Spearmint Plant Vs Mint Plant

Spearmint plant vs mint plant

The best way to distinguish one from the other is to taste them both. Peppermint contains 40% menthol while spearmint contains less than 1% menthol. This means peppermint is going to have a more intense “minty” flavor that spearmint.

Which is better spearmint or mint?

While peppermint's menthol content is a whopping 40 per cent, spearmint contains just 0.5 per cent. Therefore peppermint is especially pungent and even spicy, hence the 'pepper' in its name. Spearmint, on the other hand, contains a compound called carvone, which gives it a much subtler, sweeter flavour.

Is sweet mint and spearmint the same thing?

Mint comes from the Mentha genus. Peppermint is scientifically known as Mentha piperita, while spearmint is scientifically known as Mentha spicata. The main differences between peppermint and spearmint are in their menthol composition, the characteristics of their leaves and their specific uses.