of date?
Dried herbs and spices don’t truly expire or “go bad” in the traditional sense. When a spice is said to have gone bad, it simply means that it has lost most of its flavor, potency, and color. Fortunately, consuming a spice that has gone bad is unlikely to make you sick.
Can you drink too much spearmint tea?
Stay on the safe side and stick to food amounts. Kidney disorders: Spearmint tea might increase kidney damage. Using large amounts of spearmint tea might make kidney disorders worse. Liver disease: Spearmint tea might increase liver damage.
When should I drink spearmint tea?
Spearmint oil is also very important in inhibiting the growth of various bacterial strains in the body, thus improving the immunity of the body. Drink a cup of spearmint tea every morning to avoid getting a cold and prevent symptoms of viral fever.
Does spearmint settle your stomach?
Spearmint may help to relieve symptoms of digestive problems, by relaxing the stomach muscles, reducing symptoms of nausea, and other digestive problems.
What is spearmint used for medicinally?
Overview. Spearmint is an herb. The leaves and oil are used to make medicine. Spearmint is used for digestive disorders including gas, indigestion, nausea, diarrhea, upper gastrointestinal tract spasms, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), bile duct and gallbladder swelling (inflammation), and gallstones.
How often should you drink spearmint tea?
Some people may find if they drink spearmint tea in large quantities, they experience vomiting or diarrhea. While the exact “large quantity” is not specified, limiting your intake to two to three cups a day may put you on the safe side.
Does spearmint make you sleepy?
Spearmint might cause sleepiness and slowed breathing. Some medications, called sedatives, can also cause sleepiness and slowed breathing. Taking spearmint with sedative medications might cause breathing problems and/or too much sleepiness.
What are the benefits of spearmint tea?
Potential Health Benefits of Spearmint Tea
- Lower Blood Pressure. Spearmint contains the compound (-)-carvone.
- Help with Digestive Issues. Spearmint may also contribute to a healthier stomach and alleviate symptoms like nausea.
- Improved Memory.
- Lower Blood Sugar.
- Antioxidant-Related Benefits.
Can I use dry mint leaves for tea?
How to Make Mint Tea With The Dried Leaves. To make mint tea, I add one to two teaspoons of dried mint leaves to either a strainer, infuser, teapot, or reusable teabag (whatever you’ve got, basically). I then add boiling water and allow the mint leaves to infuse for a few minutes before drinking. Enjoy!