冥王哈迪斯爱上了美丽的精灵曼茜（Menthe），引起了佩瑟芬妮的嫉妒。为了使冥王忘记曼茜，佩瑟芬妮将她变成了一株不起眼的小草，长在路边任人踩踏。可内心坚强善良的曼茜变成小草后，她身上却拥有了一股令人舒服的清凉迷人的芬芳，越是被踩踏就越浓烈。
薄荷是一种充满希望的植物，人生难免有许多错过的人或者事物，能再次相遇、相亲和相爱的机会几乎没有，但越是没有就越是想念，薄荷虽然是一种平淡的花，但它的味道沁人心脾，清爽从每一个毛孔渗进肌肤，身体里每一个细胞都通透了，那是一种很幸福的感觉，会让那些曾经失去过的人得到一丝安慰，所以薄荷的花语是“愿与你再次相逢”和“再爱我一次”。此外，它还有一种花语是“有德之人”。
薄荷听说有500个品种，中国有12个品种，无论从古埃及到圣经，还是从罗马时代到本草纲目，到处都有她的身影。我们常见的是苹果薄荷，欧薄荷，香薄荷（也就是留兰香），圆叶薄荷，胡椒薄荷。
我们最常见的是以下三种：
1 胡椒薄荷 Pepermint 含有薄荷油含量较高，本草纲目记载的太仓薄荷就是此品种。下图就是胡椒薄荷，多用来提取精油，安徽和江西，江苏有大面积商业种植。
2 香薄荷 Spearmint 主产中国的薄荷，也叫留兰香。含有大量的柠檬精油。下图就是我们基地种植的香薄荷：
3 圆叶薄荷 mentha rotundifolia 最常见于商业种植。叶厚而肥实，含精油量极高。
薄荷的作用：
薄荷具有医用和食用双重功能，主要食用部位为茎和叶，也可榨汁服。在食用上，薄荷既可作为调味剂，又可作香料，还可配酒、冲茶等。每100克干薄荷中，含水分9.6克、蛋白质6.8克和纤维31.1克，能提供870.7千焦的热量。
薄荷食物如：
薄荷粥，功效：清新怡神，疏风散热，增进食欲，帮助消化。
薄荷豆腐，功效：可治疗伤风鼻塞、打喷嚏、流鼻涕等症。
薄荷鸡丝，功效：消火解暑。
薄荷糕，功效：清凉，疏风散热，清咽利喉。
鲜薄荷鲫鱼汤，功效：可治小儿久咳。
薄荷汤 ，功效：解毒败火。
薄荷凉茶，饮用后通体舒坦，精力倍增。
此外，薄荷茎叶有特殊香味，可用于制作口香糖、牙膏等，起到清凉提神、泻火的功效。
另外，薄荷可酿蜜，其蜜蜜色深，呈深琥珀色、具有较强的薄荷特殊气味。
药用价值
薄荷是中国常用中药，幼嫩茎尖可作菜食，全草又可入药，治感冒发热喉痛，头痛，目赤痛，肌肉疼痛，皮肤风疹搔痒，麻疹不透等症，此外对痈、疽、疥、癣、漆疮亦有效。
薄荷含有薄荷醇，该物质可清新口气并具有多种药性，可缓解腹痛、胆囊问题如痉挛，还具有防腐杀菌、利尿、化痰、健胃和助消化等功效。大量食用薄荷可导致失眠，但小剂量食用却有助于睡眠。
自然疗法里也有详细的记载：
Peppermint Benefits
Peppermint (Mentha × piperita)also known as M. balsamea Willd, has been used medicinally for thousands of years. It has a pleasant taste and is a popular flavoring for food and drink. It is also used as a fragrance.
愉悦的芬芳用于医疗，食品和饮料。
Peppermint has a wide variety of health and medicinal uses. It is used to help treat the common cold, to calm inflammations and to soothe digestive problems.
Historical use
The ancient Egyptians, one of the most medically-advanced ancient cultures, cultivated and used peppermint leaves for indigestion. The ancient Romans and Greeks also took peppermint to soothe their stomachs. The plant was used by Europeans in the 18th Century, especially in Western Europe, and gained popularity for stomach ailments and menstrual disorders. Many of Peppermint's health and medicinal uses have been verified by scientific trials.
What is Peppermint
The Latin name for peppermint is Mentha × piperita. It is actually a cross breed between Water Mint and Spearmint.
