If you are looking for a really intense minty flavor in a dish, peppermint is the way to go. If you are looking for a milder minty flavor that won’t overwhelm your dish, spearmint is the better choice.
Can spearmint be used in place of mint?
Both also have square stems and spear-shaped leaves. However, when it comes down to it, spearmint is better in savory dishes while peppermint is better used for a chocolate dessert. Don’t fret, you won’t ruin a recipe by using the wrong mint, so if your grocery store only stocks one mint option you can still use it.
Is spearmint and mint the same?
The term “mint” is an umbrella term for the Mentha plant family that includes spearmint, peppermint, orange mint, apple mint, pineapple mint and more. Mint is a perennial and wide-spreading herb.
What can I substitute for mint?
The Best Mint Substitutes
- Flat Leaf Parsley. Parsley is much more subdued in flavour compared with mint.
- Coriander (Cilantro) Will work in a similar way but just takes the flavours in a different direction.
- Basil.
- Dried Mint.
- Peppermint Tea Leaves.
Is peppermint and mint the same?
The main difference between mint and peppermint is that peppermint has the strongest flavour when compared to other members of the mint family. Mint refers to aromatic herbs produced by the species of the mint plant (Mentha). Peppermint is one such species.
What does spearmint taste like?
Compared to peppermint, spearmint has a delicate flavor and fragrance that is often described as sweet. It gets its flavor from the chemical ingredient carvone, which is much subtler than the aforementioned menthol and doesn’t evoke the same cooling sensation.
Can I use spearmint in a mojito?
Spearmint is most commonly used for mojitos and is what you’ll likely find at the grocery store labeled generically as “mint.” For an authentic Cuban mojito, use mojito mint, or Mentha x villosa, a type of mint native to Cuba with a more understated flavor than that of spearmint.
What can I use spearmint for?
Possible health benefits of spearmint
Some people use spearmint to help alleviate symptoms of nausea, indigestion, gas, headache, toothache, cramps, and sore throat. It is also applied topically, to the skin, to help reduce swelling due to nerve or muscle pain.
What kind of mint is used for cooking?
Spearmint
Spearmint and curly mint are probably the most common used in cooking. It also comes in varieties like chocolate, lemon, ginger, orange, apple, Morroccan and Japanese, each with its own distinctive aroma and nuanced flavor.
What can I use instead of mint in a mojito?
Swap in Other Fresh Herbs
Don’t have fresh mint but a garden full of other fresh herbs? Thyme, rosemary, basil and tarragon can brighten up the mix of rum and lime just as effectively.
Does spearmint settle your stomach?
Spearmint is commonly used to help relieve symptoms of indigestion, nausea, vomiting and gas. The compound (-)-carvone, which is naturally found in spearmint, has been shown to strongly inhibit muscle contractions in the digestive tract, which may explain how this herb helps relieve digestive upsets ( 1 ).
Is basil the same thing as mint?
Basil (Ocimum basilicum) is a culinary herb belonging to the Lamiaceae plant family. If you’re familiar with botanic terms, you’ll probably notice that the Lamiaceae family is also called the “mint family”. In other words, basil and mint are (in a way) related to one another.
Can you eat spearmint leaves?
Fresh spearmint also contains small amounts of vitamins A and C, as well as the minerals iron and calcium. Mint is safe for most people and consuming it doesn’t typically cause side effects. Allergies to mint are uncommon. In people who are allergic to mint, an interaction with the herb can trigger asthma symptoms.
Does spearmint keep bugs away?
Spearmint and peppermint are often noted for their ability to repel flies, fleas, and spiders in the garden.
Which is better peppermint or spearmint tea?
Peppermint or spearmint, whichever mint you use, you will be able to enjoy delicious refreshing and cooling flavor. However, for a lighter and sweeter flavor, opt for spearmint leaves, and for the cooler and sharper taste, peppermint will be the best.
Is spearmint good for acid reflux?
Conclusion: Spearmint has no effect on LES pressure or acid reflux. Flavouring doses of spearmint do not produce more symptoms than placebo while high doses can be associated with symptoms, presumably from direct mucosal irritation but not reflux.
Which mint is best for tea?
The two varieties used most often for tea are Peppermint and Spearmint. Both boast properties long celebrated in the ancient medicinal cultures of the world and are actually closely related.
What kind of mint is used in Middle Eastern cooking?
Mint in Arabic is called naana. There is nothing quiet as refreshing as fresh mint leaves. They are crisp and bursting with summer flavors. Both fresh and dried mint are used heavily in Arab cooking especially in the Levantine cuisine.
Is spearmint good for drinks?
Spearmint. The classic and most common variety used in cocktails is, of course, spearmint (Mentha spicata). It’s the standard for a reason—the light, bright sweetness both mellows and elevates a spirit, and can even temper overly-sugary recipes.
What type of mint is best for drinks?
Spearmint
Spearmint is the most common type of mint used in American cocktails (there are hundreds of species within the family), though Voisey says the plant grows pretty much anywhere in the world. “It’s not very fussy, so it can grow in a variety of climates,” she says.
What kind of mint is sold in grocery stores?
Spearmint
Spearmint and peppermint are the two most common and widely available of the many mint species. Of the two, spearmint is the one almost always sold in grocery stores and markets.