Mints are one of the most popular herbs in the world. They are used in so many different industries that you might be shocked about their versatility. From the world of cooking to cosmetics, you might be using mint without even realizing it! Two such popular types of mint are sweet mint and spearmint. But many people have confused these two types of mint because they think they might be similar or completely different.
So is sweet mint the same as spearmint? The thing about mints is that they have many species. And all these mint species have their unique taste, aroma, and flavor. The confusion about sweet mint and spearmint is a topic of much debate. Some claim they are the same, while others say sweet mint is completely different. Well, I am here to bring an end to that argument, so read on to find out if they are similar or different.
Key Takeaways
- Spearmint comes from the species of mint known as mentha spicata. This has a certain appearance, aroma, flavor, and uses which are different from other mint plants.
- Spearmint might not be that similar or different from sweet mint. This is because other mints can be classified as sweet mints as well!
- The appearance, aroma, taste, menthol content, and uses of spearmints and supposed sweet mints are all different.
What is Spearmint?
Mints are a species of plant known as mentha. Spearmint is also one of the species of mint known as mentha spicata. These might seem like names, but why I am differentiating species will become clearer later. Much like other mints, spearmints are also perennials meaning they can be grown all year round because of how easy it is to grow.
Appearance
A spearmint plant is about 12 to 40 inches tall, where the stems are squared shaped. The stems themselves have little fuzzy hair growing on them. The main feature of the spearmint plant is its leaves. The leaves are oval-shaped, where the end of the leaves are pointed making it look like a spear. If you are wondering where spearmint gets its name from, then you are correct in thinking it’s because of its spear-shaped leaves!
Flavor and Aroma
As I have mentioned that mints are a species called mentha. The reason behind this is that all mints have menthol in them. This menthol gives the flavor and aroma of mints and spearmint is no different. It might only have a menthol content of 0.5% but this gives spearmint its sweet and cooling flavor. Because of the menthol, it gives spearmint that minty, aromatic smell that gives it a fresh and slightly fruity aroma.
Uses of spearmint
Mints are used everywhere, from cooking, beauty, dental, and medicinal products. In cooking, spearmint is used to brew tea, in sauces, as a garnish, and in desserts. The cooling effect of menthol and antibacterial properties means it is useful as a skin cleanser and relieves irritation from skin drying. And because of its cooling effect, spearmint is also useful in medicine for digestive problems. Dental products such as toothpaste and mouthwash use spearmint due to its cooling effects and minty fresh smell.
Is Sweet Mint Different from Spearmint?
So here is the thing, sweet mint and spearmint are not really similar. Other mints such as peppermints, water mints, and apple mints have a particular species name. This is because they are all different species of mint. But sweet mint does not have a separate name for it! Where spicata defines spearmint, sweet mint has no such name.
So does this mean sweet mint is the same as spearmint? That also might not be the case! Just going by the name, sweet mint probably gets its name from the ‘sweet’ smell it gives off. Here is the catch, almost all mints have this sweet smell to them! So the name sweet mint might be describing any number of sweet-smelling mints.
And then there is the issue of hybrids. Mints have many different species and over many generations of cultivation, there have been crosses of different breeds of mint. For example, peppermint is one such which is a cross between Metha spicata and aquatica (water mint).
The confusion about sweet mint could be attributed to one of these hybrids, where the wild mint (mentha arvensis) might be the closest thing to sweet mint. Or it could be that the Scotch spearmint (mentha gracilis), a cross between spearmint and meadow mint, could be what people confuse spearmint and sweet mint. Scotch spearmint is much sweeter than spearmint, which could be why people mistake sweet mint and spearmint.
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Sweet Mint and Spearmint Differences
Now that we have found the most likely culprit of sweet mint is Scotch spearmint and wild mint, let’s look at the differences between these and normal spearmint.
Appearance
Spearmint leaves are long and pointed towards the end, making it look like a spear. The flowers are spiked, almost looking like a lavender except it is pink or white in color. The stems are green, squared-shaped, and have fuzzy hair on them.
Scotch spearmint leaves are long but have a rounded end, unlike normal spearmints. The flowers it produces are on its stem instead of a spike on top. The flowers are lilac in color while the stem is maroon or variegated green in color.
Wild mint leaves are broader in the middle with jagged edges on its side. The stems are red or green in color with fuzzy hair on them, and the flowers grow here as well being purple in color.
Aroma
Spearmint has a minty, aromatic smell that gives it a fresh and slightly fruity aroma. The same goes for Scotch spearmint, which gives off a fruitier aroma than normal spearmint. Wild mint has a stronger mint smell.
Taste
Both spearmint and Scotch spearmint have a cool, sweet, and minty taste. The Scotch spearmint has a sweeter taste while the cooling taste is milder compared to spearmint. On the other hand, wild mint has a sharper taste to it, especially when the leaves are cut.
Menthol content
Compared to wild mint, Scotch spearmint and normal spearmint has a much lower menthol content. Wild mint would have around 10-20% of menthol content, while spearmint has 0.5% and Scotch spearmint has much less than that around 0.2%. This gives the differences in aroma and taste of these types of mint.
Uses
Spearmint is used in cooking, beauty, dental, and medicinal products. The menthol content of 0.5% gives it a more advantage in being used in cooking and most beauty products.
Scotch spearmint has a much lower menthol content so its uses are limited to extracting its essential oils for flavoring in chewing gum and candies.
Due to its much higher menthol and sharper taste, wild mints are less used in cooking other than brewing mint teas. But because of this, the medicinal properties are greatly improved, where it can relieve stress and headaches. It can be used as an air freshener and natural pesticide due to how strong the smell is for animals and insects.
| Spearmint | Scotch spearmint | Wild mint | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appearance | long and pointed leaves and green stems with fuzzy hair on them. White flowers grow on the spike on top | Long but rounded leaves, maroon stem where the lilac-colored flowers grow on | Broader leaves in the middle with jagged edges, and red stems where purple flowers grow |
| Aroma | Minty, sweet smell | Milder smell than spearmint | Sharp mint smell when leaves are crushed |
| Taste | Mint and slightly sweet | Quite sweet, mild mint flavor | Very minty taste |
| Menthol content | 0.5% | 0.1 to 0.2% | 10 to 20% |
| Uses | Cooking, beauty, medicine, dental products | Used in chewing gum and essential oils | Natural pesticides, air fresheners, medicinal teas |
FAQs
No, peppermint is completely different! This is because peppermint has a higher menthol content than spearmint making it more potent in taste and smell.
Yes, all mints are perennials because of how easy it is to grow them and how quickly they can spread. They are suited for most weather.
Most mint leaves are not toxic except for pennyroyal mint. However, the flowers of mint plants can be highly toxic.
Final Thoughts
Overall, the differences between sweet mint and spearmint can be distinguished as such. While spearmint can be called a sweet mint, other mints such as Scotch spearmint and wild mint could also be called sweet mint. Thus, sweet mint is not really a different type of mint, just another name that can be given to most mints.
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