Where it's Produced
Peppermint is a perennial plant found in Europe, Asia and North America. Although there are over 25 species of peppermint produced by these areas, the majority of peppermint is produced in the United States.
Active Ingredients
The main active ingredient in Peppermint is Menthol, which is an organic compound that produces a cooling sensation when applied to the mouth or skin. It also acts as a mild anesthetic (which means a compound creating a reversible loss of sensation).
Peppermint also contains vitamins A and C as well as a number of minerals.
Uses for Peppermint
Peppermint has several dietary uses and health benefits:
Coughs & Colds 治疗咳嗽
Peppermint is a remedy for the common cold and for coughing symptoms that often accompany a cold. The oil from this plant has a soothing effect for coughing symptoms and can calm certain common cold ailments. It can also help build a stronger immune system and has both antimicrobial and antioxidant qualities. Liquid Peppermint oil can be inhaled as a vapor. This manner of peppermint use can create an effective at soothing cough and cold symptoms.
Mouth & Sinuses
Peppermint has been frequently used as an agent that reduces inflammation of the mouth or throat. Sinus inflammations and infections can be remedied by inhalation of the plant essential oil. Menthol is the main active ingredient in peppermint and is the reason for its ability to help clear congestion and help make breathing easier. . The herb can be used topically or in a tea to alleviate common respiratory symptoms such as congestion, coughing and difficulty breathing caused by obstructed or inflamed passages.
Digestive Issues
Peppermint can help with a number of painful digestive problems including gas, bloating and nausea, morning sickness and stomach cramps. Additionally, it can help ease the symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome. One study showed that 75% of participants who took a capsule of Peppermint oil daily saw a significant decrease in their IBS symptoms, in comparison with 38% who took a placebo capsule.
Menstrual symptoms
Painful cramps and nausea caused by a woman’s natural cycle can be eased with the help of peppermint. Peppermint acts as a muscle relaxer and therefore reduces the pain caused by a woman’s cramps.
Pain Relief 止疼，比如头疼
Headaches, nerve pain, toothaches, inflammation of the joints, and general body aches and muscle pain are all thought to be relieved by the use of peppermint. The main ingredient in peppermint, menthol, creates a cooling sensation when applied to the skin. As a result it can temporarily reduce minor levels of pain associated with athletic injuries, overuse or muscle pain.
Headaches
Topical application of Peppermint oil can reduce certain types of minor headaches. Peppermint oil, diluted with another oil, can be applied directly to the forehead or upper sinus areas. In fact, a German study showed Peppermint to have the same power as 1,000 milligrams of acetaminophen.
Skin
Peppermint oil diluted with water can be used as a wash capable of alleviating skin problems such as rashes and dry skin. Also, it can be used as a hair rinse to soothe both dry and oily scalp. Infections, itchiness, allergic rashes and bacterial infections have all been remedied with peppermint herbal supplements.
Energy
The scent of peppermint is energizing and inhaling its scent can result in heightened levels of energy. Drinking peppermint tea, as well as using peppermint oil in a diffuser or in a candle are ways of using peppermint as a stimulant.
Other Applications for Peppermint
There are additional applications for peppermint that are frequently used:
Foods and beverages are flavored with the peppermint extract oil in order to create a distinctive flavoring. Deserts and candies frequently use a peppermint flavoring.
Manufacturers often use the plant extract from the peppermint to produce a popular fragrance for soaps and cosmetics.
Pharmaceutical manufacturers use peppermint plant extract as a flavoring agent for several everyday over the counter medicines and other prescription medicines as it very effective at masking strong, unpleasant tastes.
How to Use Peppermint
Peppermint can be taken in many ways: The oil can be applied topically to the skin; a tea can be made of the dried and crushed leaves; the oil and/or dried plant material can be ingested in capsule form; peppermint liquid tincture is available; the oil can also be vaporized for inhalation.
Peppermint oil is usually the most potent way to gain the active ingredients and benefits, however lower levels of peppermint, such as those ingested through tea, are still very effective.
Known Side Effects and Precautions
Essential oils, including peppermint oil, are very concentrated and if not used properly can cause allergic reactions. Consult a professional before using peppermint oil on children under 5 or pregnant or breastfeeding women, especially those with a history of miscarriage. Also, large quantities of peppermint oil could damage the kidneys.
基于以上，看看我们庞大的薄荷应用：
所有的这些应用都基于这样的一个结构：
看到如此多的应用，您有什么想法？大自然赐予了我们很多，也许是我们没有发现罢了。比如还有这些：
希望这些能让您清爽整个夏天。
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