The Familiar Herb

Whether your  molars are busy crushing a Tropical Mint or your tongue is enjoying the sweet mintiness of it; whether you’re brushing your teeth with mint-infused toothpaste or applying a minty ointment over a rash – you feel an undeniable freshness afterwards. The fresh nature of this herb made it a symbol for hospitality according to historical records. In the Greek era it was offered as a sign of welcome or friendship to guests. Furthermore, mint leaves were used in baths and perfumes to stimulate the body. The Romans used this herb in sauces that they believed resulted in mouth freshness and aided in digestion thanks to mint’s ability to increase bile secretion. The Jews on the other hand would take mint leaves and place them on the floors of their synagogues for the spaces to smell fresher.

Mint contains Vitamin B2, calcium, zinc, magnesium and copper. There are 30 varieties of this herb but the most common are spearmint – commonly grown in gardens, and peppermint – mainly used to flavour tea. Mint has one of the highest antioxidant capacities of any herb due to the abundance of rosmarinic acid – an anti-inflammatory agent – in its leaves. Once mint is used in food, it obviates the need for salt that would otherwise be used for flavour.

Although the origins of mint have been traced to the Mediterranean region, it is grown in several countries on all continents. Kenya’s mint flies to the Netherlands where the wholesale and retail markets sell it on to food and beverage companies and shoppers. We also send mint to Iran, India, China, Singapore, the United States, Guatemala, Brazil and Mexico. If you’re looking for mint farmers locally, we suggest you take a trip to Murang’a County where farmers have invested in this herb.

Back to the historical element, we have a hadithi on how the herb got its name… Paukwa? Maybe we’ll share this with you on another day. For now, what’s your mint story? Share it with us.