New studies onpeppermint, 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 recentBritish 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.
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