Of the members of the mint family under cultivation the most important are the several varieties of Peppermint (Mentha piperita), extensively cultivated for years as the source of the well-known volatile oil of Peppermint, used as a flavouring and therapeutic agent. The leaves of this kind of mint are short but distinctly stalked (2 inches or more in length and 3/4 to 1 1/2 inches broad). Their margins are finely toothed and their surfaces smooth both above and beneath, or only very slightly hairy on the principal veins and mid-rib on the underside. The entire plant has a very characteristic fragrance, due to the volatile oil present in all its parts, which when applied to the tongue has a hot, aromatic taste at first, and afterwards produces a sensation of cold in the mouth caused by the menthol it contains.
Peppermint assists in temporarily raising internal heat and inducing perspiration. Helps to ease the symptoms of colds and the flu. Caffeine free.