Mint

Mint leaves

Article Title
Mint for Head, Throat, and Mood Relief: A Cooling Herb with Healing Benefits

Mint

Japanese
Hakka (薄荷)

On a hot summer day, there’s nothing more refreshing than a glass of iced water infused with fresh mint leaves. Simply pick a few leaves from the garden, add cold water and ice, stir gently, and enjoy — it might just become your favorite summer ritual.

But mint is more than just a refreshing herb — in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), mint is known for its cooling nature and its ability to clear heat from the upper body, especially from the head, throat, and eyes. It helps disperse wind-heat, making it ideal for relieving early cold symptoms like sore throat, slight fever, and headache.

Mint also plays an important role in supporting liver function. When liver Qi is stagnant or overheated, it can show up as irritability, stress, sighing, or even hot flashes. Mint helps clear liver heat, calm the mind, and restore emotional balance.

Because it’s a cooling herb, mint can lower your body temperature. If you tend to have cold hands and feet or poor circulation due to coldness, it’s best to pair mint with warming foods like brown sugar and peaches to maintain internal balance.

Whether you sip it in herbal tea, add it to salads, or infuse it in cool water, mint is a versatile herb that brings lightness, clarity, and cooling comfort — especially when the heat (inside or out) starts to rise.

Yakuzen Classifications
Nature – Cool(涼)
Channels – Liver (肝), Lung (肺)
Flavor – Pungent (辛)

How does mint help you?

  1. Disperse wind-heat
  2. Clear heat in the upper body (head, throat and eyes)
  3. Clear mind
  4. Relieve stress

Good for the following symptoms

  1. Hot flashes
  2. Sore throat
  3. Slight fever
  4. Pink eye caused by liver heat
  5. Stress symptoms such as headache and sighs

Cautions

It's very important to know about your body conditions before choosing foods.
Do not eat too much of particular foods at once.
Do not eat the foods you are allergic to.
There are foods to avoid if you are pregnant / have a disease. Ask your doctor before you start Yakuzen.