Plant atlas Short
Kitchen Mint Isn't the Mint in IBS Studies
Kitchen Mint · สะระแหน่ · Mentha cordifolia
Kitchen Mint — สะระแหน่ (sa-ra-nae) — Mentha cordifolia.
Mint — sah-rah-nae. A meta-analysis found that peppermint-oil capsules eased IBS symptoms, but peppermint is a different species from this kitchen mint. The edible part here is the leaves. Their cool, sharp bite comes from menthol, and they add small amounts of vitamin A, folate, iron, and manganese. Vitamin A supports normal vision and helps keep your skin and immune system working. Folate helps your cells divide and build new blood, which matters most before and during pregnancy. Iron sits at the center of hemoglobin, the protein that carries oxygen through your blood. Manganese activates enzymes involved in normal bone formation and antioxidant defenses. In Thai cooking, Larb Moo is minced pork in a lime, fish sauce, and chili dressing, with toasted rice powder and fresh mint stirred in at the end, eaten with sticky rice and raw cabbage. Nam Tok Moo, or waterfall pork, spoons that same dressing over sliced grilled pork instead of minced, served with sticky rice and green papaya salad. The leaves are eaten fresh in salads and dips or steeped as tea. Mint spreads fast through underground runners, so give it its own pot. Follow Longevity Biome for a new Thai plant every day.
Larb Moo — ลาบหมู (laab-moo)
Nam Tok Moo — น้ำตกหมู (nam-tok-moo)
Source: Alammar N et al. (2019). Peppermint oil on IBS: meta-analysis. BMC Complement Med Ther. PMID 30654773
Educational content, not medical advice! Consult your doctor before changing diet or medication.
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Food and nutrients
Rich in: vitamin A, folate, iron, manganese
Research context
Mint's menthol relaxes gut muscle and eases irritable bowel symptoms — BMC Complement Med Ther, 2019 (peppermint)