If you’re only using mint in your salads and pasta, it’s high time you learned how to use this fresh-tasting herb for other things. Mint, a highly aromatic pantry staple, is also a great ingredient for desserts and summer smoothies.

Just take this recipe for a mint chocolate smoothie. It’s delicious, refreshing and filled with tons of essential nutrients and powerful plant compounds. It also doesn’t hurt that mint and chocolate make one of the greatest food combinations ever. You’d definitely be in for a tasty and ridiculously healthy treat.

Mint, a potent herb with amazing health benefits

Mint and chocolate are incredible superfoods in their own right. For starters, mint contains menthol, the active compound responsible for its refreshing flavor and cooling effect in the mouth.

Mint can do more than just freshen your breath. It can also help with gut issues. Recent studies show that peppermint oil can relieve abdominal cramps and treat stomachache. These beneficial effects are all thanks to the menthol in peppermint oil, which can help relax your intestinal muscles.

Menthol in mint also has antioxidant properties, meaning it can protect your cells free from oxidative stress and inflammation caused by free radicals. Inflammation is associated with a wide range of health issues, including arthritis and cancer. If you want to reduce your risk of developing inflammation-related diseases, load up on inflammation-busting foods like mint.

In addition to its antioxidant properties, mint also has immune-boosting benefits, which it owes to vitamin A. Just a 1/4-cup serving of spearmint gives you nearly half of your daily vitamin A needs.

On top of fortifying your immune system, vitamin A also helps scavenge free radicals that can otherwise put you at risk of developing chronic diseases.

Additionally, mint essential oil contains antibacterial compounds like carvone and limonene. These compounds are effective against a variety of bacterial pathogens, including those found in contaminated food.

If you’re having trouble cutting back on your salt intake, then you’ll definitely love mint. Mint is a great salt substitute since it adds its own flavor to food. Mint is also an incredibly versatile herb. You can use it on anything from salad bowls to fish and meat dishes.

Chocolate, a superfood full of health-promoting antioxidants

Chocolate gets a bad rap because of the sugar-filled junk you normally find in groceries. But chocolate can be good for you if you know which type to get.

Dark chocolate that contains 50 to 70 percent cacao is packed with antioxidants that can benefit your health in several ways. For starters, antioxidants called flavonoids support healthy heart function by keeping your blood pressure levels stable. They also help lower your total blood cholesterol.

In addition, flavonoids boost blood flow to your brain, which can help enhance vital cognitive functions. Cacao also contains magnesium, an essential mineral involved in healthy brain development, memory and learning.

Recipe for mint chocolate smoothie

This mouthwatering green smoothie gets its bright color from fresh mint and spinach. But don’t worry if you hate spinach — you won’t even notice it’s there once you add cashew butter and almond milk. Collagen peptides boost the protein content of this smoothie, while cacao nibs add that quintessential chocolate flavor to it.

Ingredients for 1 serving:

• 5 fresh mint leaves
• 1 frozen banana, peeled
• 1 serving collagen peptides
• 3/4 cup almond milk
• 1/2 cup fresh spinach leaves
• 1 tablespoon cacao nibs (crushed dried cacao beans)
• 1 tablespoon cashew butter
• 1/2 teaspoon chlorella

Preparation:

1. Place all of the ingredients in a blender. You can add bee pollen, chia seeds and other nutrient-dense ingredients of your choice for a an even healthier smoothie.
2. Blend until smooth. Enjoy.

Cool down on a hot day and boost your overall health while you’re at it by having a nice, tall glass of mint chocolate smoothie.

Sources:

MindBodyGreen.com

GoodHousekeeping.com

RealFoodRN.com