Uses
Peppermint is widely used for flavoring ice cream, candy, fruit preserves, alcoholic beverages, chewing gum, toothpaste, and some shampoos, soaps, and skin care products. Fresh or dried peppermint leaves are often used alone in peppermint tea or with other herbs in herbal teas. The cooling sensation from menthol makes it popular in topical applications for muscle pain, nerve pain, and relief from itching. Peppermint oil is also used in construction and plumbing to test for pipe leaks by its distinctive odor.
Origin
Peppermint (Mentha × piperita) is a hybrid species of mint, created from a cross between watermint and spearmint. Indigenous to Europe and the Middle East, the plant was first identified in Hertfordshire, England, by Dr. Eales in 1696. It was given its scientific name Mentha piperita by Carl Linnaeus in 1753. The plant is now widely spread and cultivated in many regions of the world, with major production centers in Morocco, Argentina, and Mexico. In the United States, Oregon and Washington produce most of the country’s peppermint for essential oil production.