Mint: nutrition and how to use it

Fun facts

• The numbers on this page are for spearmint, the mild, green leaved mint close to Vietnamese "hung lui". Peppermint has more menthol, which makes it feel noticeably colder.
• Menthol triggers the cold sensing receptors in your mouth, so you feel cool even though the temperature has not changed at all.
• According to USDA, 100g of fresh spearmint has about 44 kcal, 203µg of vitamin A and 11.9mg of iron. A 10g handful on the side has around 1.2mg of iron and just 4 kcal.
• Vietnamese people eat mint in herb plates, fresh spring rolls, bun cha, salads and lime mint drinks. Mint appears in 26 kOBE recipes.

Choosing and storing

Choose bunches with fresh green leaves that smell clearly minty when rubbed, with no wilting or black spots. Wrap mint in a slightly damp paper towel, put it in a bag in the fridge and use within a few days. You can also stand the sprigs in a glass of water like a bouquet. Mint is very easy to grow and spreads fast, so a pot of its own gives you leaves all year.

Cooking it well

Mint is better raw than cooked. Wash gently, shake dry and pick or tear it just before eating so the leaves do not darken. For drinks, press the leaves lightly in the glass to release the oils instead of pounding them, since over muddling can turn the drink a little bitter. If adding mint to a hot dish, do it in the last moment and turn off the heat right away.

Frequently asked questions