What are the medicinal uses of mint leaves in Ayurveda? - #12237
I use mint leaves often for cooking, but I recently heard that they have many medicinal benefits in Ayurveda. I want to understand all the mint leaves medicinal uses and how they can help with different health conditions. One of the main issues I have is digestion problems like bloating and acidity. I have heard that mint leaves help improve digestion and reduce gas. What is the best way to use mint for this—should I drink mint tea, chew fresh leaves, or take it in powder form? Apart from digestion, do mint leaves medicinal uses include relief from headaches and stress? I sometimes feel fatigued and mentally tired, and I have read that mint has cooling properties that can help. How should it be used for relaxation? I also want to know if mint leaves medicinal uses extend to skin and hair health. Some people say applying mint paste on the skin helps with acne, and rinsing hair with mint-infused water can help with dandruff. Are these claims true? If anyone has experience using mint leaves medicinal uses for health, digestion, or skin, please share how you use them and what benefits you noticed.
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Doctors’ responses
Mint leaves have numerous medicinal uses in Ayurveda, especially for improving digestion, relieving headaches, and promoting relaxation. For digestion, mint can be consumed as tea or by chewing fresh leaves, which help soothe the stomach, reduce bloating, and alleviate acidity. It also has a cooling effect, which makes it effective for relieving stress and fatigue. For relaxation, you can inhale the aroma of mint or drink mint tea to calm the mind. In terms of skin and hair, mint has antibacterial properties, so applying a paste of mint leaves to the skin can help treat acne, while rinsing the hair with mint-infused water can reduce dandruff. Overall, mint offers a holistic approach to digestion, mental clarity, and skincare.
Oh wow, mint leaves are kinda like little wonders in Ayurveda. You’re right about their benefits, they’re seriously versatile. Let’s dig into how they can help you, starting with digestion issues. Mint’s got these essential oils like menthol and menthone, and they’ve got an amazing effect on your digestive system. They’re known to soothe your stomach and ease bloating and gas. Making a habit of sipping on mint tea can indeed work wonders. Just boiling a handful of fresh leaves in water and sipping it 2-3 times a day could help you with bloating and acidity.
Chewing fresh mint leaves might be good too if you enjoy the taste, but tea is often more soothing. Powder form? Not so common for digestion. Stick with the fresh or tea.
Now, about the headaches and stress, mint’s cooling nature really helps. For a headache, a simple remedy is inhaling steam from boiling water infused with mint leaves—just breathe in that minty steam for a few minutes. You can also massage some mint oil on your forehead for that cooling relief. For stress and fatigue, a warm mint-infused bath can ease away tension; couple of drops of mint essential oil in the bath should do the trick.
On the skincare front, yes, mint’s got antimicrobial properties that might help with acne. You can make a paste using fresh mint leaves and apply it to acne and leave it on like a mask for 10-15 mins, then rinse with warm water. For your hair, a mint rinse might help with dandruff due to its antifungal attributes. Boiling mint leaves and letting the water cool, then using it as a rinse post shampoo, once or twice a week should show some improvements.
Just keep in mind—everyone’s body’s different, so it’s good to see how small doses work for you. If you’re on any medication or have health concerns, maybe check with a healthcare professional too. Stay tuned to your body signals!

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