Candy Canes Fight Germs, Settle Stomachs
Jennifer Viegas, Discovery News e-mail share bookmark print





A New Use for an Old Favorite | Discovery News Video Dec. 24, 2008 -- New studies on peppermint, the key flavoring in traditional candy canes, reveal the herb may do everything from kill germs to treat digestive troubles.

Some researchers now advise consumers to eat a tablespoon or more of fresh peppermint, and other green herbs, daily.

Peppermint oil, found in most candy canes, also appears to have health benefits. A recent British Medical Journal study, led by McMaster University researcher Alex Ford, concludes that peppermint oil should be the first line of defense against irritable bowel syndrome, a condition characterized by abdominal pain and irregular bowels that affects between 5 to 20 percent of the population.

Peppermint oil, and other potent essential oils, may even one day be wafted in their vapor form over food to prevent the growth of bacteria.

Very interesting. Thanks for sharing that.

Mmmmmmmmm....

Peppermint candy...

How exciting - mmm peppermint. Good in tea too.

I thought studies proved this a while ago. They are still doing these studies?????

Thats what I thought. I've heard of this a while back. *shrugs*

This is absolutely true!

Many times posters here on these forums will see me post in threads where I draw doubts on a given remedy. This is not it>

More then one study, in fact many studies have shown the benefits of mint leaves, and natural mint.

When I was a child and would have a tummy ache, my grandmother would give us those hard, red and white peppermint candies.
She promised that they were good for stomach aches. She always had them around the house.