I demand that this is true .

[Ross]

This is probably some marketing ploy but I do not care , I want to believe it .

Candy Canes Fight Germs, Settle Stomachs

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.

http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2008/1...nes-germs.html

[ukmum]

Peppermint oil does help IBS, Iv;e tried it and it works....not in candy canes though which have too much sugar!

[rb.]

From about 1995 to about 2002, I bought loads of Frisk breath mints. They contain a whole lot of peppermint oil, so much so that many people couldn't stand them in their mouths they are so hot. During that time, I had absolutely no gastro problems. I stopped buying them for two reasons. First, they're about $2 a pack, and second, very few retailers carried them because of their price, so they were hard to find. I've had major gastro issues since then, but I've also heard that with my reflux, I should NOT eat peppermint as it will exacerbate the hyper-acidity. I'm tempted to find them again, and give it a try.

[Ought Six]

Peppermint oil is long known to be good for stomach discomfort. I have my doubts about its antibiotic properties, though, when taken internally in doses that our bodies can easily tolerate. Your digestive system depends entirely upon having a healthy digestive bacteria colony to digest your food. That is why you need to take acidopholous supplements when you are taking antibiotics. If peppermint oil laid waste to your stomach bacteria, it would harm your digestion instead of helping it. I suppose it is possible that peppermint oil could be a more specific agent that harms only certain kinds of bacteria; the bad kind.

[neilyoungfan]

Funny this is coming up now. My brother was visiting over Christmas and went to a pizza shop where he used to work more than 30 years ago. The same family still owns it. He brought home some pizza and they had put some small candy canes in with the order. I ate them about a week ago and realized not only how good they tasted, but that my stomach felt better. I also noticed some appetite suppression, too. So, I bought several boxes at the after-Christmas sale price of 64 cents per box of 12 (they are large, about 7 inches long). I have one each evening and have definitely noticed that I am less hungry for quite a few hours afterwards. Is peppermint known as an appetite suppressant?

[Ought Six]

nyf:

"Is peppermint known as an appetite suppressant?"

Nope. But remember when your mom told you after school not to eat that candy, because it would spoil your dinner (i.e., your appetite)? She was right.

[neilyoungfan]

06
You are probably right about that! But I eat other candy and don't notice the long period of time (5-6 hours) until I am hungry again like I do with peppermint. That's why I asked.

[Sarrah]

Just don't pay any attention to them Ross. Eat your candy canes and tell yourself they will make you healthy and they will. NYF has the right idea.
Just brush your teeth really well after you eat each one.

[Ben Franklin]

Originally Posted by rb.

....I've had major gastro issues since then, but I've also heard that with my reflux, I should NOT eat peppermint as it will exacerbate the hyper-acidity. I'm tempted to find them again, and give it a try.

It won't increase acidity, but it does relax the muscle tone of the digestive system, and thus acid is released more readily from the stomach (same as with alcohol - try peppermint schnapps for a double whammy).

I think the first line of defense against irritable bowel syndrome should be yogurt, since that's a cure, but there's no reason not to have plenty of peppermint tea to treat symptoms along the way to a cure.

Peppermint tea is of course better than the massive sugar load in a candy cane or mints. Simply partly dry the leaves and drop them into boiling hot water for a few minutes (or use a commercial peppermint tea bag if you must cheat.)

Peppermint grows as a weed, if you stay aware on your walks into the countryside you might even sniff out a patch.

It also offers some utility as a mosquito repellant, though some other members of the mint family are better for that.

Finally and very importantly in a world that may become scarce in tranquilizers, it can calm the nerves in case of high anxiety or panic attacks. It's especially useful to drink it in combination with chamomile for that, which also grows wild (amazingly enough, often in the cracks of city sidewalks).

[gsgs]

I remember, that peppermint is often mentioned as one of the
things to avoid when you have gastro-esophageal reflux.

also tomatoes,onions

I don't know, what effect they have

[Therese]

When it comes to reflux, I have had it so bad, that I have almost landed in the hospital with what felt like intense angina.

The only thing I found to get rid of it, not just control it, but actually get rid of it, is a super whole food called Green Vibrance. Once a day did it - it started having effect immediately. The change was dramatic.

If I stop using it, eventually the reflux will start up again, mildly, but a soon as I take it, it is gone and doesn't come back for quite a while.

I use it in its powder form. I find that it is so popular, that discount sites run out of it very quickly.

[Teal]

I found the reason for my heartburn years ago: bleached flour. I began to realize that's what caused it the first time I lowcarbed. I've never read about this as a cause.

[Liz]

Originally Posted by Ben Franklin

It won't increase acidity, but it does relax the muscle tone of the digestive system, and thus acid is released more readily from the stomach (same as with alcohol - try peppermint schnapps for a double whammy).

I think the first line of defense against irritable bowel syndrome should be yogurt, since that's a cure, but there's no reason not to have plenty of peppermint tea to treat symptoms along the way to a cure.

Peppermint tea is of course better than the massive sugar load in a candy cane or mints. Simply partly dry the leaves and drop them into boiling hot water for a few minutes (or use a commercial peppermint tea bag if you must cheat.)

The hops in beer are not only sedative, they are good for IBS. Been used as medicine alone and in combination with other herbs i.e. valerian for milennia. How do you spell milennia?

[Ben Franklin]

You almost had it, Liz - millenia. Seems to me that beers have gotten hoppier (more bitter) over the last few decades.

[Ought Six]

BTW, peppermint Altoids are loaded with peppermint oil. You can get those just about anywhere.

[Mikala]

I use peppermint oil for IBS, helps better than anything the doc has given me.

[Arianwen]

Peppermint tea is good for angry stomachs etc. Learned that one from my mom...I think I read you should drink it after meals to help with digestion?

I tend to drink spearmint which doesn't work as well, as I find the bitterness of peppermint to be unpleasant.