How to Learn Mint Varieties
Mint, which is also known as Mentha, belongs to the Lamiaceae family and is a genus of flowering plants. Scientists are not exactly sure about the number of mint varieties but an estimated amount is 16. All of these varieties of mint have a distinguished taste, with savory and sweet traits. One of the peppermint varieties is the red mint, which is known for its strong flavour. Some of the mint types contain a high percentage of menthol, which is great for stomach and clearing throat. On the other hand, there are some which can be used in cooking and do not contain menthol.
Mint is considered to be one of the most important elements of herbal medicine and is used by health specialists world over.
Instructions
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1
Rub the leaves of each plant
By rubbing the leaves of each plant between your thumb and the index finger, you need to identify the various types of flavours of basil, lavender, orange, spearmint, banana, lemon, chocolate, pineapple and apple. When you will press the leaves, they will release a specific aroma or a taste, which will help you in classifying the different mint types. -
2
Differentiate through menthol taste
Each type of mint has a specific menthol-flavoured smell and taste, which can help you identify peppermint. The kinds of mint which contain menthol are Moroccan, Basil, Orange Bergamot, Lavender, and Chocolate. If you have an upset stomach, these mint types can be extremely useful. They play a vital role in herbal medicines all around the world and especially in some of the Asian countries. -
3
Gray & fuzzy mints
You will come across some mints which are gray and fuzzy. These are either apple, pineapple or Egyptian. These mints are considered to be cooking mints and are often used to enhance the taste of dishes by some of the best cooks. The use of mint in cooking is very common some of the Asian countries like India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. -
4
Herbal course
You can do a short herbal course from any institute in your area, which can really help you become an expert in identifying different types of mint.
