Are mints bad for you?. We rarely resist a mint candy, because in addition to being economical, it has a refreshing and pleasant taste. A small tasting, harmless and in small quantities, what could go wrong? The truth is that not everything is as harmless as it seems with mints. Let’s see how much you know about these candies, as well as the plant they come from.
The first of the most distinctive features of mint is its aroma, which together with its sweet taste, gives us a very rich caramel. Many people eat it after a plate of food, to freshen their breath a little. There are those who use it to activate a little more during the mornings, in the same way that some use coffee.
Your stomach
It is very common to observe that some people take mints for certain conditions such as a dry throat, bad breath and colic. While this can be effective on several occasions, it is still true that it can also cause stomach pains.
This is mainly due to the sugar levels in the candies. Remember that sweet is processed in our body to become fat, which can make digestion more complicated and with more time required.
The result, stomach pains and gas that ended up making you uncomfortable. Everything will depend, to a large extent, on the quantities and time. The higher the amounts and the shorter the time you eat them, the more likely you are to experience some complications.
While mints can cause indigestion, the consumption of the mint plant can offer us opposite results. A simple infusion of peppermint will serve to treat conditions such as nausea, colic and gas. Some people choose to chew leaves of the plant, as this stimulates the production of enzymes in the stomach, significantly improving digestion.
Your teeth: Are mints bad for you?
Mints can progressively affect our teeth, as they increase the production of bacterial plaque. The hardest ones can cause some damage to the teeth due to their hardness, leading to certain accidents that must be treated in an emergency by a dentist.
Likewise, these can cause acidity, which can reach the stomach and cause different health complications. On the other hand, sweets that dissolve quickly do not become the best option against the above. Many of these candies end up causing periodontal diseases, added to the typical effects of bacterial plaque.
It is important to maintain dental care to avoid any type of conditions of this type. Along with this, moderate the amount of mint candies consumedn. Maintain a constant brushing, done correctly and avoid excess sugar, beyond the mint candies themselves.
Your health
Eating mints can unleash some complications related mostly to stomach difficulties. Nausea, dryness and bad breath are usually the most typical symptoms of excessive consumption of mint candies.
These responses can occur depending on multiple variables. On the one hand, eating fasting mint candies can be more harmful, since the body will have to process large amounts of sugar, which can increase colic and indigestion, causing stomach pains.
The mind relaxes the sphincter muscle, located between the esophagus and stomach. As a result, stomach acids return to the esophagus, causing heartburn. Episodes of heartburn can manifest even if the person is no longer consuming mints, because there are difficulties in digestion.
If the person chooses to consume the mint plant, they will find other effects. For example, people who add peppermint to their daily diet may enjoy relief from stomach pain, better breath, and a decrease in colds if they find themselves sick.
It can also favor through its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects. Not to mention, it can also work as an analgesic in the case of stomach pains. Even many people use it to treat respiratory problems, especially when there is excess mucus.
There are some exceptions here. For example, people with gastritis will not find the same benefits, especially if there is an excess of mint consumption. These cases can lead to stomach acid reflux problems, increasing the chances of producing an ulcer in the stomach.
When you’re pregnant
The consumption of mint during pregnancy can be somewhat controversial, since there are benefits and regressions that can occur in each patient. Below are the scenarios to which the pregnant woman can be exposed to the consumption of mint:
- Benefits circulation: During pregnancy, many women often have problems with their circulation due to increased blood volume. Mint can act positively at this point, favoring the patient’s circulation.
- Analgesic: There are many responses that occur during pregnancy. Pains are one of the most common. Mints can act as an analgesic for menstrual cramps and muscle aches specifically.
- Infusion for relaxation: The vast majority of physical changes experienced by pregnant women can alter their sleep cycle, as well as provoke certain emotional responses. Peppermint acts as a relaxant of the nervous system, helping you fall asleep and maintain a state of relaxation in the most difficult moments of your pregnancy.
Let’s talk about benefits, now, let’s look at some of the regressions that the mind can cause during pregnancy.
- Heart difficulties: One of the most common problems with peppermint consumption is its effects on heart health. This occurs in cases of excessive consumption of oil or infusion of peppermint. Pregnant women may be more susceptible to this contraindication.
- Risk of abortion: Although there is no direct and proven relationship about the risks of abortion and peppermint. However, when a pregnancy becomes high risk, mint consumption is discontinued for preventive purposes.
Your voice
It is very common to observe people eating mint candies in order to improve their voice. However, this can be a mistake, since mint candies end up drying out the throat, which can cause any effort made with our voice to result in an injury to some structures involved.
While it is true that at first you can talk about a feeling of freshness and good breath, it is also true that, after an hour, this sensation can become bad breath and a dry throat, also compromising oral health.
We could say that mints are an immediate resource to “condition” the voice. However, it is not recommended in the long term. So it is worth using it in emergency situations preferably.
It is true that a person can prepare an infusion of mint to treat some complications of his voice. For example, a sore throat, very common in the cold, can be mitigated with mint infusions, thanks to its anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. In this way, the way in which mint is consumed, will determine its effect on the body respectively.
Your breath
One of the best-known effects of mint candies is the refreshing breath and mint they bestow. This is, perhaps, what has made these sweets so well known and distributed by multiple brands.
Eating a mint candy can save a person during a date or meeting if they don’t have their toothbrush and toothpaste with them. However, you should know that you will not enjoy this effect for long. Mint candies, being composed essentially of peppermint oil and sugar, end up producing acidity in the stomach, causing bad breath, especially if consumed in large quantities.
For this reason, it is not advisable to turn mint candies into a method to treat bad breath specifically, as it could cause cavities, affecting, on the contrary, the development of your good breath.
The mint plant could help treat some problems related to bad breath. In fact, a balanced diet that includes moderate infusions of mint will result in better oral health for the person. This, as long as you do not trace the excesses and do not have particular diseases in your stomach such as gastritis.
Your skin
Mint highlights multiple contributions to the skin. If applied in the form of oil on the skin and face, it can unleash moisturizing effects, as well as anti-inflammatories for cases of burns and / or allergic reactions.
If applied to the scalp, it can reduce itching, as it improves blood flow, decreasing its fall, and conversely improving the growth of follicles respectively. Many people use it as a method to treat dandruff, to reduce oil on the skin and treat dermatological pathologies such as acne.
Mint is a plant that produces a wide variety of benefits for the body. Like many compounds, it is important to learn how to use it moderately, as well as determine the best time for it according to the history of each patient.
Read also: Are mint leaves bad for dogs? Human foods that are dangerous for dogs and cats ; Lactose intolerance vs dairy allergy ; Summary history of mint; Are mint leaves bad for dogs?
Valuable external resource: livestrong
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