Newses & Articles

Five Flavorful Pain Relievers
Publish Date : 1395/5/23 Time 14:38:24

teamMint

Five Flavorful Pain Relievers

As food lovers, we appreciate the role flavors play in creating delicious dining experiences.  With our focus on taste, however, we sometimes forget the other positive attributes of flavorful plants and herbs, including their medicinal benefits.  Therefore, we are bringing to light five flavorful plants that also serve as pain relievers.

Mint
First at the plate is a hometown favorite – mint! Mint contains a compound called menthol, which is effective in calming throat irritation and relaxing muscles.  The chemical structure of menthol triggers cold-sensitive receptors in the body, which creates the cooling sensation we feel when we inhale, eat, or apply it to the skin.

An article on care2 suggests different types of mint for different healing purposes.  For example, peppermint is good for soothing digestive pain since it has anti-spasmodic properties.  Peppermint is also used by athletes to improve cardiovascular performance, as we wrote about in a past flavorfacts blog.

Oregano & Rosemary
On the same team as mint, oregano and rosemary bring additional medicinal properties to the plate.  These two ingredients are actually a part of the mint family Lamiaceae. They are high in antioxidants, which aid in fighting inflammation and various forms of arthritis.  The article on care2 adds, “The rosmarinic acid in both these plants is also anti-microbial, so it helps to keep the nasty viruses and bacteria at bay.”

Fennel 
While Fennel is not in the mint family, it provides similar pain-relieving properties.  This ingredient has long been used for relieving muscle pain, rheumatic pain, and pain from indigestion. Fennel is widely employed as a carminative, both in humans and in veterinary medicine. The licorice-like taste of fennel is mellowed with cooking, though the raw ingredient is more potent in medicinal benefits.

Chilies
The game would be incomplete without the mention of chili peppers. Chilies not only heat up your meal, but also your metabolism.  The spiciness makes chilies a great fat-burning food, especially in its raw form.

Where the menthol in mint triggers a cold reaction, capsaicin, a chemical found in hot chilies, stimulates heat sensors in the body causing a hot reaction.  The article on Care2 adds, “Capsaicin is an anti-inflammatory compound and stimulates the release of endorphins, the body’s natural pain killers.”

Did you know these flavors were so talented?  Have you experienced the medicinal benefits of these flavorful plants and herbs for yourself?  We invite your to share with us below!

The Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association of the United States (FEMA) was founded in 1909 and is the national association of the U.S. flavor industry.  FEMA’s membership is comprised of flavor manufacturers, flavor users, flavor ingredient suppliers, and others with an interest in the U.S. flavor industry.  The association is committed to ensuring a safe supply of flavor ingredients used in foods and beverages enjoyed by billions of men, women, and children around the world.